Two things will determine your happiness with a tree
selection: matching the tree to your site conditions and picking a tree
with characteristics that you like. Remember: Right tree, right place. Here’s a short list of trees that are sure to
add beauty and character to your landscape. These selections, which may all
be successfully grown in central Illinois, are available at local garden
centers and nurseries. Heights and widths are approximate. The
Kousa dogwood, Cornus kousa, is a small tree with year-round seasonal interest. Vase-shaped
when young, this dogwood takes on a horizontal habit at maturity.
Creamy-white 1- to 2-inch flowers appear in mid-June. Birds love the
pinkish-red to red fruits, which ripen in late summer and persist through
October. The dark-green summer foliage turns reddish purple to scarlet in
the fall. Kousa dogwood prefers well-drained soil and reaches 25 feet at
maturity, with a similar spread.
The
serviceberry, Amelanchier, is another four-seasons-of-interest genus. Serviceberries have
small white flowers that cover the plant in early spring. The edible
purplish-black berries, which ripen in the summer, are quickly consumed by
birds. The glossy green leaves turn a brilliant yellow, orange, or red in
the fall. These multistemmed specimens, which take the form of large shrubs
or small trees, look great en masse or as a specimen plant. At maturity,
serviceberries range in height from 10 to 25 feet tall.
The
black gum, Nyssa sylvatica, is an underplanted species with some outstanding
characteristics. Its leaves, a glossy green in summer, turn yellow, orange,
red, and purple in the fall. Birds and squirrels enjoy the bluish-black
fruit. Also known as black tupelo or sour gum, the black gum prefers moist,
well-drained soil and does not tolerate standing water. It does well as a
street tree and is subject to few insect or disease problems. A pyramidal
tree, the black gum reaches 50 feet at maturity.
The
white fringe tree, Chionanthus virginicus, bears fragrant, showy white flowers in late May that
cover the plant just as the leaves are appearing. In September, female
trees bear navy-blue fruits that draw birds. The white fringe tree has a
moderate growth rate; at maturity it reaches 15 feet, with a similar
spread. It’s a good selection for the urban landscape.
The
American hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana, also known as musclewood or ironwood, has
muscular-looking blue-gray branches. The textured dark-green to
bluish-green foliage turns yellow, orange, or scarlet in the fall. The
American hornbeam does well in moist soil and grows about 40 feet tall,
with a similar spread.
The
paperbark maple, Acer griseum, has a rich reddish-brown bark that exfoliates to expose a
cinnamon-bronze to reddish-brown color, an outstanding winter feature. This
maple prefers a full-sun location with moist, well-drained soil. The
paperbark maple has a slow to medium rate of growth and at maturity reaches
20 feet, with a spread equal to its height. The leaves turn bright red,
bronze, or orange late in the fall. Some leaves persist into the winter.
The
American yellowwood, Cladrastis kentukea (lutea), is named for the color of its heartwood. Fragrant white
pendulous clusters of flowers adorn this tree in early May. The flowers are
more abundant in alternate years. Yellowwood, which has a graceful
spreading crown, is a native medium-size tree, growing 40 feet tall, with a
similar spread. The leaves turn yellow in the fall. The yellowwood prefers
a full-sun location with moist, rich, well-drained soil. It withstands city
conditions and does well in alkaline soils. For more information, visit the Chicago Botanical
Gardens’ “Illinois’ Best Plants” Web page,
bestplants.chicago-botanic.org/. Tree-planting demonstration
When people wonder why their trees are dying, they
typically expect the blame to fall on an insect or disease problem. Yet
poor planting technique — planting a tree too deeply or providing
poor care afterward — is usually the cause.
Learn how to avoid these mistakes at a free
demonstration, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, in front of the University of
Illinois Extension Building, on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. For more
information, call 217-782-4617.
This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 5, 2005.
