AgEBB-MU CAFNR Extension

Green Horizons

Volume 20, Number 1
January 2016

One of the most common explanations I've run across, from a person planting the wrong tree species or planting a tree in the wrong place, is this, " It doesn't matter, I won't live long enough to worry about it." I always get the impression that these type folks either don't expect to live very long, or don't believe that trees can grow very fast. They definitely don't have much consideration for future owners of their property. I could understand their attitude, if they were uninformed about their species selection and/or the limitations of the place where they want to plant that particular tree. Uninformed people make mistakes every day, about lots of things. I've done it myself.

However, many of the folks who use the excuse noted above, do so after they have been informed by knowledgeable people, and even after being advised as to the proper action they should take to accomplish their need to plant a tree, or trees, around their home site.

I once had an acquaintance ask me what he should plant in a certain spot near his house. I looked it over and realized he didn't really have much room for a large tree to develop there, so I recommended a dogwood or redbud, or some other species that wouldn't "outgrow" the spot. I tried to explain all the ramifications of right tree in the right place, and actually recommended that he consider some sort of shrub, if he really needed some kind of perennial plant in that spot. He thanked me for my time and advice, and I went along my way thinking I had done my good deed for the day.

About a week later, I saw my friend planting a tree in "the spot," so I stopped to observe his technique. It was good, but he was planting a pin oak! in a spot that would barely hold a redbud when the tree matured! When I asked him why he was planting a pin oak, he said, "my wife always wanted a pin oak". I reiterated the limitations of the spot, and he gave me "the excuse", I'll be gone before it causes any problems. Guess what? 8 years later he was still around, and the pin oak was beating up on his siding and had broken an outdoor light fixture. What to do? Cut it down and replace it with a shrub. " I can't do that, it's my wife's pin oak." I went on my way.

Examples like this abound. Many years ago, a fellow forester recommended a redbud or dogwood to his father-in-law for a spot in his postage stamp-sized backyard in St. Louis. When my colleague returned, there stood a pin oak. Why had his in-law planted it? It was on sale at the local parking lot retailer, and besides he wouldn't live long enough to worry about it. He was still alive, and the tree dominated his and two other backyards after 30 years.

Many lay people believe that trees don't grow very fast. In some cases that is true, especially where they experience poor soil conditions or other adverse circumstances (drought, fire damage, etc.). However, many species of trees can survive and grow well in a variety of urban settings, if they are given half a chance, and can become larger than their rural woodland counterparts, in the same amount of time, due to less competition from other species. Even growing at a very modest rate of 1.5' per year, your tree will be over 20' tall in 15 years (many grow much faster).

So, when planning for the right tree in the right place, take into account that, if you are healthy enough to plant a tree now, you will probably live long enough for it to gain some size, and let that temper your thoughts about where to plant that favorite tree. In addition, it will make your property more desirable to a prospective future owner (and more valuable to you).

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