Sherwood, go downtown and collect the seed from that famous big old horse chestnut tree there. It would be wise to take a long pole to knock them down, the lower branches might have already been picked clean of their seeds. I have grown many seedlings from this particular tree, people have reported good success with hardiness, though many of mine had died back badly last year ... BUT, I do have one that has been very hardy and have several seedlings awaiting to be planted out. Horse chestnut seeds germinate easily and with a high percentage after receiving a cold stratification period.

Terry

LOL...Terry, I must have grown more then a hundred little trees over a period of 2 to 3 years, around 8 or 10 year ago from this tree. I used to climb up and shook it. Best time to do this after a killer frost. I gave up on it... no tree grew taller then a foot, allot of them still in the ground and don't do anything.
Somehow I remember, someone saying that it will not work, not sure what exactly he said but it could be that they have to be grafted to another root stock?

Konrad

Hi Konrad, considering what you've said, it might be unwise for Sherwood to even bother ... I've heard conflicting results about the seeds collected from this tree. I had given most of my seedlings away, of the ones I've planted out, most have died down ... but, have had success with a few.

Someone had told me that 3 out of 5 seedlings had proven hardy for them, I guess they must have been very fortunate! I did make one graft from the downtown tree, but gave it away in favor of keeping some better looking hardy seedlings, these have not been grafted. I have seen "hardy" selections sold at the nurseries.

This 4ft seedling has shown to be hardy to -40 after two winters in the ground.

{{gwi:773987}}

Terry

There are MANY good specimen of horse chestnut around Edmonton. Whether they have been taken from the downtown tree, I am unsure, but I have pictures of a few that I have come across along with many other unique trees in Edmonton on my flickr page. The horsechestnut in my mind is zone 3 hardy from the amount of them i've seen in the city and none of them have any damage whatsoever.

Here is a link that might be useful: My unique tree's page of Edmonton

Hi gang

Thanks for the tips.

I've just got back from my in-laws with a cloth shopping bag half full of buckeye conkers. I figure about 500 seeds. 500 is a good number to work with:

* An afternoon's potting. (Ok, long afternoon...)
* Can try different things with statistically valid results.

Got a good line on Amur Maple. I'd like to start work with sugar maples. I have a fantasy about having my own sugar bush. If you have a sugar maple with known provenance and it's bearing seed this year I'd like to visit you. (Actually I don't care about *you* (maybe a little bit) I care about your tree...)

Looking for oaks still. Anyone have a good oak tree where the squirrels haven't cleaned it up too well? Bur oak, scarlet oak? Others?

(Yes I grow trees commercially. Yes I'm a beginner at this. Yes I have to be careful about what I say on this forum to keep from putting my foot in my mouth.)

Overall my goal is to increase the diversity of trees in our region. This is why I'm more interested in seeds than in cuttings. Sure, out of 500 seeds, 200 won't sprout, another 200 won't live out the first winter, but I'll get 100 that are somewhat hardy. Two years later that will be 50. Some I'll sell. Some I'll keep. In 30 years I'll have an Alberta hardy sugar maple.

Maybe.

What the hell. If you don't dream, then life is dreary.

Sherwood of Sherwood's Forests.

Sherwood:

Are you perhaps from sherwood park? There are many nice large sugar maples in the older areas of sherwood park if you just drive through. The unity sugar maple, green mountain, wright brothers and fall fiesta I have found are very hardy from the plantings that I have done. The sugar maple has been exploding on the scene lately in the newer areas of Edmonton. They are outgrowing many of the trees that were planted at the same time and grow nice full heads even in this cold city. They even grow in native zone 3 areas in the east so this tree should not have too many problems here. Same goes for red maple.

I give you 2 thumbs up for attempting to diversify. I own a landscaping company in the city and have been planting everything from Deborah maples to sugar maples.

Give northern pin oak or red oak a try. I guarantee they are much hardier than everyone claims. I own a northern pin and its fall color right now is beautiful. Check if the red oak off 87ave and about 145st has seeds on it.

Nate

Nate, since you obviously know your sugar maples, could you please state what you think is the best selection for displaying awesome and lingering color? I have seen but a few of the ones you have mentioned, where do you suggust to go?

Sherwood, indeed half the fun is in the challenge, besides gardening and growing things isn't suppose to be easy :)

Terry

Hi Nate,

No, I'm not from Sherwood Park. My first name is Sherwood. Hence "Sherwood's Forests Tree Farm"

My problem is that I don't recognize maples yet, due to lack of exposure, and I wouldn't know the difference between a sugar maple and a silver maple.

To me the ideal would be a neighborhood that had a bunch of different cultivars, or even better, a bunch of species maples. (seed grown, not cultivar) These would have some genetic diversity in their off spring, and I would be more likely to have a bunch that would carry the cold adaptation.

Anyway, as a landscaper, send me your email address, and I will send you my availability list. Most of my trees are too small to interest most landscappers. I don't do caliper trees. "Trees big enough to miss with the mower, small enough to plant with a shovel" 2.5 to 6 feet. #2 to #7 pots.

Twrosz:

For the best color in order I would say: Fall fiesta, green mountain, wright brothers and than unity. Of course the hardiest would be unity but fall fiesta has done well either way.

You can get fall fiesta at greenland garden centre in large pots, green mountain and wright brothers in large caliper size at cannor nurseries and unity at millcreek nursery in large caliper size. Of course these are all Edmonton locations and this is all based upon when they are available, normally in the spring and summer only.

Sherwood:
Sorry for the mixup. The biggest difference between the two in the summer, is that the silver has light colored undersides and very deeply cut leaves. In the fall its obvious which is which. Just check out some photos online and look at the differences. You will begin to notice when you're looking around. The sugar maple is very dense if in good condition and has bigger leaves most of the time. You can also notice a difference in the trunk. The silver maple is lighter colored.

Nate, thanks for the info on the maples, I'll take note of your recommendations and do some searching come next spring. They should do well in my proctected backyard.

'Autumn Blaze' (Red maple x silver maple)

{{gwi:773989}}

Terry