Mary, my daughter, and I have discovered common ground. As a very capable 17-year-old, there is not a lot her mom can help her with. Help with homework? Haven’t been able to do that since elementary school. Help with cleaning her room? She would prefer not. Advice regarding friends? Very dangerous territory. College applications? BINGO! This is something I can help her with. She has completed 9 applications and has 3 more to do. For years, she has been editing my newspaper columns, now I am able to edit her college essays. I am so grateful for the time spent on this project together.
This is the 3rd in a 3-part column series. This column will concentrate on Shade, Evergreen, and Flowering trees that you may want to consider planting in your yard.
Flowering Trees
Royal Raindrops Crab: Eye popping magenta pink blooms, deep purple, cut leaf foliage, sparkling red fruits and bright fall color give this tree an all season appeal. It has superior disease resistance, adaptability plus heat and drought tolerance. Will grow to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide.
Tardiva Hydrangea: Tree form This rapid growing shrub is occasionally found in tree form. It typically grows to 8-15 feet tall, and features white cone shape flowers that bloom from mid-summer into fall.
Chanticleer Pear: Exquisite flowering tree displays a dazzling profusion of white flowers in early spring.Narrow, pyramidal form is coated with dark green summer foliage turning brilliant reddish-purple in fall. Ideal specimen tree for areas with limited space. If you only choose one tree for your yard-choose this one!
Shade Trees
Autumn Blaze Maple: An improved shade tree with brilliant, long-lasting orange-red fall color, a uniform branching habit and rapid growth rate. Will tolerate wet soils with good drainage. An excellent lawn, park or street tree.Rapid growth rate.Can reach 50 feet tall and 35 feet wide.
Somerset Maple: Glows with long-lasting, bright red fall color. It branches very well as a young tree while developing a uniform, symmetrical and upright oval form at maturity. This seedless tree has proven adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. Grows to about 25 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
Skyline Honeylocust: Tough, medium-sized tree that casts a light shade that won’t kill lawn grasses. It typically grows 60 feet tall with a rounded spreading crown. Skyline® is a thornless variety with a stronger upright growth form, few seedpods, and excellent yellow fall color. This is an adaptable tree especially good for streets and parking lots.
Renaissance White Birch: A tall, fast-growing tree with striking bark that displays dark green foliage throughout the season, transitioning to a golden color in the fall. This tree is resistant to bronze birch borer. Can grow to 50 feet tall and 25 feet wide.
Evergreen Trees
Fat Albert Spruce: Superb evergreen with rich blue coloring. Dense-branching, pyramidal form makes a wonderful living Christmas tree. An excellent landscape specimen.Slow grower to 10 – 15 feet tall and wide in 10 years.
Black Hills Spruce: Desirable, symmetrical cone shape to this evergreen conifer. Dense bright-green needles mature to an interesting blue-green. Great landscape accent, useful as windbreak or screening.Attracts birds. Slow grower to 20-25 feet tall, 10-15 feet wide.
Austrian Pine: A handsome evergreen tree with densely-branched conical form when young becoming umbrella shaped with age. Needles are long and dark green. Superb for windbreaks or specimen. Useful landscape tree. Fast growing to 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or kathleen@thegrowingscene.com Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She will address it in an upcoming column.
