USDA Zone 4 is known for its cold winters and moderately short growing season, with average minimum temperatures ranging from −30°F to −20°F (−34.4°C to −28.9°C). Although winters remain severe, Zone 4 offers a longer and more forgiving growing period compared to Zones 1–3. It allows for a wider variety of cold-tolerant plants, trees, and vegetables to flourish during the summer months.
Zone 4 includes areas such as southern Alaska, northern parts of the northern U.S. states like Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and parts of Maine. It also covers regions in the Rocky Mountains, northern New York, and parts of Vermont and New Hampshire. In Canada, this zone extends through southern portions of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as well as parts of Ontario and Quebec. These areas typically experience cold, snowy winters and warm, pleasant summers.
The growing season in Zone 4 generally lasts about 120 to 150 days, allowing gardeners to cultivate many cool-weather crops and hardy perennials. While frost can still occur in late spring or early fall, the extended summer daylight provides excellent conditions for growth and flowering. Many fruit trees, evergreens, and shrubs are well adapted to this zone.
Gardeners in Zone 4 often use protective measures such as mulching and windbreaks to shield plants from harsh winter winds and temperature fluctuations. Raised beds and composting are common methods to improve soil warmth and fertility, helping extend the growing window and increase plant survival rates.
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
This oak has a medium to fast growth rate for its genus, growing 1-2 feet per year and reaching 60-75 feet tall. It features a strong, rounded crown and brilliant red to russet fall color, with leaves that have pointed, bristle-tipped lobes.
A magnificent and long-lived shade tree, the Northern Red Oak is perfectly suited to Zone 4. It provides a classic hardwood presence, stunning autumn color, and grows faster than many other oak species, making it a premier choice for a legacy tree.
River Birch (Betula nigra)
River Birch grows at a fast rate of 1.5 to 3 feet per year, reaching 40-70 feet tall. Its most striking feature is its showy, exfoliating bark, which peels in curls of salmon, cinnamon, and cream-colored layers, providing year-round interest.
Not only is it fully hardy in Zone 4, but it is also highly resistant to the bronze birch borer, a major pest for other birches. Its fast growth and spectacular, multi-colored bark make it a superior ornamental and shade tree for moist, acidic soils.
Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
True to its reputation, the Silver Maple is very fast-growing, adding 3-5 feet per year and reaching 50-80 feet tall. It has deeply cut, silvery-green leaves that flash in the wind and a broad, spreading canopy that provides dense shade.
This tree is extremely cold-hardy and one of the fastest-growing shade trees available for Zone 4. It is ideal for quickly cooling a house or yard, though it should be planted away from sewer lines and foundations due to its vigorous, shallow roots.
Hybrid Poplar (Populus spp.)
This is the champion of rapid growth, often achieving an impressive 3-8 feet per year, maturing at 40-70 feet tall. These trees, such as the ‘Imperial’ or ‘Robusta’ cultivars, form a tall, upright column or vase shape with light green, fluttering leaves.
Bred specifically for vigor and hardiness, many hybrids are perfectly suited to Zone 4. They are the premier choice when the goal is the absolute fastest possible growth for a visual screen, windbreak, or quick timber.
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
This deciduous conifer has a very fast growth rate, adding 2-4 feet per year and reaching 70-100 feet tall. It has a pyramidal form, soft, feathery needles that turn a beautiful orange-brown in autumn, and distinctive, shaggy, reddish-brown bark.
A “living fossil,” the Dawn Redwood is fully hardy in Zone 4 and thrives in moist, well-drained soils. It offers a unique texture and a fast-growing, majestic presence that is rare among conifers, making it an outstanding specimen tree.
Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’)
This tree has a fast growth rate for a narrow conifer, adding 1-2 feet per year to a mature height of 15-20 feet, but with a width of only 2-3 feet. It has a stunning, rigidly columnar form with silvery-blue-green foliage.
It provides a unique vertical accent and is fully hardy in Zone 4. Its extremely fast, narrow growth is perfect for creating quick privacy screens in tight spaces, framing entryways, or adding structural interest to the landscape without spreading too wide.
American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
This massive tree is very fast-growing, adding 2-3 feet per year and reaching a towering 75-100 feet tall. It is known for its mottled, exfoliating bark that creates a camouflage pattern of white, green, and brown, and its large, maple-like leaves.
The American Sycamore is hardy in Zone 4 and tolerates urban pollution and wet soils. Its phenomenal growth rate and gigantic ultimate size make it a statement tree for large properties, providing immense shade very quickly.
Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata)
This tree has a medium to fast growth rate, growing 1-2 feet per year and reaching 50-80 feet tall. It has a graceful, vase-shaped habit similar to an American Elm, with serrated leaves that turn a brilliant orange-red to bronze in fall.
Zelkova is an excellent, hardy substitute for the American Elm, as it is highly resistant to Dutch elm disease. Its attractive form, good fall color, and relatively fast growth make it a superb street or shade tree for Zone 4 landscapes.
Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica and hybrids)
This iconic tree has a very fast growth rate, often growing 3-5 feet per year, reaching 30-50 feet tall with an equal or greater spread. It is famous for its graceful, ground-sweeping form and long, pendulous branches.
Hardy hybrids like the ‘Wisconsin Weeping Willow’ (Salix x blanda) are suitable for Zone 4. They must be planted in moist areas or near water, but their phenomenal growth provides a dramatic, romantic focal point incredibly quickly.
Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)
The Northern Catalpa is a fast-growing tree, adding 1-3 feet per year and reaching 40-60 feet tall. It is known for its very large, heart-shaped leaves, showy clusters of white, orchid-like flowers in early summer, and long, bean-like seed pods.
This is a hardy tree with a tropical-looking appearance. Its exceptionally fast growth and huge leaves provide dense shade quickly, and its unique flowers offer significant ornamental interest that is uncommon for a tree this tough.
Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)
Paper Birch grows at a fast pace of 1.5 to 2 feet per year, maturing to a height of 50 to 70 feet. It is most famous for its stunning white, papery bark that peels in sheets, providing year-round visual interest, especially in the winter.
A classic northern tree, it is perfectly cold-hardy. It’s a sun-loving pioneer species that grows quickly to establish a bright, beautiful grove, though it should be monitored for bronze birch borer in the warmer parts of Zone 4.
Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’)
This tree is extremely fast-growing, often achieving 3-6 feet per year, and can reach a height of 40-60 feet while remaining only 10-15 feet wide. It has a very narrow, fastigiate (columnar) form with bright green leaves.
Its hardiness and astonishingly rapid, vertical growth make it a traditional choice for creating an instant, tall screen or windbreak. Be aware that it is short-lived (often 15-20 years) and susceptible to diseases.
Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
This tree is a very fast grower, adding 2-3 feet per year and reaching a majestic height of 70-90 feet. It is known for its unique, saddle-shaped leaves and stunning, tulip-shaped flowers in late spring that are yellow, orange, and green.
While it prefers deep, well-drained soils, the Tulip Tree is hardy in Zone 4 and is one of the fastest-growing native hardwoods. It makes an outstanding specimen or shade tree, offering a unique floral display and brilliant yellow fall color.
Freeman Maple (Acer x freemanii)
A hybrid of Red and Silver Maples, this tree has a fast growth rate of 2-3 feet per year, maturing at 50-60 feet tall. It combines the strong branch structure of the Red Maple with the fast growth and brilliant red fall color of both parents.
Cultivars like ‘Autumn Blaze’ are exceptionally hardy and adaptable to Zone 4. They are more tolerant of clay soil and urban conditions than many other fast-growing trees, providing reliable, vibrant fall color and quick shade.
Sargent Crabapple (Malus sargentii)
This is a fast-growing, broad-spreading shrub that can be trained as a small tree, typically reaching 8-12 feet tall and wide. It is covered in a profusion of fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by tiny, bright red berries that persist into winter.
Highly resistant to common crabapple diseases like apple scab and powdery mildew, it is one of the toughest and most reliable ornamental choices for Zone 4. Its fast, dense growth is perfect for low screens or as a specimen.
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Hackberry has a medium to fast growth rate, adding 1-2 feet per year and maturing at 40-60 feet tall. It has an upright, arching form with distinctive, warty, corky bark on mature trees and small, dark purple berries that birds love.
This tough native tree is highly adaptable to a range of soils, including alkaline, clay, and dry urban conditions. It is very hardy in Zone 4 and serves as an excellent, fast-growing shade tree that is tolerant of wind and pollution.
Golden Weeping Willow (Salix alba ‘Tristis’)
This cultivar is extremely fast-growing, often adding 3-5 feet per year, and reaches 50-70 feet tall with a broad, weeping canopy. It features brilliant yellow twigs that provide stunning winter color and narrow, yellow-green leaves.
The ‘Tristis’ cultivar is one of the hardiest weeping willows for Zone 4. It must be planted in a moist, open site, but its phenomenal growth rate and striking form create a dramatic landscape focal point faster than almost any other tree.
European Larch (Larix decidua)
This deciduous conifer has a fast growth rate, adding 2-3 feet per year and reaching 70-100 feet tall. It has a pyramidal form, with soft needles that emerge bright green in spring and turn a brilliant gold before dropping in autumn.
Fully hardy in Zone 4, the European Larch is a stunning ornamental that provides a unique texture and spectacular fall color. It grows more rapidly than the native Tamarack, making it an excellent choice for a fast-growing, unique specimen.
Thornless Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)
This tree has a fast growth rate of 2-3 feet per year, reaching 30-70 feet tall with a graceful, open, and spreading canopy that casts a light, dappled shade. Cultivars like ‘Shademaster’ or ‘Skyline’ have a more upright form.
Thornless and seedless cultivars are perfectly suited to Zone 4. They are incredibly adaptable to a wide range of soils, tolerate urban pollution and drought, and are one of the best choices for fast shade where other trees might struggle.
Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
This tree has a moderate to fast growth rate, adding 1-2 feet per year and reaching 60-75 feet tall. It has a narrow, irregular crown, very large, compound leaves that cast a light shade, and interesting, heavy, dark seed pods.
The Kentucky Coffeetree is an extremely tough and hardy tree for Zone 4. It is tolerant of urban conditions, drought, and a variety of soils. Its bold texture and rugged, picturesque winter silhouette make it a unique and fast-growing shade tree.
Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
This evergreen has a medium to fast growth rate when young, adding 1-2 feet per year, and can eventually reach 40-70 feet tall. It has a graceful, pyramidal form with soft, dark green needles and pendulous branch tips.
Fully hardy in Zone 4, it is one of the few fast-growing evergreens that thrives in full shade. It makes an excellent dense hedge, screen, or specimen tree in moist, well-drained, acidic soils, though it is susceptible to hemlock woolly adelgid.
Amur Cork Tree (Phellodendron amurense)
This tree has a fast growth rate, adding 1-2 feet per year and reaching 30-45 feet tall with a broad, spreading canopy. It is known for its thick, corky, textured bark and glossy, compound leaves that turn yellow in the fall.
The Amur Cork Tree is very hardy and adaptable to poor, compacted, or alkaline soils. Its fast growth, interesting bark, and tolerance of urban pollution make it a good choice for a tough, low-maintenance shade tree. (Note: It can be invasive in some regions; check local guidelines).
Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
This small tree has a medium to fast growth rate, reaching 25-30 feet tall with a dense, rounded crown. It provides four-season interest: clusters of white spring flowers, glossy summer leaves, brilliant orange-red fall color, and persistent red berries in winter.
The Washington Hawthorn is one of the most ornamental and disease-resistant hawthorns, fully hardy in Zone 4. It is a tough tree that provides excellent food and shelter for birds and can form a beautiful, small, flowering screen.
Persian Parrotia (Parrotia persica)
This small to medium tree has a medium to fast growth rate, eventually reaching 20-40 feet tall and wide. It is a spectacular four-season tree with exfoliating bark, unusual spider-like red flowers in late winter, and foliage that turns vibrant shades of orange, red, and yellow in fall.
Once considered less hardy, it has proven to be a resilient and stunning ornamental in Zone 4. It is pest-free and drought-tolerant once established, making it a fast-growing, low-maintenance specimen for year-round beauty.