Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Rural Living Trees, any favorites?

In your yard, on your RANCH, in you neighborhood, at your hunting location, seen in the wild?

Here's one I will miss when I retire. English walnut, probably from the farmstead before they put in our housing area:



Geno

PS, I'm thinking there's a few gunstocks in that one. Was hoping I'd be here if they (the "landlords" ) ever decide to trim it in order to put in for a branch or two. Some of those lower branches are nearly 18" in diameter.

That's a beauty.....I've got a Maple out front that's working on that stature.
When I Google Earth my house you can't see it.
Course it's not a very big house (about 700 sq') but it still surprised me.

As an aside......that dam tree has shooters popping up all over the property which I don't mind but one started getting comfy in a place I really didn't want a couple of years ago. I hate to kill a tree so I transplanted it last winter when it was dormant. In the process of digging it up I accidentally chopped the tap root off at about a foot. I figured it was a bust but I already had a hole dug so I gave it a go and damned if it didn't just live but it's leafed out and has new buds every day. Good blood lines is all I can figure because I am NOT known for having a green thumb.

I'll try to post a pic if I can remember.

I love all trees. I don't care what kind they are or how big they are or how small they are.

As long as it isn't a f#@^&*%$ing Chinese elm.

I have some regular elms here that I am torn about. They offer good shade, Leaf fall is small compared to an oak, and they hardly ever blow over. They also offer seeds in the early spring for the birds and squirrels, but those damn seeds sprout by the hundreds of thousands. Also the root system is huge and will go everywhere in a short time. miles

For years I admired the Royal Paulownia, or Royal Empress, trees that I saw growing around here. Kept thinking I'd get one sometime. Then I happened to take a closer look one day, and there was one growing here on the farm. Wish it was in a different location, as it's not very noticeable. I think they are beautiful trees.

Ash, black, and white, trees, and wood. Mountain ash for the color.
Lot's of trees, just not in fences are nice.

If your goal is a yard that is continuously filled with sticks, Linden trees are hard to beat. Likewise, if you are looking for practically bare ground interspersed with small amounts of thin grass, maples are the way to go.

We have an old Silver Maple in the backyard at the farm. It is about 75 years old. The grass grows great on the north side of that tree and is thin and withered on the south side. Kochia grows well there though.

Stay away from Russian Olives. They will hook you every now and then. Suck a lot of water too. Sharptail grouse like them.

Fruit trees are what I like best, especially apple.

A few more from this morning;

Male mulberry in front of my RV, again an old tree from the farm that used to be here. Actually met a gal up in town who lived here as a kid. No doubt, this tree has been here for more than a few decades. As you can see by the foreground, I had to cross the driveway and get out into the field to get the whole thing in the pic.



A river (black) birch I planted 5 years or so ago that was getting rootbound in a 10 gal planter. More than tripled in height and width. Plated for afternoon shade on the RV, but I'm retiring soon so won't see the full benefit. Right now it shades for a few hours a day as the sun sinks later in the day. Next year it will provide even more during the earlier afternoon. My RV is visible on the left, still in morning shade from the mulberry above. Neighbor's gets good morning shade from it, but we have to keep trimming branches that want to rub on her coach.



And finally a "weed" tree, tree of heaven, Ailanthus. They grow in thick groves along the river here, taking over from native riparian plants. The can grow big like this one and provide wonderful shade, but talk about prolific. I have seedlings popping up everywhere, anywhere there's a tiny bit of soil. Trees and bushes behind and to right are seedlings from the big one, bunches of them taking over. info here: https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/treeheaven.shtml



Can anyone tell I like shade. When one grows up in a basically "desert" area and now lives in a very sunny place, one learns the value of a nice tree.

Geno

standtdm,

Russian olive is another weed around here, will take over where the Ailanthus isn't already there!

I've wondered about the possible uses of these weed trees and if a guy could make a few bucks removing them. Seems they grow so well there should be a way to make a buck out of harvesting them.

Geno

If you're into using a climbing tree stand, a Tulip Poplar is the ticket. They're generally straight and consistent in diameter. The bark is softer, so as you're climbing, the teeth can get a good bite.

Cedar tree, if you have an avenue you are watching over, i.e. not concerned with behind you or whatever.

Trim just enough to ascend, clear just enough to view, and let all the rest of those limbs protect you from the wind and weather and wary does.

FG,

Plants like to live, sometimes can be hard to kill them, especially when you're trying to. Glad your little tree seems to be doing OK.

Kenlguy,

Why the hate for Chinese elm? We had one at the house I grew up in and it provided great shade on a good part of the backyard. Of course, no grass under it but that negated the need to mow!

Everyone else, thanks for the input. I love ash trees too, and fruit trees are important too. Have some on order for the retirement place, hope I live long enough to enjoy the fruits of their labors!

Now, please find and post pics.

Geno

John, have you considered the spruce, pines, aspens, and birch in NW Ontario?

I love them! Especially in the fall.

hunts,

thanks, your pics are usually impressive. I too would love to have that tree nearby.

Hope the little dog is still doing well.

Geno

see the little hollow in that tree? Some cookie making gnomes live in there.......



The dog got skunked yesterday......

Some trees need watering more often than others......

I miss the Quakies in No. NV.
Especially the ones with the old Basque sheepherders carvings on em.

Pretty fond of this tree too.
If I told you how much fur I've caught under it you'd call me a liar.
I call it "The Money Tree"
200yrds from my back door...

Methinks you did not forget the skunk quickly!

What is the price of pelts?

Looks like a popular hangout for the critters!!

Geno......the Mulberry tree brings back memories.
The berries make great sling shot ammo when they're still green and hard.
Saved me a lot of marbles.

I'll have to remember that, good ammo sources are always welcome!

Geno

PS, seems you've got a great place there, from the pics I've seen over the years. I may PM you before I pull out of here for retirement and see if I can visit you for a cup of joe. If I have time with all the other stuff I get to do.

Hunts,

Cookie gnomes are a good reason to have a holey tree or two around the place!

the other tree pics are cool too, especially like the one being fertilized.

Sorry to hear about the dog, hope he learned a lesson.

Geno

All my favorite trees are dead.

It ain't much but you're always welcome here Geno.
I'll put on a fresh pot and we'll set on the deck, tell lies, and watch the river go by,

Such a pessimist,

tsk tsk,





Geno

Geno at the last meeting of our weed board we were told by the Government liason that after years of selling us Russian Olives that they should all be removed from any riparian areas. There just might be an opportunity there. Lots of them in reservoir areas and shelter belts. Most of them won't be coming out though, people around here, myself included, are stubborn.

standtm,

I think there's some planted in the area I'll be retiring to, I may look into it as there appears to be some value.

http://www.wood-database.com/russian-olive/

Perhaps, as it was noted there that it is used for knife scales, it might make decent handgun grips?

I have a friend who used to do bowls, I'll check with him as this one is beautiful:

http://www.edwardssmithfinewoodworking.com/bowls/turned-wooden-bowls-37.html

If you have some on your property you are trying to get rid of, you might look into "harvesting" some as a test run, it's pretty nice looking wood:

http://denverwoodslabs.com/russian-olive/

Dried it should serve as firewood at least.

Geno

LOL! I couldn't resist. I was channeling some serious FB2 whine vibes.

And a damn fine tree to be watching for squirrels when the berries are ripe!

Grab a good .22 and get a limit without ever moving.

Geno, every time we get a big storm I always worry about the 'big' tree....

No squirrels down here, but I've always wondered why the introduced fox squirrels in the towns 35 miles upriver haven't gotten down here. Not enough introduced red oaks probably.

Well, I should stand corrected, I've seen a marmot down here.

Oh, and that big one is a male, no fruit on it. We have a few females but they are smaller (but growing still and messy as ever)

Geno

Sam, that one looks like a good one. Looks like it's been there a day or three. What kind? Best let those smaller ones grow up with it to help prevent wind throw with the roots intertwining.

Geno

PS, do you ice skate on that field in the winter?

I have 2 trees in my yard that are fantastic shade and the temp drops at least 10 deg when i
mow under them....I have no idea what they are the were planted probably 45 years ago when the new house was built...
Not all trees are good....we have an abundance of honey locust....nasty big thorns flat tires...and we are fighting them in the bean fields constantly.....good fire wood if you want to fight the thorns....really not worth it....

I'm pretty fond of this double White Pine in front of the house.
My duty is as a steward to the tree, not an owner.
It's the tallest one in the neighborhood, about 10' taller than the other White Pine on the property.

i like pin oaks. grow fast for an oak and spread nicely. i planted some 10 or 12 years ago and they are thick as my thigh and 30 feet tall and throwing lots of shade.

I like Quakies..........give 'em water & they take off...........

The wind makes Aspens flutter........super cool........

Planted these several years ago.......

I sure do like the Honey Locust next to my driveway (the non-pokey variety of Honey Locust).

Lots and lots of shade, does well with minimal water and the little leaf-lets require very little clean up.

I've always loved Redbud trees. They are about the first tree around here to bloom in the spring, and when you see the Redbuds in bloom, then you know Winter is pretty much over. I have planted about 5 that I dug up out of the woods, around my house and yard. The biggest gripe is the seed pods and all the little trees that sprout up all over the place.