AMERICAN YELLOWWOOD 'SWEETSHADE' AND MORE PROBLEM-RESISTANT TREES

Monticello in Spring

www.monticello.org



Greetings from Charlottesville!




American yellowwood in bloom early summer

The Green Man suggests readers check out this well-written article on problem-resistant trees that make better choices than the typical junk available at the local, "we-could-care-less-if-it-falls-through-your-roof" lowly, corporate "box" stores.

Educate yourself before making your tree-purchasing decisions! Be both wise and patriotic, and get your trees from an American-owned, independently-owned garden center. Go in, and ask assertively for assistance from someone who knows something about plants rather than fast "food"...and take with your hardcopy homework with you!

pubs.ext.vt.edu/450/450-237/450-237.html

Here are trucked-in trash trees to avoid at the typical, "we-could-care-less" corporate chain "box" stores:

Absolute worst:

Silver maple
Norway maple, including 'Crimson King'
Bradford pear
Crabapple, cherry, hawthorn

More disastrous choices:

Red maple (invasive, too large, and too much shade)
Any birch except River birch, Betula nigra (Birches are yummy feast for the lethal bronze birch borer)
Ash (Perfect meal for the deadly emerald ash borer)
any fast-growing screens such as poplars
Sugar maple (a great tree for huge spaces, but for most sites creates deep, dark, dense shade and becomes too large

Or...you might consider a simple cut to the chase and installing The Green Man's
signature triad:River birch 'Heritage'
Amelanchier 'Autumn Brilliance'
Black tupelo

and accent with

Star magnolia 'Dr. Merrill' and 'Royal Star'
Japanese maple 'Fire Glow'
Koelreuteria paniculata
Ginkgo 'Autumn Gold' (Just one is enough)

or hire The Green Man to design the entire site.

NOTE: Not all of the trees listed at the linked article are suitable for some sites as they grow too large. Check for MATURE SIZE and DEER-RESISTANCE as you read and make notes. Thank you.