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POPULARITY CONTEST
Some trees are more liked than others
November 6, 2020
by Charlie Neumeyer/Victoria County Master Gardener
Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener
PHOTO BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER CHARLIE NEUMEYER
Live Oak trees are the most popular tree in this area for many reasons. If you plant a Live Oak like this one today, your great-great grandchildren will undoubtedly enjoy it.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER CHARLIE NEUMEYER
While container grown trees can be planted any time, fall is the best time to plant trees. Cooler and wetter conditions allow the tree to establish itself before the summer heat sets in.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER SUZANNE LABRECQUE
The Japanese Blueberry tree is also known as the "Lollipop Tree" for its lollipop-shaped foliage.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER SUZANNE LABRECQUE
Magnolia Tree in the sun.
Driving through local neighborhoods, it becomes obvious that some trees are more popular than others. I conducted an unscientific poll of several local nurseries and asked what trees were the most requested in the nursery and on landscape jobs.
Here, in reverse order, are the top five:
Japanese blueberry trees
The Japanese blueberry tree (Elaeocarpus decipiens) is an evergreen with dark green, leathery leaves. The trees have small fragrant white flowers in the spring and they bear small blue-black olive shaped fruits in the summer. They grow 40 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide. They prefer well-drained soils with a steady water supply.
According to the AgriLife Extension, this tree has no significant problems. However, the plant has limited cold tolerance and can become chloritic in high pH soils.
Magnolia trees
According to Dr. William C. Welch with the AgriLife Extension, the Southern magnolia is “truly an emblem of the South.” This tree can reach heights of up to 80 feet. However, the nurseries indicated that smaller cultivars, such as ‘Little Gem’ have become popular because of their smaller proportions. The glossy green leaves are very attractive and the fragrant blooms come early in the spring. In our area, soil pH can be an issue because they prefer acid soils and they need water.
As long as soil and water conditions are right, there are not many problems with the magnolia tree. But from experience — the leaves are a mess to clean up and they do not decompose. Then come the seed cones. They look pretty on the tree when the bright red seeds pop out, but then they fall. Another mess to clean up.
White oaks
These trees are called white oak because the newly-cut wood is very white. Among the locally-used varieties are the Mexican white oak (Quercus polymorphus), the bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), the post oak (Querpus stellate) and the chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii). These oaks are generally long-lived and can live in a variety of soils. They grow quite tall — 45 feet to 80 feet — so they can be used as a specimen tree that will make a statement. They are deciduous and lose their leaves in the fall, but they are not noted for fall color. They are not susceptible to oak wilt.
Of the trees listed, the variety with the most problems is the post oak. It is very sensitive to root disturbance, so construction that compacts the soil, overwatering and changing the soil grade can kill existing trees.
Crape myrtles
According to The Tree Center, there are 50 species of crape myrtle, but only a few have been developed into the trees we use today. Some of the positive attributes of the crape myrtle are that it comes in sizes from 2 feet to 30 feet and with blooms in the red, pink, purple and white families. A long summer blooming period is also a plus. It is deciduous, but the trunk forms and the bark can add architectural interest during the winter.
According to Dr. William C. Welch of the AgriLife Extension, the main negative is powdery mildew. Good air circulation and full sun can keep the mildew at bay. Other than that, there are no significant problems.
Live oaks
The live oak is native, evergreen, ubiquitous and very popular. They grow tall and stately and provide dense shade. Live oaks are susceptible to oak wilt, which is a serious problem. Enough said.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
ph: 361-935-1556
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