Trees from Small to Large

In the heat of summer, we think more about trees and the shade they offer. Trees come in a range of sizes and shapes from small, large, very large, to single stem or multi-stem. Some trees have fragrant flowers, tolerate poor soils, exhibit showy fall foliage, or produce colorful fruit. For smaller gardens, it is essential to choose a tree that has multiple design characteristics such as flower, fruit, and fall color. There’s no room for slackers! Dogwoods and Serviceberries are exemplary tree specimens for covering these three bases: exceptional floral performance in spring, fruit matures in late summer/fall, and colorful fall foliage.
A main topic in tree selection is salt and poor soil tolerance. Trees tolerate varying degrees of salt soil and spray but are not completely salt tolerant. Thornless Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis) is a tough native tree often planted as a street tree with a high tolerance of salt as well as compacted soils. Golden-yellow display of foliage dons this open crowned tree in fall.
Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are commonly planted in the area for their tough take on dry soils, salt winds, and mid-summer flowers – “the summer lilac” it’s often called. There are varieties that grow to different maturity levels making a crape myrtle good for large and small gardens. Natchez (white) and Muskogee (lavender) are taller varieties reaching 20 feet or more with beautiful peeling bark revealing shades of cinnamon.
For the smaller garden, try Catawba, a purple-pink flower growing only 10 to 15 feet or the shrubbier Pecos maturing to only 8 feet tall. An underused shade tree in this area is Zelkova (Zelkova serrata). The superior cultivar Green Vase takes the trees natural upright habit into a graceful arching structure resembling a vase. It has potential to reach 50 to 70 feet offshore, but on the islands with the wind and limited space, it may only get to thirty.
The flowering Serviceberry (Amelanchier) is a long-lived ornamental tree serving as an alternative to the shorter-lived Bradford Pears. They exhibit some salt tolerance and command attention in all seasons with their graceful habit, white flower display in spring, edible fruit in summer, and red/orange fall color. Commonly seen as suckering shrubs, they are also commercially available as single stem trees.
Choosing a tree is an investment for the landscape, and more importantly for you and your children. The first step in selection is choosing the right one for the right place. Know the area you want to plant the tree, including any obstacles that may arise in the future such as telephone wires, porch/deck, or overhangs. Ask the tough questions. Does the area flood/how often? – this can be a common issue for areas on the island. Will someone be there to water? – the first two years of a tree’s life in the ground are critical for its future. A drought tolerant tree needs to be deeply established to face dry spells. Zelkova and Gleditsia are great drought-tolerant species.
Trees will need maintenance in the way of pruning to be healthy. As a tree grows, lower branches can be cut off, a term often called limbing up, to provide space under the tree or visibility to a storefront or house. If you’re still having trouble choosing a tree remember this quote by landscape designer Gertrude Jekyll: “The garden should fit its masters tastes just as his clothes do; it should be neither too large nor too small, but just comfortable.”
This article written by Lauren Popper, a plant enthusiast, a graduate of Temple University’s Horticulture Program and full-time garden designer at Cape Shore Gardens.