Trident Maple
Botanical Name: Acer buergeranum
Height in feet: 35
Spread in feet: 25
Characteristics: Oval shape, yellow/red/orange fall color
Coronavirus Affects City Services
To prevent the spread of coronavirus in our community, Johnson County Government has ordered residents to stay at home except for essential needs, beginning Tuesday, March 24 for 30 days.
The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Recycling Center, and playgrounds and shelters at City parks are closed, and many other City services are affected by this order.
Street Trees
Street Trees
Street trees are trees on public property, generally in the space about 11 feet back from the curb.
Overland Park’s parks services and forestry staff will assist with the full removal of dead street trees in the right of way and storm debris cleanup for trees in the right of way.
Staff will trim a tree if it poses an immediate threat to the right of way.
Property Maintenance Complaints
Adjacent property owners are responsible for trimming deadwood and providing clearance over the street and sidewalk. This area should be eight feet over the sidewalk and 12.6 feet over the street.
When complaints are filed about right of way trees, the city forester will notify the property owner of a violation and give them 30 days to complete the necessary work.
If the work is not completed in that time, community services will open a property maintenance case. If the issue continues, the city may hire a contractor to trim the trees, and the cost will be assessed to the property owner.
Planting or Removing Right of Way Trees
Removing a tree from the right of way is prohibited unless authorized by the city forester.
Forestry crews encourage planting trees from the approved list of species in the right of way.
Be sure to call 811 or visit Kansas One Call to request utility locates before you dig.
Street Tree Map
In 2005, the Legacy of Greenery Committee created an inventory of all the city’s street trees. For eight years, volunteers collected information about each tree’s species and size. This information helps the city forester and parks crews manage Overland Park’s forest.
Use the map to search your address or browse around to see what species are most predominant in your neighborhood.
Approved Street Trees
Before you plant a tree, make sure it is included in the list below. If your tree is not on this list, contact the city forester for approval before planting.
Hedge Maple
Botanical Name: Acer campestre
Height in feet: 35
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Dense and low branching if not pruned
Notes: Very tolerant of soil
Amur Maple
Botanical Name: Acer ginnala
Height in feet: 15
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Rounded, red fall color
Notes: Usually multi-trunk, can scorch in heat
Paperbark Maple
Botanical Name: Acer griseum
Height in feet: 25
Spread in feet: 20
Characteristics: Upright oval, bright red/oreange fall color, brown exfoliating bark
Notes: Slow growing, not drought-tolerant
Miyabe Maple
Botanical Name: Acer miyabei
Height in feet: 40
Spread in feet: 25
Characteristics: Yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: State Street
Sugar Maple
Botanical Name: Acer saccarum
Height in feet: 30
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Glossy leaves, red fall color
Popular cultivars: Caddo, John Pair
Sugar Maple
Botanical Name: Acer saccarum
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 35
Characteristics: Oval/round shape, yellow orange fall color
Popular cultivars: Green Mountain, Legacy, Commemoration
Tatarian Maple
Botanical Name: Acer tataricum
Height in feet: 20
Spread in feet: 20
Characteristics: Rounded shape, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Hotwings
Shantung Maple
Botanical Name: Acer truncatum
Height in feet: 20
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Rounded crown with yellow orange fall color
Notes: Tolerant of heat and drought, great small tree
Norwegian/Pacific Sunset Maple
Botanical Name: Acer truncatum x platanoides
Height in feet: 25
Spread in feet: 20
Characteristics: Upright oval shape, dark foliage with yellow/red fall color
Popular cultivars: Warrenred, Keithsform
Notes: Tolerant of heat and drought
Serviceberry
Botanical Name: Amelanchier x grandiflora
Height in feet: 25
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Oval or rounded shape, usually multi-stem
Popular cultivars: Autumn Brilliance, Princess Diana
Notes: Can sucker from base
Redbud/Whitebud
Botanical Name: Cercis canadensis
Height in feet: 25
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Small rounded shape, pink flowers in spring, yellow fall color
Notes: Difficult to prune for clearance
Turkish Filbert
Botanical Name: Corylus colurna
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Pyramidal, yellow fall color
Notes: Needs large space
Ginkgo
Botanical Name: Ginkgo biloba
Height in feet: 40
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Upright and narrow shape, fan-shaped leaves
Popular cultivars: Princeton Sentry
Notes: Very slow grower, can scorch in heat but otherwise drought tolerant
Ginkgo
Botanical Name: Ginkgo biloba
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 35
Characteristics: Pyramidal shape, fan-shaped leaves, bold yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Autumn Gold
Notes: Very slow grower
Thornless Honeylocust
Botanical Name: Gleditsia triacanthos inermis
Height in feet: 60
Spread in feet: 40
Characteristics: Broadly rounded, small leaflets, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Imperial
Notes: Essentially fruitless
Kentucky Coffeetree
Botanical Name: Gymnocladus dioicus
Height in feet: 60
Spread in feet: 40
Characteristics: Oval to vase-shaped, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Espresso
Notes: Espresso is fruitless cultivar, very tough in drought
Goldenrain Tree
Botanical Name: Koelreuteria paniculata
Height in feet: 30
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Irregular round shape, yellow flowers in spring, interesting seed pods
Notes: Seedlings can be prolific
Crabapple
Botanical Name: Malus spp.
Height in feet: 20
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Upright or pyramidal, various colors of bloom and fall color
Popular cultivars: Royal Raindrop, Adirondack, Velvet Pillar
Notes: Many cultivars on market, choose for disease resistance, bloom color and size/shape. Can sucker from base
Dawn Redwood
Botanical Name: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Height in feet: 80
Spread in feet: 25
Characteristics: Pyramidal; deciduous conifer; red brown fall color
Notes: Needs large space
Black Gum
Botanical Name: Nyssa sylvatica
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 25
Characteristics: Oval; brilliant red/orange fall color
Notes: Prefers well-drained acid soil
London Planetree
Botanical Name: Platanus x acerifolia
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 45
Characteristics: Attractive exfoliating bark, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Bloodgood, Exclamation
Notes: These cultivars are anthracnos tolerant, needs large space
Sawtooth Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus acutissimma
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 50
Characteristics: Pyramidal; lustrous leaves with golden fall color; fast growing in youth
Notes: Adaptable to many soil conditions
White Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus alba
Height in feet: 60
Spread in feet: 50
Characteristics: Rounded, red fall color
Notes: Difficult to establish
Swamp White Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus bicolor
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 50
Characteristics: Broad, rounded, interesting bark, yellow fall color
Notes: Great drought tolerance
Scarlet Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus coccinea
Height in feet: 70
Spread in feet: 45
Characteristics: Rounded, fast growing, glossy green leaves with scarlet fall color
Notes: Tolerant of many soil conditions
Shingle Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus imbricaria
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 40
Characteristics: Broad, rounded, russet yellow fall color
Bur Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus macrocarpa
Height in feet: 60
Spread in feet: 60
Characteristics: Broadly rounded, yellow-green fall color
Chinkapin Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus muehlenbergii
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 45
Characteristics: Round, leaves yellow to russet orange fall color
Willow Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus phellos
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 35
Characteristics: Pyramidal, bright green foliage with russet red fall color
Notes: Can tolerate poorly drained soils
English Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus robur
Height in feet: 55
Spread in feet: 50
Characteristics: Broadly round, no fall color
Notes: Acorns are long and slender, columnar cultivars are available
Northern Red Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus rubra
Height in feet: 65
Spread in feet: 45
Characteristics: Rounded, fast growing, red fall color
Notes: Tolerant of pollution and compacted soil
Shumard Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus shumardii
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 40
Characteristics: Oval round, leaves russet red fall color
China Snow Lilac
Botanical Name: Syringa pekinensis
Height in feet: 15
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Upright, yellow fall color with white flowers in late spring
Popular cultivars: Morton
Notes: Tree form lilac, can sucker at base
Japanese Lilac
Botanical Name: Syringa reticulata
Height in feet: 25
Spread in feet: 20
Characteristics: Rounded vase, no fall color but white flowers in late summer
Popular cultivars: Ivory Silk
Notes: Tree form lilac, can sucker at base
Baldcypress
Botanical Name: Taxodium distichum
Height in feet: 70
Spread in feet: 25
Characteristics: Pyramidal spade, deciduous conifer, red/orange fall color
Notes: Adaptable to wet or dry sites
American Linden
Botanical Name: Tilia americana
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Symmetrically pyramidal, pale yellow fall color, fragrant flowers in spring
Popular cultivars: American Sentry, Continental Appeal, Legend
Notes: Prune for clearance and strong branch attachment
Silver Linden
Botanical Name: Tilia tomentosa
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Upright oval, green leaves with silver underside, leaves turn yellow in fall, yellow flowers in spring
Popular cultivars: Sterling silver
Notes: Large root system
Silver Linden
Botanical Name: Tilia tomentosa
Height in feet: 60
Spread in feet: 50
Characteristics: Broadly oval, dark green leaves with silver underside, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Green Mountain
Notes: Large root system
American Elm
Botanical Name: Ulmus americana
Height in feet: 60
Spread in feet: 55
Characteristics: Majestic vase-shaped shade tree, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Princeton, Valley Forge, New Harmony
Notes: Choose a Dutch Elm Disease-resistant cultivar
Alle Lacebark Elm
Botanical Name: Ulmus parvifolia
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 40
Characteristics: Upright, resembles American Elm, mottled bark
Popular cultivars: Emer II
Notes: Dutch Elm Disease-resistant
Prospector Elm
Botanical Name: Ulmus wilsoniana
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 30
Characteristics: Vase-shaped, yellow fall color
Popular cultivars: Prospector
Notes: Dutch Elm Disease-resistant
Elm Hybrids
Botanical Name: Ulmus X
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 40
Characteristics: Varies by cultivars but typically upright vase-shaped
Popular cultivars: Accolade, Frontier, Patriot, Triumph, Emerald Sunshine
Notes: Great drought tolerance
Columnar Zelkova
Botanical Name: Zelkova serrata
Height in feet: 45
Spread in feet: 15
Characteristics: Tight pyramidal, yellow/orange fall color
Popular cultivars: Musashino
Notes: Adaptable to many different soils
Japanese Zelkova
Botanical Name: Zelkova serrata
Height in feet: 50
Spread in feet: 45
Characteristics: Upright rounded vase, fast-growing, red fall color
Popular cultivars: Village Green, Green Vase