• Some trees can grow in hard clay soil.closeup of dried out brown soil image by Victor B from Fotolia.com
  
  Hard, compacted clay soil occurs naturally or may be the result of human activity. Hard clay soils drain poorly and have a low oxygen and nutrient content that prevents some trees from growing properly. The trees may be stunted or struggle for a while then die. Luckily, there are some attractive trees appropriate for landscaping that grow well in hard clay soils.
  
  

Bur Oak

• Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is native to the Central United States with a range extending as far north as Quebec, as far west as North Dakota and eastward to Maryland. It is adapted to a variety of soils, but grows well in clay or hard pan soils. Considered one of the most drought-resistant oak trees, the bur oak can live more than 400 years. It has a broad, open crown and grows to 150 feet tall with a spread of 60 feet or more. It produces large acorns attractive to wildlife.
  
  

Bald Cypress

• The bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is native to the Southeastern United States. It is adapted to areas that remain saturated or inundated for long periods of time. However, it is widely planted where the soil is hard clay and compacted, such as the black land areas of Central Texas. Bald cypress is a long-living tree with some specimens living as long as 1,200 years. Under optimal conditions, bald cypress trees grow over 150 tall feet tall on trunks 6 foot or more in diameter.
  
  

Sweetgum

• Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is an attractive pyramid-shaped tree adaptable to poor hard clay soil. The leaves are star-shaped and turn brilliant shades of red, yellow or orange in the fall. It grows throughout the United States in acidic to neutral soils. It has an interesting cork-like bark that adds visual interest to the winter landscape. It grows to 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide. After about 20 years of age the tree produces round seed balls that some find unattractive and messy in the landscape.
  
  

Possumhaw Holly

• The possum Haw holly (Ilex decidua) is a tree that grows to 30 feet tall. It grows in dry clay or sandy sites as well as shady, moist locations in the eastern and central U.S. The female plant produces numerous red or orange berries that are visible once the tree loses its leaves during the winter.