Trees and Shrubs to Grow in USDA Zone 2

Very few areas are in a zone 2, the only state in the US to be in zones 1 and 2 is Alaska. South Central Alaska in Anchorage is a Zone 4 because they are closer to the ocean. South East Alaska Juneau (capital) is a zone 7/8 because it is right on the ocean and is a maritime climate. Fairbanks is the only major city in the US that is a Zone 2. The city itself has over 30,000 people, but it's metro with several other towns and small cities has over 100,000. That is very large for Alaska since there is literally nothing else for hundreds of miles. There are however many other places around the world in a USDA Zone 2. Many areas in northern Europe, and Asia (northern Russia/Siberia) are in a Zone 2. Summers must be warm enough though for plants to grow sufficiently. In some places right near or in the Arctic that are usually a zone 1 but sometimes a zone 2 it doesn't get much above freezing in the Summer so even trees won't grow in these regions. In locations like Fairbanks You have several months that are frost free, and highs make it into the 60s-70s for several months. That is warm enough and long enough to grow trees as winters are cold to place it in a zone 2 (-50°F).

Trees 

(There are many cultivars for most of these trees, which includes dwarf shrub forms which are not listed under shrubs below)

 

 1. Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

2. Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii)

3. White Spruce (Picea glauca)

4. Black Spruce (Picea mariana)

5. Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)

6. Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)

7. Boxelder Maple (Acer negundo)

8. Amur Maple (Acer ginnala)

9. Chockcherry (Prunus virginiana)
Most popular variety is the Canada Red.

10. European White Birch (Betula pendula)

11. Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)

12. Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

13. Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera)

14. White Willow (Salix alba)

15. Tamarack (larix laricina)

Shrubs

1. Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

2. Mugo Pine (Pinus Mugo)

3. Ninebark (physocarpus opulifolius)

4. Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)

5. Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)