So You Want to Plant a Tree
by Melody Westmoreland
It seems so simple on the face of it. But let’s dig down a little – no pun intended – and think about all the things you must consider before embarking on this tree planting journey. What kind of tree are you thinking about, deciduous or evergreen? How much space do you have? Many folks buy what looks like a cute little tree not recognizing that, in fifty years, that little cutie is going to be a 50-100-foot-tall monster that has been mutilated by pruners trying to clear power lines or create visibility. You can drive around Yakima and see multiple examples of how what was once a magnificent specimen has been reduced to a tree with a permanent bad haircut.
What about the root structure? Will this be a tree that favors shallow roots and soon buckles your sidewalk or topples in a good windstorm, or one that puts down deep roots and will be solid forever. Some of this is a product of watering practices but much is specific to the type of tree you are considering.
How wide will the tree get? It may look great in front of your living room window in the beginning, but as it spreads it will crowd against your house and make painting and maintenance a nightmare. Think back to that bad prune job previously mentioned.
Are you envisioning a tree as a garden centerpiece with lush plants all around its base? Some trees don’t like close company while others increase acidity in the soil which deters many things from growing nearby. So much for that vision.
In today’s climate and unpredictable rainfall, it is very important to think about the water needs of that tree you’re looking at. Everything needs more water as it first gets established, but many trees have less water needs as they mature. There are a lot of varieties out there that will both satisfy your desire to have a tree and still be a responsible choice for the future.
Some options in the conifer family are true cedars such as weeping blue atlas and giant sequoias (yes, they do grow here although their water needs increase over time). Some varieties of pine do well here and also hold their moisture better than some other species. Although the blue spruce specimens are lovely, they tend to have a shallow root system which leaves them more vulnerable to toppling over, thus making them not the best choice for success. A beautiful tree is the Arizona Cypress which has blue grey tones, smells great, and tops out at under forty feet.
Deciduous trees to consider include the hornbeams which grow tall with lots of branches that will provide shade, as well as being slow-growing. Linden trees are lovely but be prepared to clean up after their flowers, seeds, and leaves. If you’re interested in a Ginko, make sure you only select a male of the species. The female trees produce fruit which smells absolutely awful and requires extensive cleanup as they drop all at once. Kentucky coffee trees and Eastern red buds are also good choices. The cottonwoods are an aggressive choice, both in water needs and their propensity to damage water and sewer lines in their quest for moisture.
Here in the Yakima Valley, we have a wonderful resource to help with your decision. The Yakima Area Arboretum, with help from some of our local Master Gardeners, has catalogued and mapped all their trees. Using the software of ArborPro Interactive Map and Plant Database they have not only included the exact location of each tree, there is also lots of information regarding growing habits, needs, and options for where they will thrive. If you go to their website at ahtrees.org, and click on the button for “Search the Collection”, you can find all the information needed to use the app to full advantage. The folks who work at the Arboretum are also super helpful and ready and willing to answer your questions, and what better way to spend a lovely fall day than taking a walking tour of this jewel in the desert. You won’t be disappointed.