Re-Green Tulsa - Replacing trees lost by ice

[TURobY]

Or, you could go to Arbor Day and get trees for $5-$10. How on earth did they morph a couple of dollars into $300?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by TURobY

Or, you could go to Arbor Day and get trees for $5-$10. How on earth did they morph a couple of dollars into $300?

Sometimes they want trees a bit larger than a twig.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by TURobY

Or, you could go to Arbor Day and get trees for $5-$10. How on earth did they morph a couple of dollars into $300?

Sometimes they want trees a bit larger than a twig.

But at that markup, I'm beginning to think I entered the wrong profession. LOL

[EricP]

Hey, it's a good investment if you are willing to wait

I caved and bought another pear tree (not that the poor decision made by the builders was my choice,) HOWEVER I picked out a nice Aristocrat Pear with a nice single trunk up the middle that will hold up MUCH better than the dang Bradford. I can't wait for them to come put it in! If the vastly inferior Bradford lasted 20 years, I think I've done my due diligence by getting a much better version for a house I won't live 20 years in.

[RecycleMichael]

I am driving down to southeast Oklahoma tomorrow to pick up thousands of small seedlings donated from Weyerhauser. I am getting loblolly pines (the kind you see on the Broken Arrow expressway by Peoria).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loblolly_Pine

I have lots of ways planned to give away these free baby trees, but I am getting way more than I have ever distributed before.

I am probably going to need some ideas and some new volunteers.

Please help.

[PonderInc]

Along the Broken Arrow expressway near Peoria, there are  two types of pine trees. One has lighter colored, longer needles and one has shorter, darker needles.  

The lighter, longer needle trees seem to bend more, and took a pretty good hit in the ice storm (maybe 15-20% loss of limbs).  The trees with the darker, shorter needles were totally unaffected by the ice storm.

I want the kind with the darker, shorter needles that seem to say "Ice? What ice?"

Are those the loblollies?

[TulsaSooner]

quote:Originally posted by PonderInc

Along the Broken Arrow expressway near Peoria, there are  two types of pine trees. One has lighter colored, longer needles and one has shorter, darker needles.  

The lighter, longer needle trees seem to bend more, and took a pretty good hit in the ice storm (maybe 15-20% loss of limbs).  The trees with the darker, shorter needles were totally unaffected by the ice storm.

I want the kind with the darker, shorter needles that seem to say "Ice? What ice?"

Are those the loblollies?

One of the trees in the area you're talking about is laying at about a 90 degree angle to the ground.  It's still has green as can be but "bent"....I guess it will just continue to grow that way.

[TulsaSooner]

Also, westbound on the BA, under the last overpass just before the Houston exit, there are two homeless people that have taken up residence so don't disturb them.  They're usually getting up about the time I'm going in to work each morning.  They have all kinds of stuff placed neatly on the "shelves" up there.

[RecycleMichael]

I will take my tree identification book out there after the rain stops and report back to which ones they are. I am pretty sure that almost all of them are Loblolly, but there have been a couple of other plantings in that area over the last thirty years.

Most of the pines planted by Up With Trees are Loblolly but there have been some Austrian pines put in the ground as well.

[Gaspar]

Just a note on Ginkgo biloba.  If you buy one of these, make sure  the tree is a cloned (Autumn Gold) variety.  

I have seen several box stores and respected nurseries around town selling Ginkgos grown in Texas from seed.  If you buy one of these trees you may get a female and will most certainly want to cut it down unless you like the smell of raw sewage!

The cloned trees are all male and have other improved characteristics as well.  I know of no way to determine the sex of young seed grown Ginkgos, so beware!

[Gaspar]

Another species I did not see on the list was Japanese Zelkova.  This is an awesome tree for Oklahoma!  Especially for people wanting to replace elm trees, or people that want an elm-like tree with better color and without all of the elm-like problems.

I can't think of a better tree for shade and beauty!

[ARGUS]

The city should tax/fine anyone who sells or plants a Bradford Pear tree!

[sgrizzle]

My bradford pears survived the ice storm unscathed. I had one branch but I think it was coming down before the storm.

[tshane250]

quote: The city should tax/fine anyone who sells or plants a Bradford Pear tree!

I saw some for sale at Lowe's the other day.  I was actually quite shocked.  I mean there are far superior varieties of Callery Pears with the same general shape and size, but with better branching habits that can withstand wind and ice.

[PonderInc]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

My bradford pears survived the ice storm unscathed. I had one branch but I think it was coming down before the storm.

That branch fell down when I sneezed on it a couple months ago...

Weird that bradford pears are so brittle, yet they can support the weight of 10,000 starlings roosting...