The following is a selection of medium to large trees that perform well in Midwest landscapes. A medium-sized tree is typically defined as reaching 30 - 70 ft. in height, while large trees are 70 ft. or more. 
 

Acer miyabei 'Morton' STATE STREET
miyabe maple 


Height: 30 - 40 ft.
Spread: 30 - 40 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium 

Use: Shade tree
Fall color: Golden-yellow
 
Gymnocladus dioicus
Kentucky coffee tree

Height: 60 - 80 ft. 
Spread: 40 - 55 ft. 
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium

Use: Lawns, parks
Tolerates: Drought, air pollution
Acer rubrum 'Franksred' RED SUNSET
red maple
 

Height: 40 - 50 ft. 
Spread: 30 - 40 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet 

Use: Specimen tree for lawn or park
Fall color: Red
Halesia carolina
Carolina silverbell

Height: 30 - 40 ft. 
Spread: 20 - 35 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium

Use: Border, woodland garden
Tolerates: Black walnut 
Flower: Showy
Acer saccharum
sugar maple

Missouri Native 

Height: 40 - 80 ft. 
Spread: 30 - 60 ft.
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium

Use: Specimen tree for lawn or park
Fall color: Red
Liriodendron tulipifera 
tulip tree
Missouri native

Height: 60 - 90 ft. 
Spread: 30 - 50 ft. 
Sun: Full sun 
Water: Medium

Use: Shade or lawn tree for large landscapes
Tolerates: Rabbit, deer, clay and wet soils
Fall Color: Yellow
Carpinus caroliniana 
American hornbeam
Missouri Native

Height: 20 - 35 ft. 
Spread: 20 - 35 ft. 
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium 

Use: Understory tree for shady areas
Fall color: Yellow, orange and red
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
dawn redwood

Height: 70 - 100 ft.
Spread: 15 - 25 ft.
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium to wet

Use: Street tree, rain garden
Tolerates: Deer, clay and wet soils, air pollution
Fall Color: Red-bronze
 
Celtis laevigata
sugarberry
Missouri Native

Height: 60 - 80 ft.
Spread: 60 - 80 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet

Use: Shade or street tree, rain garden
Tolerates: Clay soil, wet soil and air pollution
Attracts: Birds
Nyssa sylvatica
black gum

Missouri native

Height: 30 - 50 ft.
Spread: 20 - 30 ft.
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet 

Use: Shade or street tree, rain garden
Tolerates: Wet and clay soils, black walnut
Attracts: Birds
Fall Color: Scarlet

Note: Black gum is not related to sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and does not have "gum balls"
Celtis occidentalis 
hackberry 

Missouri native

Height: 40 - 60 ft.
Spread: 40 - 60 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet 

Use: Shade or street tree, rain garden
Tolerates: Clay soil, wet soil and air pollution
Attracts: Birds
 
Parrotia persica
Persian ironwood

Height: 20 - 40 ft. 
Spread: 20 - 30 ft. 
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium

Use: Street tree
Tolerates: Clay soil, air pollution 
Fall color: Yellow, orange, red
 
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
katsura tree


Height: 40 - 60 ft. 
Spread: 25 - 60 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium 

Use: Shade tree 
Tolerates: Clay soil 
Fall color: Yellow
 
Quercus shumardii
chinkapin oak
Missouri native

Height: 40 - 60 ft.
Spread: 30 - 40 ft.
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium

Use: Shade or street tree
Tolerates: Drought, dry soil

Additional oak species: Q. albaQ. bicolorQ. coccinea
Q. muhlenbergiiQ. rubra

 
Cladrastis kentukea 
yellowood

Missouri native

Height: 30 - 50 ft. 
Spread: 40 - 55 ft. 
Sun: Full sun 
Water: Medium

Use: Shade tree
Fall color: Yellow 
Flower: Showy
 
Sassafras albidum
sassafras


Height: 30 - 60 ft.
Spread: 25 - 40 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium

Use: Flowering tree 
Tolerates: Deer, drought, clay soil
Fall color: Red, yellow
Diospyros virginiana
persimmon 

Missouri native

Height: 35 - 60 ft. 
Spread: 25 - 35 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium 

Fruit: Edible 
Tolerates: Drought, clay/dry soil, air pollution
Attracts: Birds
Taxodium distichum var. distichum
bald cypress

Missouri native

Height: 50 - 70 ft. 
Spread: 20 - 45 ft. 
Sun: Full sun 
Water: Medium to wet

Use: Rain garden
Tolerates: Deer, clay and wet soils
Fall color: Red 
Ginkgo biloba
maidenhair tree

Height: 50 - 80 ft. 
Spread: 30 - 50 ft. 
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium 

Use: Shade tree, parks
Tolerates: Deer, clay soil, air pollution
Fall color: Yellow

Note: Ginkgo trees are dioecious (separate male and female trees). Female trees produce fruits that can be messy and have a foul odor. 
Tilia cordata 
little-leaf linden


Height: 50 - 70 ft. 
Spread: 35 - 50 ft. 
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium

Use: Shade, street or flowering tree
Tolerates: Drought
Flower: Fragrant