25 Popular Tree Seeds You Can Buy Online and Grow at Home

Growing trees from seed is an affordable and rewarding way to add beauty, shade, wildlife habitat, and long-term value to your landscape. While trees grown from seed require more patience than nursery-grown saplings, watching a tiny seed develop into a mature tree can be incredibly satisfying.

Many tree seeds are readily available online, giving gardeners access to species that may be difficult to find at local garden centers. From towering shade trees and colorful flowering varieties to evergreens and unusual ornamental trees, there are options for nearly every type of landscape.

Before buying seeds, check the tree's USDA growing zone and mature size. Many tree species also require special germination treatments such as cold stratification or soaking before planting.

Here are 25 popular tree seeds you can buy online and grow at home.

1. Sugar Maple

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is famous for its spectacular orange, yellow, and red fall foliage. Native to eastern North America, this long-lived shade tree can eventually reach 60 to 75 feet tall.

Sugar maple seeds typically benefit from a period of cold, moist stratification before planting. Give young seedlings plenty of room because these trees can eventually develop broad, impressive canopies.

USDA Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Fall color, shade, large landscapes

2. Red Maple

Red maple (Acer rubrum) is another excellent choice for gardeners looking for brilliant fall color. Depending on the individual tree and growing conditions, foliage can turn shades of yellow, orange, or vivid red.

The species is adaptable to a variety of soil conditions and commonly grows 40 to 60 feet tall.

USDA Zones: 3–9
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Shade, fall foliage, wildlife

3. Japanese Maple

Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are prized for their graceful branching patterns and colorful foliage. Many are relatively small compared with traditional shade trees, making them suitable for smaller landscapes.

Trees grown from seed can vary considerably from the parent tree, which makes growing Japanese maples from seed especially interesting.

USDA Zones: Generally 5–8
Sun: Partial shade to full sun, depending on climate
Best For: Ornamental gardens, patios, smaller yards

4. Eastern Redbud

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) produces an impressive display of pink to purple-pink flowers along its branches in early spring.

The heart-shaped leaves that follow provide attractive summer foliage. Redbuds usually remain manageable in size, commonly reaching approximately 20 to 30 feet tall.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Spring flowers, pollinators, small landscapes

5. Northern Red Oak

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) is a strong-growing native shade tree capable of reaching 60 feet or more at maturity. Its broad canopy provides valuable summer shade.

Like many native oaks, it also supports numerous wildlife species. Acorns are an important food source for squirrels, deer, turkeys, and other animals.

USDA Zones: 4–8
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Large yards, wildlife, shade

6. White Oak

White oak (Quercus alba) is one of North America's most impressive native trees. Mature specimens can develop massive trunks and wide-spreading crowns.

White oaks are slow-growing compared with some landscape trees, but their longevity and wildlife value make them worth considering when you have enough space.

USDA Zones: 3–9
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Wildlife habitat, shade, large properties

7. Black Walnut

Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is a large native tree valued for its nuts, wood, and stately appearance.

Keep in mind that black walnuts produce juglone, a natural compound that can inhibit the growth of certain sensitive plants nearby. Choose the planting location carefully.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Large properties, nut production, wildlife

8. American Persimmon

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a native fruit tree that produces orange fruits that become sweet as they ripen.

The fruit is also popular with wildlife. Because seed-grown trees can be male or female, growing several trees may improve your chances of eventually obtaining fruit-producing female trees with suitable pollination.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Edible landscapes, wildlife, native gardens

9. Flowering Dogwood

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is known for its beautiful spring display, attractive foliage, colorful fruit, and fall color.

This smaller native tree often works well along woodland edges or in landscapes where towering shade trees would be too large.

USDA Zones: 5–9
Sun: Partial shade to full sun
Best For: Spring interest, wildlife, woodland gardens

10. American Sycamore

American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a massive native shade tree recognizable by its mottled bark.

It can eventually exceed 75 feet tall under favorable conditions, so it is best reserved for large yards and properties where it has plenty of room to develop.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Large landscapes, shade, naturalized areas

11. Tulip Tree

Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), also called tulip poplar, is a fast-growing native tree with distinctive leaves and tulip-like flowers.

Mature trees can become extremely tall, often reaching 70 to 90 feet or more.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Large yards, pollinators, shade

12. Eastern White Pine

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is a classic North American evergreen with soft, slender needles arranged in bundles of five.

It grows into a large tree and can be useful for windbreaks, privacy plantings, wildlife habitat, and naturalized landscapes.

USDA Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Evergreen screens, wildlife, windbreaks

13. Colorado Blue Spruce

Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) is easily recognized by its stiff needles, which can range from green to striking silvery blue.

This evergreen develops the traditional pyramidal shape many gardeners associate with spruce trees.

USDA Zones: 2–7
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Evergreen landscapes, windbreaks, specimen trees

14. Norway Spruce

Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a large, fast-growing evergreen characterized by sweeping branches and hanging branchlets on mature specimens.

It is often planted where year-round screening or a substantial evergreen presence is desired.

USDA Zones: 3–7
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Privacy, windbreaks, large properties

15. Giant Sequoia

Few trees are as fascinating to grow from seed as giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum).

These legendary trees can achieve enormous proportions under suitable conditions. Home gardeners should carefully consider their climate and available space before planting one.

USDA Zones: Commonly 6–8, depending on site conditions
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Large properties, specimen planting, tree enthusiasts

16. Dawn Redwood

Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) looks like an evergreen during summer but is actually a deciduous conifer. Its soft green needles turn bronze before dropping in autumn.

It is relatively fast-growing and can eventually reach 70 feet or taller.

USDA Zones: 4–8
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Specimen trees, large landscapes, unusual collections

17. Bald Cypress

Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is another deciduous conifer. It is especially well known for growing in wet environments, although established trees can tolerate a broader range of conditions.

Its fine-textured foliage turns rusty orange or brown before dropping in fall.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Wet soil, pond edges, large landscapes

18. River Birch

River birch (Betula nigra) is valued for its attractive peeling bark and ability to handle moist soils.

It is particularly useful in landscapes with consistently damp areas where some other shade trees may struggle.

USDA Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Moist soil, rain gardens, ornamental bark

19. Paper Birch

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is famous for its bright white, peeling bark. Native to cooler regions of North America, it performs best where summers are not excessively hot.

Its combination of white bark and golden fall foliage creates year-round visual interest.

USDA Zones: 2–7
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Northern gardens, ornamental bark, naturalized landscapes

20. Ginkgo

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is one of the most distinctive trees you can grow from seed. Its unusual fan-shaped leaves turn brilliant yellow in autumn.

Seed-grown ginkgo trees can be male or female. Female trees eventually produce fleshy seeds with a strong odor, so this should be considered when choosing where to grow seedlings.

USDA Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Fall color, urban landscapes, specimen planting

21. Mimosa Tree

Mimosa or silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) produces fern-like foliage and fluffy pink flowers during summer.

It grows relatively quickly and can create a tropical appearance, but gardeners should check local recommendations before planting because it is considered invasive in parts of the United States.

USDA Zones: Approximately 6–9
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Summer flowers and ornamental landscapes where non-invasive

22. Royal Poinciana

Royal poinciana (Delonix regia) is a tropical tree celebrated for its brilliant red-orange flowers and fern-like foliage.

It requires warm conditions and is best suited to frost-free climates. Gardeners in colder regions can experiment with young plants in containers, although mature trees require considerable space.

USDA Zones: Approximately 10–12
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Tropical landscapes, dramatic flowers

23. Jacaranda

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) creates spectacular displays of lavender-blue to purple flowers in warm climates.

It performs best in areas with mild winters. In colder regions, seedlings can initially be grown in containers and protected from freezing temperatures.

USDA Zones: Approximately 9–11
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Flowering landscapes, warm climates

24. Southern Magnolia

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) combines glossy evergreen leaves with enormous fragrant white flowers.

The species can develop into a substantial landscape tree, so allow plenty of space between seedlings and buildings.

USDA Zones: 7–10
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Best For: Fragrant flowers, evergreen foliage, specimen planting

25. Crape Myrtle

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is loved for its long-lasting summer flowers. Depending on the variety, blossoms can appear in shades of pink, red, purple, lavender, or white.

Seed-grown plants may not reproduce the exact flower color or characteristics of a named parent cultivar, but they can still make interesting ornamental trees.

USDA Zones: Generally 7–10
Sun: Full sun
Best For: Summer flowers, small yards, ornamental landscapes

Tips for Buying Tree Seeds Online

Buying tree seeds online gives you access to an enormous selection, but seed quality matters. Look for sellers that clearly identify seeds by both common and botanical name and provide information about germination requirements.

Whenever possible, determine when the seeds were harvested. Freshness can significantly affect the viability of some tree species.

Also remember that tree seeds aren't all planted the same way. Depending on the species, germination may require:

• Cold-moist stratification
• Warm stratification followed by cold stratification
• Scarification of a hard seed coat
• Soaking in water
• Direct fall sowing
• Immediate planting of fresh seeds
• Warm indoor germination

Research the requirements of your particular species before sowing.

Start Small and Think Long-Term

Growing trees from seed requires patience, but that's part of what makes the process rewarding. Some species germinate within weeks, while others need months of preparation before the first seedling appears.

Start several seeds rather than relying on a single one, since germination rates naturally vary. Once seedlings become established, gradually provide the light, moisture, and growing space appropriate for the species.

Most importantly, think about what that tiny seed could eventually become. A seed planted today could grow into a shade tree, wildlife habitat, flowering centerpiece, or towering evergreen that remains in the landscape for generations.