Please, recommend small trees, pref. native to northeast.
njbiology
17 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (8)
Saypoint zone 6 CT
17 years agorusty_blackhaw
17 years agoRelated Discussions
is front yard too small even for small trees?
Comments (31)What I have learned about planting a tree: There is ALWAYS a reason not to plant a tree. Most of them are poor ones. Most of them come from people with an agenda. Yet by all means, never trust anyone from a nursery. They are money grubbing ignorami who are never hired for actually knowing anything. Yet there is only one reason to plant a tree that means anything: Do you want to? For any reason? (fall color, flowers, screening, wind, shade, innate beauty, etc.). Walk down practically any street in practically any city in practically any country, and I'll place odds you can find something wrong with just about every tree you see. Just peruse the explanations cited above: It's planted too close, utility lines of one kind or another, too large, wrong kind of tree for whatever reason, most of them personal and highly subjective. Yet lost in all the clutter are some of the best reasons, and they are reasons to plant a tree. A sociologist at the U of Illinois has conducted some research that says a view of a tree, even a pitiful tree, leads one to a happier outlook on life and a greater likelihood of civility to neighbors. So, to draw the insane conclusions that people seems to love, plant a tree, save a life. Surely that's not too high to save a life? Also, it's estimated that a healthy urban forest can reduce the temperatures of cities by up to 20 degrees. Given the number of headlines regarding global warming (including how elk contribute to it), that would darn near be enough to scare me into planting far more trees than needed. OK, enough of the hyperbole. There is one practical rule to follow when planting near a house: Don't plant a tree that will grow taller than the eave under the eave. Everything else can be influenced...or pruned....See MorePlease Recommend a Drought-Tolerant Tree for Small Yard
Comments (15)Thanks to everyone for their responses. I guess we have to rule out Japanese Maple since our front yard is south-facing and gets full sun. We were visualizing a tree with foliage that is full and rounded, and about 5-6 feet off the ground. We don't want anything shrub-like mainly for aesthetic reasons. We'd like the tree to shade the house in the summer and allow the sun to come through in the winter. Below the tree, we'll have succulents and drought-tolerant plants, with much of the ground cover being pea gravel. I'm still looking up all the various suggested trees on the web to see what they look like... but please keep your suggestions coming! Also, if you can recommend a good nursery in the San Diego area, I'd appreciate those as well!...See MoreNative trees for front of yard
Comments (16)Coral tree -- Erythrina is the genus --not native, they are from South America, I think--there are many many in my OC neighborhood. They get huge and need careful pruning nearly every year because the wood is heavy and weak--many snap in Santa Ana Wind season. Also not clean, they drop a lot of stuff--flowers, twigs, branches, leaves--almost year-round. People who have them around here don't like them much, but they quickly get too big (70') and thus too expensive to remove. Until they fall over. But it gets windy here. Exactly how much space do you have? For many Orange County yards, a large shrub works far better than a "tree". A large shrub can be 20' tall and provide plenty of shade, while a small tree can be 35' and grow to large for the small lot that many Orange County houses are built on. Look at Agonis flexuosa. There is a green version and a version with very dark purple foliage called 'After Dark'. Clean, drops little litter, deep, non-invasive root system, gives good shade but does not get huge, drought tolerant once established. Not native, though. Pittosporum 'Silver Sheen', lovely with a silvery shine to the leaves in sunlight, grows fast, doesn't get huge. Also not native. The native oaks are beautiful but they have aggressive and invasive roots, eventually. The native Sycamore is simply to large for most properties. Cercis are okay, but rather mess. Catalina Ironwood, maybe. Some of the Manzanitas are lovely. A really good idea would be to walk around your neighborhood and see what looks good and what you like and what would be an appropriate size. Right away you know it will grow well at your house if it is already growing well in the neighborhood. You can take a picture and post it for identification if you don't know what it is, or ask at your local garden center. If there are power lines in the area, please don't plant a tree that will get very large that will end up like this:...See Morerecommendation for native meadow border
Comments (5)Your choices for grasses are great. Love them all. Just make sure you plan for the future and don't have them planted too close together. Growing grasses from plugs may take several years to have a desired effect, so buying started plants in 4' pots might be worth looking into. Heck, if you or someone you know has a clump of these grasses they are willing to part with you can easily divide it into 4 parts using a shovel or saw and have mature-looking grasses by the end of this Fall. Black-eyed Susan and oxeye are great, but I question their longevity. They are prolific seeders, but that adds to maintenance issues. If low maintenance is a high priority, go with taproot plants. They generally live a long time and are pretty easy to maintain. Plus they don't need to be watered since the roots go deep. Perhaps establishing the grasses should be the first priority. I wouldn't spend a lot of money on buying plugs of black-eyed susan or oxeye unless they are very cheap. Buy an ounce of seed of each, throw down in bare spots after everything else is in, and you will have more than you know what to do with of both. I collect both varieties of seed each year and it's remarkable how easily the seed grows. I literally have thousands of black-eyed susans just from seed planted last year. Here is a link that might be useful: Improved Ecosystems...See Morelpinkmountain
17 years agolpinkmountain
17 years agolpinkmountain
17 years agogoodground
17 years agotreesss
15 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Silphium Perfoliatum Pleases Wildlife
Cup plant provides structure, cover, food and water to help attract and sustain wildlife in the eastern North American garden
Full StoryGROUND COVERSNative Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle
These shade-loving ground covers are good for the environment and say something about where you are
Full StoryTREESNative Plant Alternatives to Invasive Common Buckthorn
Learn how to identify and control this aggressive plant, and what to grow in its place
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESPrunus Virginiana Thrives Under Deciduous Trees
Plant chokecherry for showy white flowers favored by native bees in spring, and to provide nesting habitat and food for birds
Full StoryREGIONAL GARDEN GUIDESNortheast Gardener's April Checklist
Revel in the wonders of spring by babying bulbs, sprinkling seeds for root crops and setting out some nibbles for the birds
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES15 Native Flowers That Feed Native Bees
These perennials offer superfood to hundreds of bees and are gorgeous in their own right
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESPlant Black Cherry Trees for the Birds and Bees
Plant Prunus serotina in the Central and Eastern U.S. for spring flowers, interesting bark and beautiful fall color
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Sambucus Nigra
Common elderberry is a highly adaptable shrub from the eastern U.S., with berries galore for wildlife and humans alike
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Cornus Florida Benefits Wildlife
Flowering dogwood provides fiery red foliage in fall and beautiful springtime blooms
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES8 Native Shrubs for Year-Round Bird Feeding
It’s not just about berries. These plants provide insects for birds and seasonal interest for gardeners
Full Story
NHBabs z4b-5a NH