• Cottonwood is native to Kansas.Jill Fromer/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Kansas lies smack in the middle of United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 and 6, making it an ideal place for growing thousands of varieties of deciduous and evergreen trees. What makes a tree preferable for planting in Kansas depends on your needs and taste. Whether you grow them as a windbreak, for ornamental purposes or just for their deep, cooling shade, choose trees that are drought, cold and pest resistant for best results. You may even want to begin by researching trees that are native to Kansas when designing your home landscape.
  
  

Hawthorn, Cottonwood and Maple

• Plant hawthorn, cottonwood and maple trees in full sun. All three will tolerate sandy loam with some clay and are tough and fast-growing. Hawthorn is a bird magnet, with flowers in spring, fruit in summer, and vibrant fall foliage. Cottonwood is something of a litterbug during its seed phase, but has beautiful leaves that sound like applause when the wind blows through them. Maple is a perennial favorite that comes in a dizzying number of cultivars, from silver to Japanese to paperbark. Fall foliage can be brilliant yellow, scarlet, orange or deep red, depending on the variety.
  
  

Eastern Redbud, Magnolia and Dogwood

• Flowering ornamental trees grow throughout Kansas, if given some shelter from northwest winds in winter. Plant redbud and magnolia on the southeast side of a house for stunning spring drifts of pink and white petals. Both trees can reach a height and spread of 20 feet or more and should be given plenty of space from other plantings for the best visual impact. Plant dogwood in the shelter of evergreens like hemlock and pine, where they will be protected and provide beautiful contrast during their bloom period in late spring.
  
  

Locust and Catalpa

• Locust and catalpa are both native to Kansas and make excellent shade trees. It's not uncommon for them to grow at rate of 5 to 6 feet per year if lower branches are pruned annually. Catalpa has heart-shaped leaves the size of a dinner plate and smooth bark, while locust has more delicate, thorny branches with lacy leaves. Both put on a golden show in fall, though catalpa will drop cigar-shaped seed pods everywhere once it reaches the age of 5. These trees, with their contrasting leaf shapes and bark, pair well, and will reach a similar height of 50 feet or more.
  
  

Juniper and Red Cedar

• Red cedar is native to Kansas and can grow as tall as 40 to 50 feet, with a pleasant, oval shape. It makes an excellent windbreak for property lines or driveways when planted in a row, 15 feet apart. Juniper, while not native to Kansas, will grow there and can be clipped into a formal hedge that keeps its color year-round. Blue or red berries in winter make juniper an important food source for birds and small animals, and its dense branches also protect nests.