The major tree genera are listed below by taxonomic family.
Flowering plants
For classification of flowering plants, see APG II system.
Eudicots
About 210 eudicot families include trees.12
- Adoxaceae (Moschatel family)
- Altingiaceae (sweetgum family)
- Liquidambar, sweetgum
- Anacardiaceae (Cashew family)
- Anacardium, Cashew etc.
- Mangifera, Mango
- Pistacia, Pistachio etc.
- Rhus, Sumac
- Toxicodendron, Lacquer tree etc.
- Apocynaceae (Dogbane family)
- Aquifoliaceae (Holly family)
- Ilex, Holly
- Araliaceae (Ivy family)
- Harmsiopanax
- Kalopanax septemlobus, Kalopanax
Birch tree (foreground) and maple tree (background) in fall source ↗ - Schefflera, Schefflera
- Betulaceae (Birch family)
- Bignoniaceae (Trumpet Creeper family)
- Cactaceae (Cactus family)
- Carnegiea gigantea, Saguaro
- Cannabaceae (Cannabis family)
- Celtis, Hackberry
- Celastraceae (Bittersweet family)
- Apodostigma
- Arnicratea
- Bequaertia
- Brexiella
- Cassine
- Catha, Khat
- Cheiloclinium
- Crossopetalum, Maiden berries
- Denhamia
- Elachyptera
- Elaeodendron, Olivewoods
- Euonymus, Spindle trees
- Glyptopetalum
- Gyminda
- Gymnosporia
- Hartogiopsis
- Haydenoxylon
- Cornaceae (Dogwood family)
- Cornus, Dogwood
- Family Dipterocarpaceae
- Ebenaceae (Persimmon family)
- Diospyros, Persimmon
- Ericaceae (Heath family)
- Arbutus, Arbutus
- Eucommiaceae (Eucommia family)
- Eucommia ulmoides, Eucommia
- Fabaceae (Pea family)
- Acacia, Acacia
- Bauhinia Orchid tree etc.
- Caesalpinia, Brazilwood etc.
- Gleditsia, Honey locust etc.
- Laburnum, Laburnum
- Robinia, Black locust etc.
- Fagaceae (Beech family)
- Castanea, Chestnut
- Fagus, Beech
- Lithocarpus, Tanoak etc.
- Quercus, Oak
- Fouquieriaceae (Boojum family)
- Fouquieria, Boojum etc.
- Hamamelidaceae (Witch-hazel family)
- Parrotia persica, Persian Ironwood
- Juglandaceae (Walnut family)
- Lecythidaceae (Paradise nut family)
- Bertholletia excelsa, Brazil Nut
- Lythraceae (Loosestrife family)
- Lagerstroemia, Crape-myrtle
- Malvaceae (Mallow family; including Tiliaceae, Sterculiaceae and Bombacaceae)
African baobab (Adansonia digitata, Malvaceae) in South Africa source ↗ - Adansonia, Baobab
- Bombax, Silk-cotton tree
- Brachychiton, Bottletrees
- Ceiba, Kapok etc.
- Durio, Durian
- Ochroma pyramidale, Balsa
- Theobroma, Cacao etc.
- Tilia, Linden (Basswood, Lime)
- Meliaceae (Mahogany family)
- Azadirachta, Neem etc.
- Melia, Bead tree etc.
- Swietenia, Mahogany
- Moraceae (Mulberry family)
Eucalyptus bridgesiana (Myrtaceae) on Red Hill, Australian Capital Territory source ↗ - Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)
- Nothofagaceaed (Southern Beech family)
- Nothofagus, Southern beech
- Nyssaceae (Tupelo family; sometimes included in Cornaceae)
- Oleaceae (Olive family)
Dove tree (Nyssaceae) source ↗ - Paulowniaceae (Paulownia family)
- Paulownia, Foxglove Tree
- Platanaceae (Plane family)
- Platanus, Plane
- Rhizophoraceae (Mangrove family)
- Rhizophora, Red mangrove etc.
- Rosaceae (Rose family)
- Rubiaceae (Bedstraw family)
- Coffea, Coffee
- Rutaceae (Rue family)
- Salicaceae (Willow family)
- Sapindaceae (including Aceraceae, Hippocastanaceae) (Soapberry family)
- Acer, Maple
- Aesculus, Buckeye, Horse-chestnut
- Koelreuteria, Golden rain tree
- Litchi chinensis, Lychee
- Ungnadia speciosa, Mexican Buckeye
- Sapotaceae (Sapodilla family)
- Argania spinosa, Argan
- Palaquium, Gutta-percha
- Sideroxylon, Tambalacoque ("dodo tree") etc.
- Family Simaroubaceae
- Ailanthus, Tree of heaven
- Theaceae (Camellia family)
- Thymelaeaceae (Thymelaea family)
- Gonystylus, Ramin
- Ulmaceae (Elm family)
Monocotyledons
About 10 Monocotyledon families include trees.12
- Asparagaceae (Asparagus family)
- Cordyline, Cabbage tree etc.
- Dracaena, Dragon tree
- Yucca, Joshua tree etc.
- Arecaceae (Palmae) (Palm family)
- Areca, Areca
- Cocos nucifera, Coconut
- Phoenix, Date Palm etc.
- Trachycarpus, Chusan Palm etc.
- Poaceae (grass family)
- Bamboos, Poaceae subfamily Bambusoideae, around 92 genera
- Note that banana 'trees' are not actually trees; they are not woody nor is the stalk perennial.
Magnoliids
17 magnoliid families include trees.12
- Annonaceae (Custard apple family)
- Annona, Cherimoya, Custard apple, Soursop etc.
- Asimina, American Pawpaw
- Lauraceae (Laurel family)
- Cinnamomum, Cinnamon etc.
- Laurus, Bay Laurel etc.
- Persea, Avocado etc.
- Sassafras, Sassafras
- Magnoliaceae (Magnolia family)
- Liriodendron, tulip tree
- Magnolia, Magnolia
- Myristicaceae (Nutmeg family)
- Myristica, Nutmeg
Conifers
7 families, all of which include trees.3
- Araucariaceae (Araucaria family)
- Cupressaceae (Cypress family)
- Actinostrobus, Sandplain Cypress
- Athrotaxis, Tasmanian Cedar
- Austrocedrus chilensis, Cordilleran Cypress
- Callitris, Cypress-Pine
- Callitropsis nootkatensis, Nootka Cypress
- Calocedrus, Incense-Cedar
- Chamaecyparis, False Cypress
- Cryptomeria japonica, Sugi
- Cupressus, Old World Cypress
- Fitzroya cupressoides, Alerce or Patagonian cypress
- Fokienia hodginsii, Fujian Cypress
- Glyptostrobus pensilis, Chinese Swamp Cypress
- Hesperocyparis, New World Cypress
- Juniperus, Juniper
- Libocedrus, New Zealand Cedars, etc.
- Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Dawn Redwood
- Papuacedrus papuana
- Pilgerodendron uviferum, Guaitecas Cypress
- Platycladus orientalis, Chinese Arborvitae
- Sequoia sempervirens, Coast Redwood
- Sequoiadendron giganteum, Giant Sequoia
- Taiwania cryptomerioides
- Taxodium, Bald Cypress
- Tetraclinis articulata, Sandarac
- Thuja
- Thujopsis dolabrata, Hiba
- Xanthocyparis vietnamensis, Vietnamese Golden Cypress
- Widdringtonia, African Cypress
- Pinaceae (Pine family)
- Abies, Fir
- Cathaya argyrophylla, Cathay Silver Fir
- Cedrus, Cedar
- Keteleeria
- Larix, Larch
- Nothotsuga longibracteata, Bristlecone Hemlock
- Picea, Spruce
- Pinus, Pine
- Pseudolarix amabilis, Golden Larch
- Pseudotsuga, Douglas-fir
- Tsuga, Hemlock
- Podocarpaceae (Yellowwood family)
- Acmopyle
- Afrocarpus, African Yellowwood etc.
- Dacrycarpus, Kahikatea etc.
- Dacrydium, Rimu etc.
- Falcatifolium
- Halocarpus
- Lagarostrobos franklinii, Huon Pine
- Lepidothamnus
- Manoao colensoi, Manoao
- Nageia, Asian Bayberry etc.
- Pectinopitys, Miro etc.
- Phyllocladus, Celery Pine
- Podocarpus, Totara etc.
- Prumnopitys, Mataī etc.
- Retrophyllum
- Saxegothaea conspicua, Mañío Hembra
- Sundacarpus amarus
- Family Sciadopityaceae
- Sciadopitys verticillata, Kusamaki
- Taxaceae (Yew family)
- Amentotaxus, Catkin-Yew
- Austrotaxus spicata, New Caledonia Yew
- Cephalotaxus, Plum Yew
- Pseudotaxus chienii, Whiteberry Yew
- Taxus, Yew
- Torreya, Nutmeg Yew
Ginkgos
Only one species.
- Ginkgoaceae (Ginkgo family)
Cycads
Both families of cycads include trees.3
- Cycadaceae (Cycad family)
- Cycas, Ngathu cycad etc.
- Zamiaceae (Zamia family)
- Lepidozamia, Wunu cycad etc.
Ferns
Tree ferns are not true trees - their "trunks" are not composed of true secondary growth, but instead of roots and rhizomes4.
References
References
- "Angiosperm Phylogeny Website". Missouri Botanical Garden.
- Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O. 2007: Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- "The Gymnosperm Database".
- "Tree ferns". RHS Gardening. Retrieved 19 December 2025.