Feet in the Snow, Minds in the Trees

Back in November, I wrote here about trees, and left you with the task of getting out of doors to experience the end of the colourful leafy goodness for yet another autumn season. We are still weeks away from the bright green buds of spring but it’s never too soon to begin planning for a new member to your backyard family.

 When to Plant

The best time to plant a tree is when it’s dormant: in the spring before they “wake up” for some serious late spring-summer growing and in the fall after they’ve finished growing and prepared themselves for winter.

Now is the time to be thinking about what kind of tree to plant. Here’s a little guide.

What to Plant

I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 favourite deciduous trees. Keep this list handy when making your decision but remember that this list is not even close to being exhaustive. We have hundreds of native trees in Canada. Check out Tree Canada for a more comprehensive list.

Deciduous

Tree Name	Hardiness Zones	Preferred Growing Conditions	Growth Habits
Red Oak (Quercus rubra)	Canada: Zones 3a – 6b	Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained Light: Full shade or full sun	Height: 35m Trunk Diameter: 100cm Crown: symmetrical
White Oak (Quercus alba)	Canada: Zones 3a – 6b	Soil: can tolerate a range of soil types Light: can tolerate some shade	Height: 35m Trunk Diameter: 120cm Crown: dense, broad, mainly symmetrical
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)	Canada: Zones 1b – 6b	Soil: rich, bottomland soil but can tolerate less fertile urban soil Light: can tolerate some shade	Height: 15m Trunk Diameter: 60cm Crown: dense, narrow, mainly symmetrical
Freeman Maple (Acer x freemanii) ‘Autumn Blaze’	Canada: Zones 2b – 6b	Soil: tolerates intermittently wet and dry soils Light: best in full sun but can tolerate some shade	Height: 25m Trunk Diameter: Crown: dense, narrow, symmetrical
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)	Canada: Zones 1a – 6b	Soil: moist, well-drained Light: tolerant of shade for many years and will grow as it receives light	Height: 35m Trunk Diameter: 90cm Crown: dense, narrow, symmetrical
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)	Canada: Zones 6a – 6b	Soil: moist, well-drained lowlands; needs fertile soil Light: shade intolerant	Height: 30m Trunk Diameter: 120cm Crown: open, broad, symmetrical
Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)	Canada: 2b – 6b	Soil: moist, well-drained but can tolerate some dryness Light: very shade tolerant	Height: 12m Trunk Diameter: 25cm Crown: dense, broad, symmetrical
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)	Canada: Zones 3a – 6b	Soil: moist, well-drained Light: shade tolerant	Height: 25m Trunk Diameter: 100cm Crown: broad and symmetrical
Basswood (Tillia americana)	Canada: Zone 2b – 6b	Soil: moist, well-drained soil Light: very shade tolerant	Height: 35m Trunk Diameter: 100cm Crown: narrow and symmetrical
Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)	Canada: Zones 6a – 6b	Soil: deep, rich, well-drained soils; can tolerate mildly droughty conditions Light: shade intolerant	Height: 25m Trunk Diameter: 60cm Crown: dense, narrow and symmetrical

Canadian Hardiness Map: http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/images/cfs11x8E.jpg

 

Last words

I have a good friend who is an arborist and in talks with him he has urged me to pass along these words: match your tree to your location. Don’t plant trees right against your house; remember that these trees will grow not only above ground but below it. Roots can wreak havoc with your foundation as they travel laterally in search of water and nutrients. Finally, he says that homeowners need to research every tree they plan on adding to their gardens. Know how quickly it grows, how large it grows, and how much maintenance it will need.

The species listed here are large and intended for areas with the appropriate amount of space. Today’s science has been able to create smaller hybrid versions of many trees that are designed for the compact backyard. Check back in two weeks for my top 10 list.

Next week I will give you my list of top 10 conifers.