Managing Editor Dave Mance is on vacation this week, so I hijacked his blog . . .
-Lora Nielsen, Administrative Coordinator
Our dog Ruby was a 9-year-old speckled black and white Dalmatian mix with a fondness for long runs in the back field. So when we lost her to an unfortunate illness this past May, we decided to remember her by planting a new tree on our land. Something noble and graceful that would make us smile each spring.
We have a decent mix of trees on our land: lots of tamarack in the wet areas, a few poplars up on the bank around the house. So what would be a good addition to the mix? A crab apple was the obvious choice, with screaming pink blossoms that could shake us out of winter. But what about a nice big maple? A maple would vastly improve our fall mulch
pile, and it defiantly fits the noble and graceful category.
And so began the search to find the perfect tree. Let’s remember that I work for a forestry magazine. As you might imagine, people here have a few opinions about trees, along with quite a bit of knowledge.
I showed up one day at work and asked about those pretty dark purple maples, the ones you see adding a nice contrast to all the green in early summer. It turns out they’re Norway maple cultivars. I was told I would be fired if I planted one, and I’m not sure it was a joke. Norway maples are not on everyone’s invasive species list but probably soon will be. So why are they all over the lawns of so many neighbors? Wouldn’t most people know about this stuff? I just moved here; I have an excuse.
There’s some debate over just how bad an invasive plant Norway maple is. Some friends suggested that they were okay, that they don’t really spread. The National Park Service begs to differ. In reference to the Norway maple, their web site states: “Don’t plant Norway maple.” Short and sweet, very direct. They also have information about why they’re bad, how to spot them, and how to control them. The Park Service graciously suggests several alternatives, including a nice red maple (Acer rubrum).
Now that would get me rehired in a heartbeat!
So what did the local tree nurseries have to say? Being the point of sale, they play a critical role in what ends up out there in the wild.
I stopped in to get their advice, being particularly interested in what they had to say about the Norway maple. They don’t sell them. In fact, it is illegal to sell them in New Hampshire, but not in Vermont. On their own accord, this nursery stopped selling them a few years ago, along with a long list of other invasive plants.
In making my decision about species, I was given a number of ideas to consider. Here’s the list.
Consider whether a tree grows slowly or quickly. Does it stay relatively small or does it grow up to be regally large? Will it have heavy blossoms or not?
Then the site should be considered, in spatial relation to the tree. What will it look like in 25, 50, or 100 years? Gracing the front lawn in 10 years could become damaging the roof in 30.
Is the soil in the planting area wet or dry? Sugar maple is a natural favorite, but if the soil is wet, a red maple might be a better bet. Silver maple is a good option for speedy growth, giving impressive results in as little as 10 years.
More ideas came my way from other sources. Our local tree warden loves oak trees, which yield acorns for wildlife. My husband points out the bumpy outcome of acorns in the back yard; I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe oak goes up in the field, also steering animals away from the garden.
There is an ash tree to be considered, but such a choice may not be wise with emerald ash borer headed this way. If I wanted to tempt fate, I could try one of the “disease-resistant” elms, a nice bow to the past. While a few of my neighbors have found the disease resistant part of the title questionable – losing their trees at about 7 years – there are some Liberty Elms in Newbury, VT, that have been going strong for 10 years now. It’s a nice thought if I’m prepared for uncertainty. (But don’t we throw ourselves to uncertainty in any of these decisions?)
In the end, we’ll probably end up right where we started, choosing a nice flowering crab apple tree. They say it easily lasts 25-50 years, likely longer. It probably won’t get big enough to scrape the electric lines making their diagonal pass above the front lawn. My friend Dave says it’s a nice thing to put there for people driving by. I do enjoy a drive along the Connecticut River in early May for just that reason, but I hadn’t thought about being one of the contributors to the show.
A riot of pink blossoms in early May. Ruby would love that.
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