Planting a Tree When my Daughter is Born

10 years ago

My wife and I are expecting our first child in May. IÃ¯Â¿Â½d like to buy a sapling or small tree, something planted within the last year or so, to commemorate my daughterÃ¯Â¿Â½s birth. Since I donÃ¯Â¿Â½t expect to live in our house for more than a few years, IÃ¯Â¿Â½d love for the tree to be able to grow in a large pot or a half wine barrel, then eventually be planted in the ground.

My dream is for my daughter to watch this sapling grow into an enormous tree over the course of her life. We live in Southern California, so IÃ¯Â¿Â½m looking for something appropriate to this climate, that would grow heartily and reliably for a long, long time (a century I suppose). I might want to plant the tree in a public space when it's big enough, so my daughter would be able to access it regardless of moving houses, things like that, and IÃ¯Â¿Â½m wondering if certain species would make that possibility more likely.

If anyone has any suggestions they would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

David

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Comments (8)

ilovemytrees
10 years ago
Plant a Golden Raintree.

They are (to me, and to many others) one of the most beautiful trees in the world. They are extremely wind-tolerant, and they grow moderately fast. They have such a gorgeous form to them. We have one Golden Raintree in the center of our backyard, and our 8 year old daughter loves it.

I mean, is there anything more beautiful than this?

http://forestertreeservice.com/goldenrain-tree/
sam_md
10 years ago
I think planting a tree for the happy event is a great idea.
One bitty little problem, once you leave a property you have no control over it and its likely the first thing the new owners will remove.
Look at this Silver fir planted at a local Meeting House. How incredible that some genius didn't come along and saw off the lower branches. This is a remarkably beautiful tree and was likely planted in someone's honor/memory.
I would plant a small tree at the park/arboretum/memorial garden, that way you could come back and see it years from now. Check with the California forum for recommendations.
{{gwi:344816}}
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I've investigated dermatitis from house plants fairly extensively and none of the plants in your pics are known to cause casual contact dermatitis. Dracaena, Dieffenbachia, Aglaonema or another Dieffenbachia. The latter two are Aroids, known for containing irritating alkaloids, but shouldn't bother anyone if the plant is not ruptured so the sap is exposed (according to the research I've done and anecdotes I've read.) The Dief is known to be irritating to mouth, lips if sap comes in contact with these areas. The sap of the Aglaonema could give someone a rash similar to poison ivy where sap has gotten on skin. None of these plants would have produced any pollen without a flower that you would have noticed. It's fairly rare for any of them to make a flower in the captivity of a pot. I've always had plants in the house even when there were babies here. Even if they are considered benign regarding poisoning from ingestion or contact dermatitis, plants and babies/small kids don't mix, just from the possibility of a big dirty mess. As long as they can be kept separate, no problem, though removing them from your home does eliminate any possibility of some kind of accident. IMO, your investigation into these plants is smart, but not the cause of whatever is irritating your baby. You've probably already thought of this, but I would be looking at cleaning/laundry products. Possibly a stuffed toy. Any pets? They can bring irritating substances inside on their fur.
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Carol, Remind me in the spring and I'll pot up a mulberry seedling for you to bring to next year's swap. They pop up every spring. Yesterday I took out a 5' tall sapling that had popped up in my bed of larkspur the last few years, and I just left it there because I never "got around to" removing it.Every spring it pops up, and every spring I cut it down but don't dig it out. This spring, it just zoomed up and got huge. I dug down in the clay, which was a whole job in and of itself, and cut it off about 4" below ground but doubt I could dig out those roots from the clay. By next year it may be up and growing again. If it is I'll get OkieTim to use his superior strength to dig up that sucker to pot up for you. Otherwise, I'll find a smaller seedling next year. David, On some not-too-distant-day when it is either raining too much (don't we wish!) to work outside or too hot to be outside, we'll have to start a "back in the good old days" thread and then we older folks can entertain the younger ones with the things we remember from back in the day. I saw your request for a Sassafras seedling and a Catalpa seedling and if I had either one, it would be yours. I spent time this last week getting rid of all the mulberries so now I don't have any seedlings to get rid of, but if new ones pop up I'll let you know. I have a nice tall mulberry tree, but it is about 15' tall so I don't think it will transplant well. : ) Catalpa trees are all over the place a few miles south of us in Thackerville's sandy soil, but I've never seen one in our neighborhood. However, we have clay and rock so I guess the catalpas have chosen to stay where they're happy down there in the sand. I've always wondered why they haven't spread further north to where we live, so think maybe the soil is the reason. Everything else here spreads like mad. Dawn
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famartin
10 years ago
I'm not too sure about southern California, but the thing that comes to mind for me is Eucalyptus. It would be awesomest if you could get a seedling that just sprouted within the last year, nurture it in a pot for a few years, then when you move, plant it out in your yard. Then you can always point to the tree and tell your daughter, "That tree is just as old as you are!" However, rarely are seedlings less than 1 year old sold, so if you want one that will be exactly her age, your best bet is to try to grow it from seed. That's something I know nothing about, at least as far as Eucalyptus is concerned.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i did that ... and ended up leaving it behind when i moved... a few years later... and then had to go buy another ...

may i suggest... you buy it for her birthday when you are in a more permanent house ... and have her plant it with you ... that is how i solved the dilemma ...

over the years.. i have also killed quite a number of memorial plants.. and had to repeatedly rebuy them ... never forget.. its the memory.. not the plant ...

trees in pots are for the very experienced ... can it be done.. sure... can lots of things happen with a newbie trying to do it.. yes... its a tough memory plant.. when you have experience at growing trees in pots ...

and finally.. having grown a tree in a half whiskey barrel because i knew i was moving ... sooner or later ... .. have you any idea how much it will weigh ... and how you will move it.. when the day comes.... picture discussing such with the man you hire to move your household ... not to mention wondering how you will get it out of the barrel into a hole at the new place ...

its a very romantic notion... been there done that.. i wish you luck ...with the tree... and the kiddo ...

ken

ps: just try to dissuade the wife from planting the tree with the placenta.. i have seen quite a few of those stories here on GW.. and the tree dies.. and the heartbreak..etc ...
jillyluis
10 years ago
That is very sweet. A different thought: How about an indoor plant: an old neighbor of mine received a small ficus when her son was born. He is now 30-40 and the ficus is about 6 feet tall and 4 feet around, and truly wildly spectacular.
poaky1
10 years ago
Is there a relative who plans on staying put, who's yard you can plant a tree in? I would worry about a tree potted for 3 years or more, then transplanting somewhere. Unless it grows slowly and you can handle coiled roots when planting. I do know that I saw a Jade plant (houseplant) in an antique store that was 50 years old, and was only about 3-4 ft tall, but was branched out like a bonsai tree. They are easy to grow, just don't overwater.
c2g
10 years ago
Did the same for both of my daughters + placentas. Batting .500. The first was a white oak 4 years ago which has thrived beyond expectation. The second was an atlantic white cedar that died after the first year. Bad move on my part given that I don't have a swamp on my property. The dead tree carries on as part of a pond habitat, and the little one doesn't seem to mind.

I don't know how they'd do in a pot but some of the first trees I've experimented with were Alaskan weeping cypress. Transplanted them multiple times in the middle of scorching summers with undersized root balls and they're all huge now.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
California has numerous issues with invasive plants unique to its locale (like any eucalyptus) . It might make more sense to investigate locally what would be a good choice, perhaps even a long lived native species, like California live oak.

I'd suggest you try posting this on the California Gardening forum for some local input. I love the idea of the ultimate planting site being a park or botanical garden.......perhaps they can make some appropriate suggestions for its permanent home as well.

Planting a Tree When my Daughter is Born

Comments (8)

ilovemytrees

sam_md

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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