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Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2005
by TheGardenerGuy on January 05, 2005 03:20 AM
We are trying to brainstorm... [thinker]
This spring we are planning on cutting down a large crabapple tree on the southwest side of the house. We hate to give it up but it has slowly been declining in recent yrs.
Our question...what do we plant in place of it for shade? [gabby] [dunno]
We were thinking of a Blue Spruce but it grows slow and doesn't provide much shade.
Ashes are out because of an insect they have found in the Midwest that is destroying alot of the ashes.
We already have alot of sugar maples...
We have a red oak but it doesn't seem to grow as fast as they said it would.

PLEASE HELP!! Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated! [wayey]

Greg [Wink] [gabby] [lala] [thinker]

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In the midst of the storm..I find the greatest Peace. I don't know what tomorrow holds..but i know Who holds tomorrow. [angel]
by Dixie Angel on January 05, 2005 07:29 PM
How about a sycamore or a paulownia? They are both fast growers! [Wink]

Dianna

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by weezie13 on January 06, 2005 09:59 PM
Hi Greg,
The Paulownia's are very fast growers...
They grow very fast..
Your are right on the end of the growing zone for those, zone 5..They like to be protected from strong winds though...
They grow straight up, are prized for their timber in Japan and it has beautiful purple flowers on it the second year I think, and is completely filled out in 3 years......
Also, you can cut them down for their wood and in 3 years you'll have your tree back again, it resprouts from the base of it..
almost very hard to kill....
Here's a place to get them from and some growing info for them as well..

quote:
"Don't put your face over it or you may get a mouthful of leaves."
Jimmy Carter- Former President and Commercial Paulownia
Tree Grower, discussing the trees fast growth.


Royal Paulownia Tree Grows up to 30 ft in 3 years and fills with Lush Flowers!

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by TheGardenerGuy on January 07, 2005 12:24 AM
Thanks for the Help!
Are there any hardwoods besides sugar maples and ashes or evergreens that would work? [thinker] [dunno]
The spruces or firs would be nice if they grew fast and more slender instead of broad growing. [thinker]
Greg [gabby] [wayey]

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In the midst of the storm..I find the greatest Peace. I don't know what tomorrow holds..but i know Who holds tomorrow. [angel]
by weezie13 on January 09, 2005 07:56 PM
Greg here's some stuff I found while browsing for you, take a peak....anything look interesting???
Our 10 Most Popular Trees for Zone 5

The National Arbor Day Foundation Trees

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by The Plant Doc on January 10, 2005 03:52 PM
How about a honey locust, they make a very nice shade tree, or if the regular ashes are getting hit, how about a mountain ash. They also provide berries in the late summer which attract birds in like a magnet!

Mike

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc
by M. D. Vaden of Oregon on January 11, 2005 04:17 AM
Hello. I got a "PM" about this forum the last day or two. I checked yesterday when I had more time, but it looked like the site or server was down.

Today, I'm into a intense 3 day project - so my internet time is minimal. But I do have a few ideas.

From the nature of the way this post opened and some replies, I'm under the impression that there is a lot of room - room for a big tree.

Red oak should have grown big. If not, can't explain. But a red oak or scarlet oak get as big as fast as a pin oak does. Scarlet and pin are near identical except scarlet drops leaves on time. I like them, but not sure if this would be my first choice.

You could do a group (not clump) of river birch. It is much more resistant to borers than Himalayan white birch. River birch are narrow, that's why I was thinking a few in a row or group.

Whatever you do, don't get a variety of Black Locust - Robinia. (very weak - breakage potential is huge).

London plane have huge roots and there is a fuzz in the leaves and twigs that agitates sinuses - especially if raking or mowing occurs. Raking is essential in fall.

European ash berries can make a mess, even though birds like them. But the leaves are small for shade. I rarely see a nice old specimen.

Honey locust gets a fungus to a degree and it's usually a gnarly, hard to thin and prune tree. The little leaves can track in very easily if it's near a foot-traffic area.

Flowering pear are brittle and get a disease fairly often.

Flowering plum is a consideration if you pick a perfectly branched specimen, don't mind a bit of fruit. These can be weak unless pruned yearly. The aphid factor with these is the drawback.

I think some of the best trees with few problems are the Acer rubrum like 'October Glory' or 'Red Sunset' or etc..

Usually these are good. If there is a problem, it's almost always due to pitiful soil or poor planting.

If the soil is reasonable, and a nice wide hole is made, this is a very nice tree.

Choose trees with as few or minimal "V" shaped unions as possible. There needs to be a bit of a "U" shape even if it's a V with a tiny bit of U shape.

I picked Acer truncatum 'Norwegian Sunset' for shade by our driveway. Reasonable fast. Nothing to brag about for fall color, but decent fall color.

These are some thoughts.

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M. D. Vaden of Oregon

Web Site

Oregon Bigfoot Trap trail

Photo Albums - Oregon Scenery & Tree Care
by TheGardenerGuy on January 11, 2005 06:24 AM
Thank you Weezie, The Plant Doc and Mr. Vaden and others for all the help! I appreciate it! [wayey]
Weezie, all those trees look nice! I love trees and would plant them all if i could! [gabby]
Mr. Vasen are October Glory and Red Sunset Maples like the sugar maples? [thinker] I thought since they grew fast they might have the traits of the silver maple. We would like a fast growing dense hardwood tree.
The space isn't huge but the crabapple was so it would support a large tree. The nut trees like the pecan and hickory and nice and dense but i'm sure they are too large and have too many nuts to pick up! [Smile] [kissies]
We were surprised that our Red Oak hasn't grown faster...This will be the 3rd or 4th year for it, so maybe it will pick up then..
We bought a large Red Oak at a "reputable" nursery around here and the following spring the whole tree died! Needless to say we didn't get our $$ back! Live and learn..

Thanks again! [thumb]
Greg

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In the midst of the storm..I find the greatest Peace. I don't know what tomorrow holds..but i know Who holds tomorrow. [angel]
by M. D. Vaden of Oregon on January 12, 2005 08:09 AM
I don't think I'd place Acer rubrum in the same category as silver maple - not as weak.

Here's a decent photo of a medium size one - still young:

October Glory in autumn / Pelham Municipal Center web site

[wayey]

Schmidt nursery (a cross with the Acer truncatum like I have - this is a bit different)

Norwegian Sunset is on the Schmidt page

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M. D. Vaden of Oregon

Web Site

Oregon Bigfoot Trap trail

Photo Albums - Oregon Scenery & Tree Care
by TheGardenerGuy on January 12, 2005 02:43 PM
Thanks Mr. Vaden for the help! We will look for those trees this spring...they are gorgeous from the pics..
I went to school out there in Eugene for many yrs..Oregon is a great place to live. [wayey]

Thanks again! [Wink]
Greg [gabby]

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In the midst of the storm..I find the greatest Peace. I don't know what tomorrow holds..but i know Who holds tomorrow. [angel]
by tamara on January 14, 2005 08:33 PM
The fastest growing tree that I have ever seen from personal experience have been birch trees. I planted one that was three feet tall 4 years ago and now it must be at least 12 feet tall.
If I would of known how fast it was going to grow I would of planted it in a better place.

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Tamara's Photos
Thinking Spring, Thinking Spring...Nope, doesn't work.lol

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