Re: Tall Tree Suggestion Needed!

We lost two of the major trees needed for my shade beds.

Any suggestions . . .

Ive hostas, bleeding hearts, astilbes, etc coming in that DO want a nice shade home.

I do believe the tree should be able to withstand the Carolina heat and clay soil.

Any suggestion?

i got a young maple, tree form f rose of sharon and a kousa dogwood
- I think i need something taller still.
or at least that what i think from the fried leaves of my Sum and Substance Hosta last summer . . .

if specific tree height data is needed
- plz share how to approximate such heights there IS a way - I just for got how . ..

I have live oaks over all my shade beds. Contrary to popular opinion, they are fast growers. I also like the little leaves- I don't even bother to rake them, just let them sit there and use them as mulch.

I wouldn't get anything in the hickory family, like a pecan. They throw limbs- annoying trees.

I also wouldn't get a sweetgum. I hate those stupid roly balls.

Don't get me wrong, I have both pecan and sweet gum trees. They just don't overhang walkways or anything I care about.

Attached is a picture of my front yard (in the pouring rain.) I've only started working on it in the last year or two so all the plants are young. But, it's coming along.

How about a nice Japanese Maple (one of the tall varieties), or a River Birch?

Both grow pretty fast.

Perhaps planting a taller shrub to help shade until your tree can get some height?

Lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia) grows rapidly. I enjoy the graceful arching shape of the limbs and the small narrow leaves because when they fall, they can remain without looking messy or blowing all over. Sometimes called Chinese elm, these trees haven't been afflicted with the problems of other elms, although you'll eventually have to pull up unwanted seedlings (similar to crape myrtles).

Zelkova is an elm-look-alike except that it grows in a vase shape, rather than an umbrella. Mine has been surprisingly fast-growing. Eventually, it's supposed to arch, as well.

I'm skeptical about planting fairly large trees, but I know some folks succeed with them. Still, waiting for a tree to be able to shelter your shade plants won't help any time soon. To protect your plants, they may need to be moved. Sorry.

Check this out .. might help:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-637.html

X

Thanks for the input and the link !

Keeping up with Mother Nature is More than a Notion! LOL!!
thanks again!

X, that's a great site, but I'm surprised they included Bradford pear trees and mimosa trees -- the pear trees because of breakage in adulthood and the mimosa because it can be invasiveness. Still, it's a handy site!