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Ideas for new parkway trees

Posted by rel3 IL (My Page) on
Sat, Sep 8, 12 at 9:36

Had 2 dead ash trees removed from my parkway and want to replace ASAP w/ new shade trees. Here is the list of what the city allows. Need something thats plantable in fall, available in Illinois and medium to fast growing. Thanks for any suggestons

Buckeye, Ohio Aesculus glabra
Oak, Chinkapin Quercus muehlenbergii
Baldcypress Taxodium distichum
Oak, Red Quercus rubra
Catalpa Catalpa speciosa
Oak, Schumard Quercus shumardii
Coffeetree, Kentucky Gymnocladus dioicus
Oak, Shingle Quercus imbricaria
Hackberry, Common Celtis occidentalis
Oak, Swamp White Quercus bicolor
Hickory, Bitternut Carya cordiformis
Oak, White Quercus alba
Hickory, Shagbark Carya ovata
Pecan Carya illinoensis
Honeylocust, Thornless Gleditsia triacanthos
Persimmon, Common Diospyros virginiana
Horsechestnut, Common Aesculus hippocastanum
Oak, English Quercus robur
Ironwood Carpinus caroliniana
Sassafras, Common Sassafras albidum
Linden, Beetree Tilia heterophylla
Oak, Sawtooth Quercus acutissima
Maple, Black Acer nigrum
Serviceberry, Allegheny Amelanchier laevis
Maple, Freeman Acer x freemani
Serviceberry, Downy Amelanchier arborea
Maple, Red Acer rubrum
Sourgum (Black Tupelo) Nyssa sylvatica
Maple, Sugar Acer saccharum
Pear, Callery Pyrus calleryana
Oak, Black Quercus velutina
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis
Oak, Bur Quercus macrocarpa
Serviceberry, Apple Amelanchier x grandiflora
Oak, Chestnut Quercus prinus
Yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea
Buckeye, Yellow Aesculus flava
Linden, Silver Tilia tomentosa
Catalpa, Chinese Catalpa ovata
Lily of the Valley, Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum
Cherry, Amur Chokeberry Prunus maackii
Maple, Hedge or Field Acer campestre
Cherry, Sargent Prunus sargentii
Maple, Miyabe Acer miyabei
Chestnut, Chinese Castanea mollissima
Maple, Norway Acer platanoides
Corktree, Amur Phellodendron amurense
Maple, Purpleblow Acer truncatum
Elm, English Ulmus procera
Maple, Sycamore or Planetree Acer pseudoplatanus
Elm, Homestead Ulmus x 'Homestead'
Maple, Tartarian Acer tataricum
Elm, Chinese or Lacebark Ulmus parvifolia
Oak, English Quercus robur
Elm, Regal Ulmus x 'Regal'
Oak, Sawtooth Quercus acutissima
Filbert, Turkish Corylus colunia
Pagoda-tree, Japanese Sophora japonica
Ginkgo Gingko biloba Pear,
Callery Pyrus calleryana
Holly, American Ilex opaca
Serviceberry, Apple Amelanchier x grandilora
Lilac, Japanese Tree Syringa reticulata
Serviceberry, Shadblow Amelanchier canadensis
Linden, Bigleaf Tilia platyphyllos
Sweetgum, (Liquidamber sp.) Liquidambar styraciflua
Linden, American (Basswood) Tilia americana


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

Rel, this is my opinion, but many others will agree; It is a sort of "waste" to plant a low-growing ornamental species on the terrace where no overhead obstructions exist. Landscape design, as it relates to street tree planting, is most enhanced when tall-growing species are used, the one caveat noted, that of overhead wires, etc. Tall trees along the streetscape can turn what is arguably the most ugly aspect of modern urban areas-all those big, wide streets, into pleasant green corridors. So if there are no wires overhead, I would urge the use of one of the tall-growing types.

Beyond that, you've got quite a list there. Many could perform well. I'd not plant hackberrys, elms, Autumn Blaze maples, and perhaps a couple others in fall. Spring would be better for those. Maybe one of the lindens.

+oM


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

  • Posted by rel3 none (My Page) on
    Sat, Sep 8, 12 at 15:25

Thanks for the info - and there are no overhead lines. Also, because our entire block was ash trees, it went from nicely tree lined to almost barren.


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

So, basically, you can plant just about anything. I dare say the list of excuded species is shorter.

As far as fall planting, yeah. As long as the tree was dug this year already or container, go for it. There are some trees I would not fall dig, mostly those that are hard to leaf out, such as black gum, certain oaks and dogwoods, and the like. If they were dug in the spring, just fine.

As far as local availanility, that's your job. If only there were a type of business that specialized in plants.


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

Yes, an obvious oversight on my part-all the fall-planting caveats I mentioned were for bare-root. Container or B&B, none of that applies.

You do indeed have quite free reign here. That's a good thing.

+oM


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

Is this a planting strip between the sidewalk and the street (if so how wide) or a 2 foot by 2 foot cut in the sidewalk next to the street? Is there a yard between the building and the sidewalk or all cement? I only ask because the less ground/more cement there is changes things like the soil pH and the availability of water.


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

Also rel, does your community not regulate such things? Where I live, we have a full-fledged Forestry department. Homeowners can plant their own stuff but it must be approved by the City Forester. I'd guess such is not the case where you live?

In addition, this same department can and will usually beat any other price/value when it comes to doing said planting. When you're buying wholesale and planting perhaps 1000 to 1500 trees each year, you get very good at it! Savings follow.

+oM


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

I believe the OP already noted in the first post that these were trees the city allowed :-)

There are a few I'd eliminate immediately:
Callery pear - no redeeming value whatsoever
Liquidambar (or any other species with excessive surface roots....like most of the maples)
Ilex opaca - messy and with unfriendly foliage
Cherries - surface roots as well as prone to suckering

And FWIW, I think the canopy level of the Amelanchiers might be lower than desirable but that depends on the specific tree selection and training. IME, these do not "limb up" well :-) I'd also limit anything that tended to produce any fruit or excess litter (like seed pods, buckeyes, etc.)

The elms, nyssa, oxydendrum and lindens are very tough trees and typically able to tolerate urban plantings, pollution, various soil conditions and drought well. I should think any of these would be good choices. I am not as familiar with some of the other choices.


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

  • Posted by rel3 none (My Page) on
    Sun, Sep 9, 12 at 19:44

The area is beside street and a sidewalk. Its approx 20ft wide and previously supported 2 good size ash trees. At the local nursery today the best choices seemed to be: 1) swamp white oak. 2) red maple (brandywine) 3) Redmond linden


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

All three could work well. Do you happen to know if red maple likes the soil in your area? Some places, it gets chlorotic-yellow foliage-due to a too-high soil pH. If that were true in your area, I'd avoid it. I think swamp white oaks are hard to beat for this and many other applications. Redmond linden are decent trees too. Nice big leaves and deep red buds in winter.

+oM


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

My definition of the ideal parkway tree is one with high, upward arching branches. Elm or zelkova.

I'm trying to think of a reason not to plant Aut. Bl. in the dall from bareroot...and I'm not coming up with one. And I put in a hundred or so each year, after the end of Sept, bareroot, sizes from 1 1/4" to 2". The only ones that don't live have some apparent reason...such as vehicular damage.

local availability is your limiting factor. When it comes to a reason not to plant a given tree, they are abundant and mostly a bunch of horse hockey. Lindens are about as clean a tree as there is, but I know someone who broke a leg tripping on the dropped seeds...which are about the size of a pea. Every tree has something, but every tree also has advantages. Oaks have acorns, but they also have strong branches, long life, and a mature form usually referred to as majestic with minimal attention from people.


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RE: Ideas for new parkway trees

I would caution that lindens are prime feeding grounds for Japanese beetles.

My two picks are: Q.schumardii and Q.prinus.

Dax


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