Landscaping With Trees
By: S. V. Scott, Master Gardener

Trees dominate our landscape not just by their size but by their longevity. If well chosen, a tree planted today may become an enduring legacy for generations to come. However, an ill-considered specimen is a potentially expensive headache, entangling power lines and threatening our homes, subjected to mutilation and premature removal.

There are trees for every situation. Towering oak and ash can be relied upon to safely shade our homes for two hundred years or more. Squatty trees like Washington hawthorn and wild plum beautify the landscape and support wildlife too. Clusters of evergreens offer shelter from the worst winter weather and disguise objectionable views, while the bark of sycamores, red holly berries, and yellow flowers of witch hazel brighten dull winter days.

Trees have negative characteristics as well as positive ones. River birch offers outstanding winter interest in it's peeling bark, but it also sheds catkins, seedpods, and twigs continuously. This is not a good tree to plant next to the patio! Sweet gums produce spectacular fall foliage and spiky seed balls that are murder on bare feet and not much good for your lawn, either.

Taking the time to research all your options will reward you in the long run by actually making your choices easier--knowing what you don't want is as important as knowing what you do want. You may take a big step forward in the eliminating process by deciding to narrow your focus to native trees--trees that can be relied upon to do their best for us without requiring a lot of special (and expensive) care.

With a wealth of exotic trees to choose from, it may seem that restricting oneself to native trees might be boring, but nothing could be further from the truth! North America has a particularly rich heritage of native trees, celebrated all over the world. Our own redbud and flowering dogwoods are unrivaled in beauty and are deservedly popular, but what about smoke tree, fringe tree, persimmon, sour wood, or southern magnolia? Lovely, useful specimens, all, that connect us to home in a way no imported tree, however desirable, can do.

For more ideas, LANDSCAPING WITH NATIVE TREES by Guy Sternberg and Jim Wilson is available at the Joplin Public Library @ 635.95173. This book offers a comprehensive profile of native trees useful to landscapers and homeowners here in the Midwest and Midsouth, so that all the 'iffy' trees have already been weeded out. A comparative size chart, detailed descriptions and pictures of each tree, plus a source list for trees that may not be widely available make this book an indispensable reference for anyone who wants to make an informed decision when choosing a tree.

Trees are living, breathing things that make an enormous impact on our surroundings. Before planting, we owe it to our communities, to future generations and to the trees themselves, to choose wisely.