Trees That Age Gracefully

Posted by Hugh on November 21st, 2019

Trees transition from youth (seedling), middle age and old age (maturity) before requiring a chain saw and replacing. Some age gracefully, actually appreciating in $$ value. Many ginkgo, hickory, beeches, sugar maples, and Southern magnolias live 100 years plus. Oaks such as such as white (Q. alba) and live oak (Q. virginiana) mature in majesty over several hundred years.

It’s not hard to determine why some of these trees live more than one hundred years. Pedigree, heredity, germplasm, or whatever term you use to describe tree genetics is the key factor. Planting location, water and sunlight requirements, soil fertility, plant nutrition, and biological factors such as damaging diseases and insects, animal foraging, and air pollutants) are all key secondary determinants.

Location also refers to places where humans and trees interact. Examples: 1. Tree in an urban park setting should live and prosper longer versus one in a parking lot; 2. Tree planted along a busy avenue compared to one growing an asphalt desert (parking lot); 3. Tree in a National forest versus one growing in a Georgia swamp.

In urban areas tree longevity is generally alot shorter due to the hostile environment of a parking lot. Large trees find life difficult growing under utility lines and power poles. The important message here is to think before you plant.

Here is a short list of trees with long life maturities:

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)

Full Moon maple (Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’)

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) – hundreds of beautiful cultivars

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)

Manchu striped maple (Acer tegmentosum)

Three flowered maple (Acer triflorum)

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

Assorted hickory species (Carya spp.)

Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica)

Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum japonicum)