I keep reading that one should really destroy invasive species and I certainly understand the reason behind it but I live in the Texas Hill country and our property is covered in trees...Oak trees and they all have that wilt stuff and are in the process of dying...We intend to add new trees and have no intention of cutting down all the cedar ....but...my question is...I am told that the chinaberry tree is a terrible tree to have and that it should be gotten rid of...I am having a hard time with this since it is only one and since it is probably the only or one of a few healthy trees that isn't the juniper.....plus it is tall and pretty....I do see little shoots from the roots from time to time but we just mow over them so they are not a problem for us...So how do you feel about this sort of thing and how do you decide on the right thing to do...
How invasive is invasive..
The Chinaberry tree is very weak. With strong winds it will lose large branches and can readily be uprooted with hurricane force winds. (Hopefully we won't have any of thse in Kerrville!)
Not sure if birds like the berries, but if they do they'll be scattering seed around the country side.
Personally, I don't like them; they're weak, they're messy and they're a favorite of ants.
When I move to Kerrville I hope to eventually have a wide variety of trees growing on our place along with the cedar, multiple varieties of oak and the Madrones, but nery a Chinaberry.
dstarz, I know how it is with those Chinese Tallows. I am constantly pulling them up out of my front yard. When ya'll do move remind me and I'll bring you a couple of transplants. LOL
Since you are losing a lot of oaks, and the Chinaberry is already there and it is healthy, I would leave it in place untill you have other trees planted that are big enough to give some shade, then you can cut it down, if you want to, and not be without shade. I have seen some Chinaberry trees around town, but have never seen a grove of them, so they mustn't spread too much.
I guess that is a decition you will have to make.
HotnSpicy,
Have you had a positive diagnosis for Oak Wilt? If you haven't, contact the Texas Forestry Service for help in identifing it. About 2 years ago I was worried about one of our live oaks and most of our water oaks. I asked the Forest Service for help. A technician came to look at the trees involved. Fortunately, the live oak didn't have Oak Wilt. A separate fungus killed most of our water oaks. I was told that oaks in a grove communicate with each other through their grafted roots, i.e. the roots of one oak graft themselves to the roots of another oak. The Oak Wilt fungus is spread from one tree to another through these grafted roots. Trenching to a depth of 4 feet and 50 feet from the trunk of the infected tree severing the root connection may help save healthy trees. Remove and burn all remnants of the infected trees to avoid spreading the fungus.
Chinaberry is considered a trash tree, but given the circumstances, I would keep it as long as it's far enough away from the house so as not to do any damage if it loses branches.
I see pastures with small ones all over, But we have 2 in our back yard and
they are the only shade for now. The birds don't eat the seeds, But the little seeds are a pain. We just mow over the little trees also. Don't nick the roots
in too many places as it sends up a tree from there. I did not know a few
years ago when I dug one flower bed. Took me forever cutting them off for them
not to come back.
The tree we hate, but no money to take them out yet is the sweet gum. Now step on one of those balls and they will roll under your shoe and you can get
hurt. My husband mows bare foot. OUCH! Till the 4 of them can go they are shade.
Blessings,
Sandy ^8^
Wow Ilovejesus your husband shouldn't be mowing barefoot anyway that is very dangerous...
bettydee we are sure it is wilt and it has been diagnosed, everyone around has the problem and I doubt there is a single tree on the property that isn't already severly infected...most are already dead.
Frostweed I think your suggestion is what we are going to do for the moment...It is far enough from the house and it is probably taller than anything else....It is really a pretty tree...although it is in a thicket type setup of all the cedars and dead and dying oaks...LOL
My neighbor has planted lots of new oaks but a new kind that isn't affected bu the wilt and they are growing quickly so I think that we will try the same ones ...
Excellent idea, you might try some pecans too, they are beautiful and live a very long life. I have some potted native pecans that you can have and set them out this fall.
I am so sorry about the oaks, such beautiful trees, such a tragedy, but we have to move forward and do the best we can.
We have two monstrous oak trees, both atleast 8 1/2 feet around. I use Howard Garret's sick tree treatment on them every spring and so far they are very healthy. The trenching idea sounds very dangerous to me. If you cut the roots of a tree you cut off it's food supply. Our St. Augustine grass is absolutely awsome too even under pecan tree and I haven't water it even once this year. Do some research before you have anybody trench around your oaks. A good source of info is Malcom Beck and Gardenville in San Antonio. He very knowledgeable and very patient.
There is an oak BTW that does very well in Fredericksburg atleast and grows fairly fast. It's a chinquepin (sp?). They do have those big furry things (don't if that's considered fruit) that they make, but it's supposed to be a good shade tree.
Silverfluter that is the tree that my neighbor recommended...they have planted many of them on their property..
The trenching is what is recommended by the Texas Forest Service to severe the connection that oaks develop with each other in a grove. If that is not done, the infected tree will pass the oak wilt fungus to the trees it is connected to. They also recommend diversity in flora so that you have survivors if disaster hits.
http://www.texasoakwilt.org/Resources/OakWilt.pdf
I just refound this thread....
Ruth,
Whatever you do DON'T burn the wood from the infected trees!! The fungus that is killing the trees is lifted by the heat of the fire, then carried by the wind to infect other trees in the area. That's how it has come to spread so rapidly in that part of Kerr county.
Thanks for the info Donna...I'll make sure John has that info...I don't like burning anyway...I admit to being a worry wart when it comes to fire...of any kind...
When are you all heading up this way...?
This message was edited Jul 6, 2005 2:37 PM
Yeah...That would be fun....Maybe you all could come by our place ...are you staying long...I'll cook for you...maybe just burgers but definitely good food...
We'll have a get together here and you can tour the gardens at Godfather Ridge...LOL....LOL..
You could all maybe find time to tour the Marschall Gardens also!!!!!
I was thinking of you silverfluter...wanta come over for our feast...I'll invite summer1953 she lives close...well not close but she comes to Kerrville often...Who else wants to come...we have a big porch.
Edited to add that summer1953 and her husband were just here and I told here we were planning a gettogther and she said she'd try to make it...She and her husband are very nice...she brought me 3 plants.....
This message was edited Jul 6, 2005 4:12 PM
We'd love to meet ya'll. What date are we talking about? I think we've got something else to do on July 30. Tell me what we can bring to the table.
I guess we'll let Donna tell us when she is going to be here...I'm available any day except the 16th and I'm going to Austin on that day...LOL...Anyone who wants to come is invited...A new girl just signed up as a new member and she is from Mountain Home, TX which so Phyllis tells me is between where she lives and where I live...we can send her an invite too......So who is next...this is an open invite..as in Ya'll coming ?
Man! wish I lived close enough to just drive on over!
But I'll see you in Austin, right?
Yep...going to come to Austin...
That would be the weekend for me to do it as I will be off the weekend of the 16th for the Austin 'Date' and again on Aug 10th & 12th for my birthday and my anniversary.
If it would help we could try to come up on Thursday and get together on Friday.
This message was edited Jul 6, 2005 11:02 PM
You are referring to Friday the 15 to visit me here and then on Sat we all go to Austin right? Works for me...What do you all thinK....silverfluter could you come over on Friday..
Sounds like a plan... works for me!!!! What time you think?
you all want to do lunch or dinner.Youuuuuuu hooooooo Donna...what time you want to come over...
maybe you all could come over mid afternoon and then we can do some burgers (or something) on the grill later on......we'll have time to get acquainted and then eat...It will probably be hotter than hades but we'll just spend most of our time inside with the AC.....
This message was edited Jul 7, 2005 8:48 AM
Oh that's fine...I wasn't sure what you meant so the weekend of the 30ith is just fine...It will also give us a little more planning time...
We will try to make it on the weekend of the 30th. I can't make any promises though. Phyllis
Wow this could be a party...Phyllis...I hope you can come...