By Paul James
A new study conducted by the U.S. Forest Service says American cities are losing 36 million trees a year due to development of roads and buildings. Tree cover in urban areas is declining at a rate of 175,000 acres per year, and the state with the largest losses is – wait for it – Oklahoma. If that isn’t reason enough to plant a tree, I don’t know what is. But which tree should you plant?
To simplify your decision-making process, I’ve selected five of my favorite shade trees based on the following criteria.
Adaptability: Not all that picky about soil type.
Pest and Disease Resistance: Pretty much problem free.
Fall Color: Variable, from decent to spectacular.
And here are the winners.
This deciduous conifer will grow pretty much anywhere you plant it, including standing water. Yet it’s also quite drought tolerant once established. Some can grow to be quite large, but the dwarfish ‘Peve Minaret’ rarely gets taller than 20 feet. I’ve got three of them, which is to say I love them. Fall color is basically rust, but in a good way.
You simply can’t go wrong with this tree. It grows at a pretty impressive clip, as in up to two feet a year, and tops out at around 35 feet. Fall color is rather variable, from yellow to orange-red, but it can be spectacular.
Reaching a height of around 50 feet at maturity, this is another outstanding choice. It’ll grow in moist bottomlands and dry, elevated sites with equal vigor. Fall color comes on a little late in the season, and is most often a respectable brownish red.
Also known as black gum, this is one of my favorite trees, especially the cultivars whose leaves emerge red, then mature to dark green, then turn yellow-orange to purple-red in fall. And talk about adaptable! It’ll grow in a swamp or a dry spot with no problem. Will reach close to 50 feet at maturity, and along the way the bark begins to look like alligator skin. What’s more, bees love the tiny white flowers that appear in spring, and birds love the fruit that follows.
Maxing out at around 25 feet, this is a great choice for smaller properties. Leaves start out reddish purple, then go green in summer, and in fall they appear yellow and orange, often with a splash of purple or red. Bark is interesting too, taking on the look of a cantaloupe rind as the tree ages.
Yes, there are plenty of other great tree choices, including Japanese maples, Ginkgo, and redbud, but you can’t go wrong with any one of these. And the bottom line is clear: We need to plant more trees!
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Is the Shantung Maple as susceptible to wind damage as many of the other types of maples?
A little less so because its canopy tends to be more open. Great tree.
Great presentation on Alive Soils today! Never know how much to augment the soil in the tree planting hole. And have found twisted roots and strangled trunks from poor planting technique and just stupid leaving nylon cord around burlap wrapped root ball killing the tree as it grows. Anyway, keep up the informative and entertaining presentations.
Thanks, Andy. I generally recommend that you not amend the soil at planting time. It’s better for the tree to adapt to whatever soil type you’ve got. Of course, you have to pick a tree that’s capable of doing well in whatever soil you’ve got.
I am looking for a tree birds would love that fits a small space, only maybe 8 foot spread that is hardy here in Tulsa. Partial shade south side of apartment
Crabapple or chokeberry would work and provide fruit. Hinoki cypress offers excellent nesting sites.