Many trees fail to thrive because they were planted in the wrong place. Before you head to the nursery, evaluate the growing conditions of your site - the soil, degrees of light and shade, and the typical moisture level. Then select a tree that likes those conditions. For example, don't put a shade-loving rosebay rhododendron (R. maximum) in full sun or a moisture-loving tree like black tupelo (lyssa sylvatica) on a dry hillside slope. In general, trees native to your area, or their cultivars, will perform well in your soil.

Also calculate how fast a tree might grow, and how its growth will affect the planting site, nearby structures, and patios and driveways. Unless it's part of an overall landscape plan to move the tree in a few years, site it based on its mature height and spread.

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