Tree People - Got a question

[the_Journeyman]

OK, so I'm looking for a tree to plant in the yard.  I had a Red Maple get hit by lightening two springs ago.  The following spring, we cut the dry and dead fork.  The other side has not leafed out, and the other two trees that are the same age and similar in size have started showing small leaf buds & opening them a bit.  I knew it was dying, we've already cut half the fork.  The remaining fork lost it's leaves nearly a month before the other two trees.

Things about the area

1.  I'm in the NC mountains, rarely see extended temps below 0F, but it does happen occasionally.  Lots of frost though, it's not uncommon for blooms on flowering & fruit trees to be killed.  So, cold hardy & frost hardy & snow hardy.

2.  Looking for fast growing & shade providing, as this shaded one end of the house where my bedroom is. 

3.  The area in the yard where it will be planted is near the septic and a small pond.  There is a bit more water available here than the rest of the yard.

4.  We've had two years in a row that were considered "100-year-drought" years based on rainfall.  Pond & septic help minimize this through.

Other notes:  Maples are easy to find and grow here, all the local nurseries have Silver Maples and Red Maples in stock.  Might be looking for something a bit less common though.  I did notice a couple places had a type of Birch.  Redbuds are common too, but might not get large enough to shade well.

Any input on tree types to consider is appreciated.  I can do the research and figure out if they'll do well locally, I just need some ideas on different things available.

JM

[mitt]

I have personally planted most of what you listed:

- red maple in front yard - nice color, but isn't growing as fast I would like, might be tree or site.
- clump birch in front yard - very nice tree, growing fast, only average for solid shade since they are kind of sparse on leaves - it is kind of like a semi shade.  Also kind of messy with a lot of shedding of small twigs and little leaves. They like wet areas.
- red bud on side yard - nice color and form, but yes, smallish and slower growing, not much shade.

- purple ash in back yard - very nice and fast growing with good shade, but I am afraid for its future as well as many other ash trees in the Midwest due to bugs & disease.

This is really a personal decision - I would just go to a good nursery, and get their opinion on some options, and then choose from there.

(My wife is a licensed landscape architect BTW)

mitt

[KnightofNi]

we do prefer it if you call us Ents...

[superjohn]

we do prefer it if you call us Ents...

That's what I was thinking of when I saw the thread title.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Just take something regular and make it...odd.


Know how if you have a maple tree seed fall and it grows wayyyy up to get light (say, through a bush), and you end up with the narrowest of stalks that's about three feet long?


You need two of those. Transplant them to the desired place, and wrap them around each other, so you end up with a giant intertwined tree as it grows, enchanted forest style.

[aaronb]

Just take something regular and make it...odd.


Know how if you have a maple tree seed fall and it grows wayyyy up to get light (say, through a bush), and you end up with the narrowest of stalks that's about three feet long?


You need two of those. Transplant them to the desired place, and wrap them around each other, so you end up with a giant intertwined tree as it grows, enchanted forest style.

my dad spliced a branch from a red maple onto a silver maple, it looked kinda cool, and is still alive 20+ years later.  you could do many branches and have a big red and silver maple.  unless it just dies.   

[ROBsS4R]

Not to Thread Jack  But anyone ever try to grow a Yuzu Tree?

A Japanese chef gave me a Yuzu and I germinated the seed and its finally growing. At this point I am just giving it sun and water.
I generally kill everything so I am not sure if there is anything special I need to do from here on out other than talk to it every once in a while and sing it Lullabies 

[Popeye the Sailor]

Not to Thread Jack  But anyone ever try to grow a Yuzu Tree?

A Japanese chef gave me a Yuzu and I germinated the seed and its finally growing. At this point I am just giving it sun and water.
I generally kill everything so I am not sure if there is anything special I need to do from here on out other than talk to it every once in a while and sing it Lullabies 

They love sushi.


Bury some in the pot with it.

[DoubleEagle]

I'd plant some species of Oak.

They may not grow fast , but most like the White Oak do get large. I would get a 10-15 ft. one to plant. They are fairly drought hardy and the cold is no problem.

Also Red Oak, or Pin Oak

You'll have happy Squirrels at some point.

Tulip Poplars grow fast and large and they handle cold temps ok. I'm not sure about drought.           Dolph      

[somegirl]

They love sushi.


Bury some in the pot with it.

No, no, it needs sake.

And for the OP, your local nursery would have the best recommendations.

[Howie]

Not a very pretty tree, but fast growing and hardy, wrongly called a Sycamore in NY:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_plane

[Mother]

bamboo, it will make shade and you can't kill it

[lauramonster]

not sure how close the tree is to your house, but beware of acorns, seed balls - they thump against the side of the house when the wind is blowing. 

We have sycamores, but they're messy so they're planted farther away from the house.  (bark like the london plane)

Lots of great trees, but if the nursery doesn't carry them, no use falling in love with them.  +1 on the nursery recommendation.

[the_Journeyman]

Thanks folks!  I was looking around, but there's a serious lack of good nurseries in the area.  I'm stuck with Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Food Lion as options for buying trees.  There is one really small nursery, but it only has shurbs and flowers.  I was most likely going to have to do my own looking & go to Lowe's since they have a year warranty.  It's close enough to that the Maples keep my busy cleaning the gutters.  I was thinking since it was near the septic & pond a Birch would be a good option.  I'll probably go with either that or a Maple.  Thanks for all the input!

JM

[mitt]

Thanks folks!  I was looking around, but there's a serious lack of good nurseries in the area.  I'm stuck with Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Food Lion as options for buying trees.  There is one really small nursery, but it only has shurbs and flowers.  I was most likely going to have to do my own looking & go to Lowe's since they have a year warranty.  It's close enough to that the Maples keep my busy cleaning the gutters.  I was thinking since it was near the septic & pond a Birch would be a good option.  I'll probably go with either that or a Maple.  Thanks for all the input!

JM

That sucks.  The pa & ma nursery's around here sell 'locally raised' tress, so even though you pay a little more, the warranty isn't needed because the survival rate is so much better than a big box store.  Lowes might be selling trees that came from 1000 miles away.

Just out of curiosity, call a commercial landscaping company and ask them where they buy trees.  They may use an out of town nursery.  I highly doubt they would buy the spindly trees Lowes or Home Depot sells.

mitt