Trees to Avoid (Part 1)

When you are trying to decide on some trees to plant in your landscape you need to be aware that there are some on the market you don’t want to choose.  There are a number of trees which have been marketed heavily and provided consistently at the big box store but that does not mean they will be ideal for you.

You want to avoid anything that claims to be a fast grower, this means it will have weak wood and a very short lifespan.  In addition there are many tree types who are experiencing diseases which will shorten their lives, and there are trees which are too messy for a home landscape.

Here at Nature’s Friends Landscaping we know the best types of trees for you, let us choose them based on your needs, we can deliver and plant them properly.

One of the fast growers which is very popular is the Bradford Pear, while this tree presents a very beautiful springtime flower production its branch growth pattern is not healthy.  Whole limbs and sections of the tree will split away from the trunk, leaving big gaping holes in what was a very symmetrical tree. They only have a fifteen year life expectancy so they aren’t worth your effort.

Bradford Pear

Photo Credit: landworksdesignbuild.com

Another tree which has been marketed heavily but has problems is the Leyland Cypress.  A beautiful evergreen used in many landscapes but with a too short lifespan and any number of disease problems it should be avoided.  It is typically used as a screen because it grows quickly but they are usually planted too close together which means when one of them contracts a disease it will quickly spread to the others.  Spraying 50 foot tall trees is not really an option for most homeowners!  In addition, just as it reaches maturity it will start to decline due to its short lifespan.

This isn’t to say you can’t use these trees because a lot of people already have them in their landscapes, but if you are choosing a tree to plant you would be advised to try something other than these.  If you do have them in your yard you can just be aware of what issues may arise in the future.

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