Posted on 07/16/2016 7:54:14 AM PDT by William of Barsoom
This may seem frivolous, but I assure you it is real. I'm on a small committee to select a tree for planting to honor a good man's memory who passed away 2 years ago. He was a moral man, a Christian, a father, and a good husband.
My dog gets those things stuck in his paws, comes inside, then chews them out and leaves them where I will step on them when I get out of the bed at night.
Check with your local County Extension office to see what’s suitable in that environment.
They’ll give you the best choices and rule out any that probably won’t survive.
I think you’re talking about sand spurs. “Gumboils” from sweetgum trees are about the size of a pingpong ball.
We have a Ginkgo tree, and we love it. BUT YOU HAVE TO GET A MALE TREE, THE FEMALES SMELL BAD! And it is a great conversation tree. Tough as nails, hardy, and you can stand near it and tell people it is one of the most ancient trees, relatively unchanged since trees first grew. You can also have lots of discussions about men and women, and the fact that the male of the species is clean, durable, and the female makes your life miserable! (only kidding!)
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
Gingko Tree
Hailed as “undoubtedly one of the most distinct and beautiful of all deciduous trees,” the ginkgo certainly stands out. Unique, fan-shaped leaves turn a stunning yellow color in the fall. It can tolerate many urban conditions including heat, air pollution, salt and confined spaces. And it establishes easily.
This tree also comes with a bit of history. It is a living fossil, with the earliest leaf fossils date from 270 million years ago.
Hardiness Zones
The ginkgo can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 3–8. View Map
Tree Type
This tree is considered both a shade tree and an ornamental tree. It features a spreading canopy capable of blocking sunlight and adds visual interest and beauty to landscaping.
Mature Size
The ginkgo grows to a height of 25–50’ and a spread of 25–35’ at maturity.
Growth Speed Medium Growth Rate
This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24” per year.
Sun Preference
Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of 4 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Soil Preference
The ginkgo grows in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well-drained, wet and clay soils. It tolerates moderate drought and wetness but doesn’t grow well in hot, dry climates.
Attributes
This tree:
Features simple, fan-shaped bright green leaves that are 2–3” long and just as wide.
Provides attractive yellow fall color.
Works well as a street tree, even in confined spaces.
Transplants easily and establishes without difficulty.
Yields naked seeds that are tan in color and plum-like in shape. Some complain of the mess and odor associated with the fruit of the female tree and recommend planting only male specimens.
Can live as long as 3,000 years.
Grows in a pyramidal shape.
Tolerates heat, air pollution and soil salt.
May grow slowly for several years after planting.
A liberty tree!
A shrubbery!
I’m with you. Beautiful trees. I had to prune a limb about 15 years ago that was 6-8” in diameter, and it took me forever to cut through it. It was like iron.
"A path! A path!"
I had a photo of Roger the Shrubber there and Angelfire blocked the link.
No, I am talking about the sweetgum balls. My dog has big feet and they get stuck between the pads.
How about a Weeping Willow? They grow fast and are beautiful. You need a large area though.
The other cool thing about the gingko...I live in New England, and the leaves all seem to fall in just a few days, they leave a big yellow ring around the base of the tree...easy to clean up. We had to get rid of our maples, and how I miss them. I love maples.
But the one tree we had I don’t miss at all is some kind of locust. It had these leaves, little tiny ones on each side of a central stalk, and when they dropped, you had to use your bare hand to scoop out dense handfuls of them from your windshield wiper well, you would track them into the house, car, and everywhere else, and they were nearly impossible to rake.
We asked a tree company to give us an estimate to cut it down (we weren’t sure we were going to do it) and I came home one day, and...the tree was down!!!) Now, we didn’t ask them to do it, so I refused to pay, but secretly, was glad it was gone. What a pain in the ass it was.
Willows have a problem: They can be extremely destructive to pipes, and in a good blow, they go over pretty easily. I think their roots are wide, but not deep.
I do love willows, though. When I was a kid and lived in Virginia, the house across the street had a willow, and we would go and grab two branches, pull one under your butt from the right and grab it with your left hand, and do the same with another, pulling it under from the left and grabbing it with your right hand.
We could then swing, and bounce up and down. I guess it is something you can only do when you are about seven years old!
If you choose an apple, choose a large one that takes up some space. Not many of the big old ones left.
"The Larch"
How did you make out at the Gardens?
Did they help you find something appropriate?
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