Permits & Records

Approved Tree List

If you want to plant new trees or replace trees you are removing, the following list are the approved species you can plant in Hillsborough County:

Shade trees

  • N - Native
  • F - Flowering
  • E - Evergreen
  • D - Deciduous (sheds leaves annually)
  • 1 - Acceptable for planting in shade tree islands
  • 2 - Not acceptable for planting in internal or terminal islands of parking areas
Common Name Botanical Name Characteristics
Ash, green Fraxinus pennsylvanica N, D, 1
Cypress, bald Taxodium distichum N, D
Elm, American Ulmus americana N, D, 1
Elm, winged Ulmus alata N, D
Hickory, pignut Carya glabra N, D, 1
Maple, red Acer rubrum N, D, 2
Magnolia, southern Magnolia grandiflora N, F, E
Oak, laurel Quercus laurifolia N, D, 1
Oak, live Quercus virginiana N, E, 1
Oak, post Quercus stellata N, E
Oak, sand live Quercus geminata N, E
Oak, Shumard Quercus shumardii N, D
Oak, turkey Quercus laevis N, D
Pine, longleaf Pinus palustris N, E
Pine, sand Pinus clausa N, E
Pine, northern slash Pinus elliottii v. elliottii N, E
Pine, slash Pinus elliotti N, E
Sugarberry Celtis laevigata N, D
Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua N, D, 1
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis N, D, 1

Ornamental Trees

These trees generally obtain a mature height of 15 - 25 feet.

  • F - Flowering
  • E - Evergreen
  • D - Deciduous sheds leaves annually
  • 1 - Acceptable for planting under power lines
  • 2 - May obtain a mature height of up to 50 feet under ideal growing conditions
  • 3 - Palms must be planted in clusters of three to credit as one landscape tree
Common Name Botanical Name Characteristics
Acacia Acacia Sp. F,E
Bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis F,E,1
Chickasaw Plum Prunus angustifolia N,F,D,1
Crepe Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica F,D,1
Drake Elm Ulmus parvifolia D
White Fringe Chionanthus virginicus N,F,D
American Holly Ilex opaca N,F,E,2
Chinese Holly Ilex cornuta E,1
Dahoon Holly Ilex cassine N, F, E, 1
East Palatka Holly Ilex attenuate N, F, E
Mary Nell Holly, Ilex x “Mary Nell” E, 1
Yaupon Holly, Ilex vomitoria N, F, E, 1
Japanese Blueberry Elaeocarpus decipiens F, E
Jerusalem Thorn Parkinsonia aculeata F, E, 1
Ligustrum Tree form Ligustrum lucidum F, E, 1
Loblolly Bay Gordonia lasianthus N, F, E, 2
Loquat Eriobotrya japonica F, E, 1
Myrtle Oak Quercus myrtifolia N, E, 2
Palm Species Phoenix spp. E
Sabal Palm Sabal palmetto N, E, 3
Washington Palm Washingtonia robusta E, 3
Podocarpus Podocarpus macrophyllus E
Red Cedar Juniperus silicicola N,E,2
River Birch Betula nigra N,D,2
Sparkleberry Vaccinium arboretum N,F,E,1
Summer Haw Crataegus flava N,D
Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana F,E
Tabebuia Tabebuia spp. F,E
Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera N,E,1
Weeping Willow Salex babylonica D,2

Street Trees

The following list of trees and palms represent acceptable Street Tree.

  • 1 - Where palms are used for street trees, they shall be planted at twice the frequency as other accepted street trees
Common Name Botanical Name Characteristics
Cypress, Bald Taxodium distichum
Cypress, Pond Taxodium ascendens
Elm, Winged Ulmus alata
Magnolia, Southern Magnolia grandiflora
Maple, Florida Acer barbatum
Oak, Live Quercus virginiana
Oak, Shummard Quercus shummardii
Palm, Sabal Sabal palmetto 1
Palm, Washington Washingtonia robusta 1
Podocarpus Podocarpus macrophyllus
Tupelo Blackgum Nyssa sylvatica

Screening Trees for Incompatible Land Uses

The following list of trees represent acceptable Incompatible Land Use Screening Tree species.

Common Name Botanical Name
Loblolly Bay Gordonia lasianthus
Magnolia, Southern Magnolia grandiflora
Oak, Laurel Quercus laurifolia
Oak, Live Quercus virginiana
Oak, Sand Live Quercus geminate
Pine, Longleaf Pinus palustris
Pine, Sand Pinus clausa
Pine, Slash Pinus elliottii
Red Cedar Juniperus silicicola
Redbay Persea borbonia
Sweetbay Magnolia virginiana

Resources

Contact

For more information contact the Natural Resources unit at (813) 272-5600, ext. 5, option 1.