{"id":27627,"date":"2026-10-15T04:04:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T11:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/?p=27627"},"modified":"2026-10-12T11:25:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T18:25:52","slug":"so-you-want-to-plant-a-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/2026\/10\/15\/so-you-want-to-plant-a-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"So You Want to Plant a Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So You Want to Plant a Tree<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

by Melody Westmoreland<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It seems so simple on the face of it.  But let\u2019s dig down a little \u2013 no pun intended \u2013 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you envisioning a tree as a garden centerpiece with lush plants all around its base?  Some trees don\u2019t like close company while others increase acidity in the soil which deters many things from growing nearby.  So much for that vision.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s climate and unpredictable rainfall, it is very important to think about the water needs of that tree you\u2019re 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Dwarf
Dwarf Blue Shasta Fir \u201cNana\u201d in forefront, Green Mountain Sugar Maple in background at Yakima Area Arboretum. Photo credit Melody Westmoreland<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019re 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here in the Yakima Valley, we have a wonderful resource to help with your decision.\u00a0\u00a0The Yakima Area Arboretum, with help from some of our local Master Gardeners, has catalogued and mapped all their trees.\u00a0\u00a0Using the software of\u00a0ArborPro Interactive Map and Plant Database\u00a0<\/em>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.\u00a0\u00a0If you go to their website at\u00a0ahtrees.org<\/a>, and click on the button for \u201cSearch the Collection\u201d, you can find all the information needed to use the app to full advantage.\u00a0\u00a0The 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.\u00a0\u00a0You won\u2019t be disappointed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So You Want to Plant a Tree by Melody Westmoreland It seems so simple on the face of it.  But let\u2019s dig down a little \u2013 no pun intended \u2013 and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":210,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wsuwp_accessibility_report":null,"_external_link":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[65],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27627"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/210"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27627"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27637,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27627\/revisions\/27637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}