Archive for the ‘Street tree’ Category

Stunningly Beautiful Three-Flowered Maple

Three flower maple (Acer triflorum), often called trifoliate maple, is native to eastern Asia (USDA hardiness zones 4-7). The latter pseudonym is misleading as A. triflorum is actually one of many compound-leafed maples identified as “trifoliate maples”. This small deciduous understory maple typically grows 2o-25 feet tall with a densely-branched, rounded crown. Specimens often grow to 35-40 feet in height range. The […]

American Basswood Tree

American basswood (Tilia americana) is a common deciduous native tree in midwestern and eastern U.S. forests (USDA hardiness zones 2-11). This large majestic tree is remarkably fast-growing but not weak wooded. Basswood is planted as a large residential shade tree, street tree along wide avenues, or tall privacy screen. A mature specimen may grow 50 […]

Simple Care of Crape Myrtles

Crape Myrtle Hardiness: Know how hardy the cultivar is. USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9). Site Location: Crape myrtles love sunlight. Flower numbers decline in light to medium shade. Plant in average soil that is well-drained. Select the right cultivar that fits the allotted planting space. Mulch plant and water as needed the first growing season. […]

Four Large Street Trees With A Narrow Vertical Look

There is an old saying that they’re not making more land. This is particularly true in urban downtown areas where room to grow street trees is very limited. Here are four tall trees that also have a striking vertical accent. Their branching is upright. Because of their tall stature, they are particularly suitable planted along wide […]

Select A Good Street Or Landscape Tree

First of all, there is no perfect tree, either for a street or landscape planting. However, many excellent cultivars are now available at local nurseries and retail garden centers. Select one that matches your site requirements. Site factors include: amount of sunlight daily, soil type, soil pH (acidity or alkalinity), and soil drainage. What kind of […]

Common Street and Landscape Trees

Across the U.S. and Canada, city planners, landscape architects, and property owners now enjoy a wide selection of landscape trees to plant on city streets, along roadsides, and in yards and gardens. Over the past half century new and improved varieties (cultivars) are disease and pest resistant and exhibit better branching and architecture. We now know to avoid […]

Protect New Trees From Winter Sunscald

Across the northern U.S. and Canada, cold temperatures can damage many plants. Wide fluctuations in temperature can be particularly detrimental to newly planted landscape and fruit trees from late fall to early spring.  Street trees are particularly susceptible. Sun scald is described by elongated, sunken, dried, or cracked areas of dead bark, usually on the […]

Unappreciated And Underplanted Sawtooth Oak

Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) is a medium-sized deciduous oak that exhibits traits similar to both the white oak and red oak sections. Indigenous to China, Korea and Japan, sawtooth oak has naturalized in some parts of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones (5?)6-9). Sawtooth oak grows 40-60 feet tall and wide with broad spreading branches and rounded canopy. […]

Nuts About Acorns

Acorns are nuts that form on mature oak trees (Quercus spp.). Acorns come in many shapes, sizes and colors, depending on the species. An acorn is a single nut encased in a hard shell by a cap (used to identify what oak species it is). For example, Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra) tree produces egg-shaped […]

Winter Planting –Why Not!

For those who live in northern regions where winters are cold and snowy (USDA hardiness zones 3-6), many (not all) gardeners can still plant many kinds of trees, shrubs and perennials in late fall and winter if the ground is not frozen. Deciduous plants are in their natural period of rest or dormancy. This does not include evergreen trees […]