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How to Fertilize Your Oak Tree (7 Simple Tips)

A healthy, beautiful oak tree is surely a sight to see. If you really look at one, it almost seems unbelievable when you imagine how strong they are and how large they are! With canopies that spread the widths of houses and heights that mimic buildings, a healthy oak tree is all we can ask for. But, sometimes, our oak trees aren’t doing so well.

Young oak trees, saplings, and mature oak trees often can benefit from fertilizer. In truth, a good fertilizer for an oak tree consists of a 12-4-8 Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium ratio. It’s best to spread fertilizer around your tree in the Spring, which is the best time to fertilize your tree.

Fertilizer is a quick and easy way to get your oak tree’s health back – and today, we are going to share some tips on how to do that. Keep on reading to find out how to fertilize your oak tree!

Why Fertilizer is Great For Oak Trees

Fertilizer is sometimes necessary to maintain the health of your oak tree or bring your oak tree back to life. Simplistically, fertilizer is like vitamins, and when given in proper doses and at the right time – fertilizer can do wonders for your oak trees, but it can also do harm if it is not needed.

Fertilizers are made of minerals, natural/organic, or synthetic materials – all of which are created in a mixture combination that includes the multiple ingredients that your tree may be lacking.

Finding the right fertilizer is essential in ensuring the health of your oak tree, but more times than not, oak tree fertilizer consists of the three key ingredients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

Fertilizing sometimes seems daunting – but it’s way easier than you think! We’ve all been there where we think our plants and trees need water, but – sometimes that doesn’t work because it ends up just being that the oak tree is lacking in nutrients.

There are many ways to fertilize your oak tree, and today we are going to talk about how to do so!

How To Fertilize Your Oak Tree

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing to fertilizer your oak tree. There are so many different types of fertilizer available that solve all different problems, and it can be overwhelming to know exactly what you need.

We put together this guide to hopefully help you if you need to fertilize your oak tree.

1. Determine The Age of Your Oak Tree

Apart from being unhealthy, determining the age of your oak tree is essential in deciding whether or not it needs to be fertilized.

● If your oak tree is a sapling or young – then yes, it can benefit from fertilizer.

● If your oak tree is young but newly transported – hold off until the roots establish.

● If your oak tree is mature, there is a good chance it doesn’t need fertilizer unless it shows signs of problems with its health.

You can learn more about oak tree age and how long oak trees live here.

2. Consider The Time of Year Before Fertilizing Your Oak Tree

If you have decided that your oak tree, in fact, needs fertilizer, consider the time of year before fertilizing.

The absolute best time to fertilize is always mid-spring. Why? Well, it’s because our trees are coming out of dormant stages, and it’s when they are going to be doing their best growing!

If you determine your tree needs fertilizer, the time you choose to fertilize is as important as the problem itself.

Fertilizing when trees go dormant will do nothing for the tree and can actually harm it.

If you fertilize when the weather is exceptionally warm, the fertilizer can react with the heat and burn the tree.

The best time to fertilize is the springtime because the soil is typically warm and dry, and new growth is coming, and all is good – right?

Think about coming out of a long nap and waking up and feeling groggy. You may need a little bit of water, maybe some sugar, maybe an immune boost – that’s exactly what happens with our oak trees, and when they start to gradually wake up, fertilizer will help them wake up and have the energy to grow strong!

If you still haven’t planted your oak tree, you can checkout our guide on the best time to plant oak trees.

3. Determine What Nutrient Your Oak Tree Needs

Before absolutely everything else, you have to determine what your oak tree needs. Different problems mean different fertilizers, and although more times than not, your oak needs Nitrogen, Phosphorus, or Potassium – that is not always the case.

If your oak tree is lacking in calcium, your tree may not be growing. If you notice that your oak tree, which typically grows 1-2 feet a year, has stopped growing – it may need calcium.

Fertilizers like CalMag Iron Liquid Plant Supplement can help bring some calcium back to your plants.

If your oak tree lacks iron, the leaves of your oak tree may be turning yellow. If you need an iron-rich fertilizer, you can try Lawn Star Liquid Iron.

If your tree branches are brittle – it may need nitrogen. A great nitrogen fertilizer is Lawn Star Liquid Nitrogen – just remember to always find slow-release liquid nitrogen, as it can harm the tree if it is too fast.

There are so many reasons as to why your tree may be unhealthy, or so many things it could be lacking in, so if your oak tree is really looking out-of-sorts, if you will, it’s important to call a professional, as they will know what your oak tree needs!

4. Find the Proper Dose of Fertilizer for Your Oak Tree

You can’t, however, just grab a bag of fertilizer, dump it on the soil, and let it be. Fertilizer comes in doses, just like medicine and vitamins, and needs to be properly dosed when added to our soil for our oak trees!

When you determine the fertilizer, make sure to read the instructions on the bag and follow them closely. It will tell you the dosing information, how much is needed, when is the best time, and the duration of fertilizing.

Dosing is important because if you put too much, you can damage the oak tree, and if you put too little, you may think you have helped the tree, but it may have done nothing to help the tree at all – which will just prolong the issue.

5. Spread The Fertilizer Around The Oak Tree

There are a few methods in applying fertilizer to your oak tree, and one of the tried-and-true methods is by spreading it around the bottom trunk. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind.

If you are going to spread the fertilizer around the trunk, make sure that you are at least 18 inches away from the base of the tree, to ensure a proper absorption rate. If you apply the fertilizer too close to the tree, you can burn the trunk, and there’s a chance that the fertilizer will not be absorbed.

Spreading the fertilizer based on the dosing but ensuring that the soil has a good layer atop it is a good way to quickly and efficiently fertilize your oak tree.

6. Dig Holes Around the Oak Tree and Fill Them with Fertilizer

The ideal way to fertilize your oak tree would be the method of digging holes and filling those holes with fertilizer – but yes, it is more time-consuming.

Starting 18 inches away from your tree and digging holes about the size of a quarter, around the trunk of your tree, and out, and then filling those holes with the fertilizer, is the best way to fertilize your oak trees.

The fertilizer will get down into the soil, approaching the roots of the trees, and is more protected from wind and other problems that can occur at the surface.

This method will also ensure the health of any nearby plants and grass, as the fertilizer for an oak tree may be different than what is needed for the other plants.

Although time-consuming, this method may save you a lot of trouble in the long run because it is way more effective, and the fertilizer will really get down into the deeper parts of the soil, where the roots remain.

7. Add Water After You Fertilize An Oak Tree

After fertilizing, it is so important to add water to your oak tree.

Adding water to the fertilizer helps the soil absorb the fertilizer, and the water becomes the means of transportation.

Imagine throwing dry fertilizer on dry soil. It’s going to sit there until it rains, and the soil will never absorb it.

Adding enough water without overwatering is key to allowing the fertilizer to be absorbed by the soil and will allow it to quickly get down to the roots.

6 Ways To Tell If Your Oak Tree Needs Fertilizer

One way to decide if your oak tree needs fertilizer is by knowing the stage of life that it’s in. Your oak tree may not need fertilizer if it is mature but will if it’s unhealthy, and young oak trees will always benefit from fertilizer.

Most of the time, mature oak trees don’t need fertilizer. They are well established, making acorns, and have the science of survival – down pat. But, although oak trees are not typically susceptible to disease and are generally healthy trees – things happen from time to time, and there are a few tell-tale ways to know if your oak tree needs fertilizer.

Oak tree in full leaf in summer standing alone

1. If Your Oak Tree is Young

We say this without hesitation, if your oak tree is young and, in a nursery – it needs fertilizer!

Young trees are often being prepared for transportation. A young oak tree needs a lot of care and attention – and the truth is – the best time to fertilize an oak tree is when it is growing!

Fertilizer will give a young oak tree all the nutrients it needs, especially if it’s in a nursery, and fertilizer will prepare it and make it strong for transport.

If you have a sapling oak tree, make sure you’ve planted it in the best possible spot for it to thrive. Take a peakski at our guide on the best places to plant an oak tree.

2. When Your Oak Tree Establishes Roots After Transport

It’s important to understand that when your oak tree is first transported, it may be a good idea to wait it out before throwing fertilizer on the oak tree.

We are all tempted to add fertilizer quickly because we think it’s some magic potion to help the oak tree grow – and yes, it’s kind of magic, but it needs to be done right.

When an oak tree is first transported, the tree is in a state of shock. It doesn’t know up from down, left from right – it feels “all over the place,” as us humans would say.

If your oak tree is in a state of shock, it’s not going to be functioning properly. It’s as if we are telling someone to relax and enjoy some food when they are completely stressed out – it just will not happen.

Giving your oak tree some time to sort things out on its own, but of course, with a lot of water, will be beneficial for its health and will allow the shock to pass.

When the roots are then established – then you should fertilize the tree.

3. If Your Mature Oak Tree Isn’t Producing Acorns

If your mature oak tree isn’t producing acorns, it may need fertilizer. At about 20 years of age, oak trees should be producing acorns.

An oak tree generally produces up to 1,000 acorns a month and 1,000,000 in its lifetime. However, if your oak tree is unhealthy, it’s not going to be able to produce acorns.

Acorns are an essential part of our ecosystem, and they are the food of many different animals. One oak tree alone can house an entire life cycle, but an oak tree has to be healthy in order to do that.

4. If Your Oak Tree Has Yellow Leaves

Apart from the autumn season, because it may be hard to tell then if your oak tree has yellow-colored leaves, there is a good chance it needs to be fertilized.

Yellow leaves mean that something is going on with the health of your oak tree. However, in this case, your soil levels may be lacking in iron – and unlike the general three ingredients used for oak trees – you may have to get a fertilizer rich in iron.

A good fertilizer that is rich in iron is Espoma Iron Tone Fertilizer and may help rectify this problem.

5. If Your Oak Tree Has Brittle Branches

A quick and efficient way to determine if your tree is healthy or not is by looking and feeling its branches!

A healthy oak tree’s branch is flexible and bendable. If you bend an oak tree’s branch and it snaps in half, that means it’s brittle and most likely means you need fertilizer.

Typically, if your oak tree’s branches are brittle and snapping, your oak tree may be lacking in nitrogen. HastaGro 12-4-8 Liquid Lawn Food Plus is an ideal oak tree fertilizer that will help bring back the health of your oak tree.

6. Your Oak Tree’s Canopy Isn’t Full

Another way to determine if your oak tree needs fertilizer is to look at its canopy.

If an oak trees’ canopy is bare in spots, and seems to be missing larger chunks of leaves here and there, your oak tree may be lacking in nutrients.

Sometimes, when our oak trees need fertilizer, the leaves of the tree do not grow to their expected size; they remain tiny and will be frailer. This can leave branches looking bare and an oak trees’ canopy to be spotty.

Best Types of Oak Tree Fertilizer

If you now have completely determined that it is time to fertilize your oak tree, there are three types of fertilizer that you can consider: Mineral, Organic and Synthetic.

Mineral fertilizer is made from naturally occurring minerals. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium are considered mineral fertilizers.

Organic fertilizer is created from organic substances. Leaves, manure, bone, shells, rocks, other plants – basically anything organic, are ground up and used for fertilizer.

Synthetic fertilizer is exactly what it seems like – it’s manufactured ingredients that target specific problems.

If you’re interested, you can read our piece on the best oak tree fertilizers here.

That’s a Wrap!

If your oak tree seems to be lacking, quit slacking! It’s the truth because the faster you act on it, the more of a chance you have to save your oak tree and bring it to good standing.

Oak trees, although resilient, not susceptible to disease, and require little to no maintenance when mature, still need fertilizer from time to time and can benefit from a boost of nutrients.

It’s important to maintain an oak tree’s health because these larger-than-life trees can fall down if they become unhealthy and can cause harm to your outdoor spaces, belongings, your home, or you.

If you suspect a nutrient deficiency with your oak tree, it is always best to check in with a professional and have them determine the best fertilizer and plan of action.

References:

“Oak Tree Care: Oakland FL.” Oak Tree Care | Oakland FL, https://www.oaklandfl.gov/224/Oak-Tree-Care. 

Jordan, D., Ponder Jr, F., & Hubbard, V. C. (2003). Effects of soil compaction, forest leaf litter and nitrogen fertilizer on two oak species and microbial activity. Applied Soil Ecology, 23(1), 33-41.

Gilman, E. F., Yeager, T. H., & Kent, D. (2000). Fertilizer rate and type impacts magnolia and oak growth in sandy landscape soil. Journal of Arboriculture, 26(3), 177-182.

Tree Owner’s Manual – USDA. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5368392.pdf. 

Huge centennial oak tree on a field in the autumn.

7 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Oakworms on Your Tree

There’s a good chance that if you have a beautiful oak tree in your back or front yard, you are not the only one enjoying it. Maintaining the health of your oak tree is always the most important, and sometimes that means getting rid of those unwanted guests, like oakworms!

In truth, oakworms eat the newly sprouted buds on your oak tree, so infestations can severely limit potential tree growth. You can get rid of oakworms on your oak trees by using dish soap, spraying a Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT), or inviting natural predators such as birds to your environment.

Today we’re going to share with you some simple tips on how you can get rid of oakworms on your oak tree and fast! Keep on reading to find out more!

What Are The Worms in My Oak Tree?

First things first, those little worm-like insects are technically caterpillars called oakworms, and they can take over your entire oak tree! 

When the weather starts to get warmer, and everything comes out of its dormant stages, oakworms are one of the first to appear. Oakworms are early spring insects that start causing havoc once it hatches from mid-March to April.

Once these little insects start hatching – they immediately start feeding, and our oak trees may not even get a chance to fully bud if you have an oak worm infestation!

These caterpillars, unlike oak trees, are not a sight to see. They are hairless, with big heads and small yellow bodies, and will turn black when they are an adult – and just like it says in their name – Oakworms love oak trees.  

Oakworm caterpillars are a threat to oak trees because they love the newly sprouted buds. They can eat the entire leaf until the veins are shown – and then go back for more and eat that too. Yikes!

If you happen to see larger black hairless oakworms or smaller yellow to green oakworms, it’s time to act fast to get rid of them.

Oakworms go dormant in the winter months, and that is the best time to take action and get rid of them. If you have an oakworm infestation, there is a chance your oak tree will decline in health – and we don’t suggest taking that chance!

But you may be wondering – why are oakworms in my oak tree to begin with? The answer is quite simple.

Why Are Oakworms in My Oak Tree?

Oak trees provide everything an oakworm needs: safety, shelter, and food. Who could want more?

When in an oak tree – oakworms are situated safely, high up into the air, away from any oakworm predators that are on the ground.

Oak trees also provide the oakworms with an infinite supply of food – and, although oakworms eat the oak tree leaves, the leaves can regenerate.

An oak tree houses the entire life cycle of an oakworm: from egg to larvae, to pupae, and adult. So, once they are there – oakworms are there to stay.

Why Oakworms Are an Issue For Oak Trees

We’ve talked a lot here about preventing oakworms from our oak trees – but we haven’t talked about why oakworms are a threat to our oak trees in the beginning!

Oakworms, at face value, don’t seem like they would do much harm to our oak trees. But the truth is – they do harm without even realizing it.

An oakworm’s whole purpose is to produce and to eat. Once these little creatures produce, the eggs, which can be upwards of 100 eggs a day, hatch into larvae when spring comes and will immediately hatch and start eating.

An oakworm colony can completely eat the entire canopy of your oak tree. The damage is done when the oakworms eat the buds before the tree gets to produce leaves.

If your oak tree doesn’t produce leaves in season, it will not get as many nutrients or as much water as it needs to survive.

And listen, an oakworm or two is not an issue – but when you start seeing branches full of oakworms – it is time to take action – and we’re going to tell you just how to do that!

Simple Tips to Get Rid of Oakworms in Your Oak Tree

What matters the most here is that your oak tree remains in good health – because an unhealthy oak tree can become a huge problem.

Oak trees are taller than life and are usually situated near homes, and an unhealthy oak tree can fall down and cause destruction. So, if your oak tree has oakworms – let’s get rid of them as soon as possible!

Make Your Oak Tree a Slippery Surface

Once you have oakworms in your oak tree, it’s best to start preventing any more from coming or the ones you removed from coming back.

A really easy method to try to keep oakworms away from your oak trees is to create a slippery surface. All it takes is some extra soapy water or some duct tape, or both for extra slip, to give your oak tree a hard-to-crawl-on trunk.

Grab some dish soap and some water and mix the two in a spray bottle. Once your mix is soapy and bubbly, spray it around the trunks of your oak tree and on the branches and leaves, and really soak it on!

If the dish soap and water aren’t enough, you can wrap your trunks in duct tape and spray the slippery soap onto them!

Place Orange Peels Around Your Oak Tree

So, oakworms don’t like the smell of citrus, and they especially don’t like the taste of oranges!

If you have some orange peels, adding them around the soil of your oak tree and at the base is a way to deter oakworms before they even try to get on your trees!

Imagine only eating leaves all day, bland and earthy – and then all of a sudden tasting an orange? It’s not even about the taste, but how shocking would that be?

To scare oakworms away or to make your oak tree undesirable is to add orange peels to the bottom. The oakworms may even think the oranges are the leaves that fell from the tree!

The thing about oakworms is that they don’t just appear, but the eggs were hatched after an oak moth flew/climbed the trunk and parked itself on a branch – so if you initially scare them away, they won’t climb up and lay their eggs.

One of the best preventative measures is to just make your oak tree as undesirable as possible to an oakworm.

Use a Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) Spray

Using a pesticide known as Bacillus thuringiensis is one of the common ways to get rid of oakworms on your oak tree.

Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring, organic bacteria that is found in soil. It works as an insecticide when used in spray form and will not harm any nearby trees, plants, or wildlife unless stated on the back of the spray.

Mixing Bacillus Thuringiensis like this one, Monterey BT Oakworm, and Caterpillar in a spray bottle diluted with water and then spraying it directly on the areas that are affected will work as an organic pesticide.

Bacillus Thuringiensis is a great option because it is non-toxic and will not cause harm to the surrounding areas.

You can even purchase Monterey BT Insecticide Ready to Spray, with the spray nozzle already attached. Spraying it directly onto any oakworm infestations, or, as a preventative, after you have removed all the oakworms, will be an amazing way to get rid of them.

This method will deter oakworms from crawling up into the branches and making a home because they won’t physically be able to get there, as they will keep sliding down!

Make a Spicy Oakworm Insecticide

Oakworms hate spicy scents, and a great way to get rid of them is by spraying a garlicky, hot peppery spray to your tree trunks, branches, and leaves!

Mixing garlic, hot pepper, dish soap, oil, and water will make the perfect spicy insecticide. With the dish soap and oil, the spicy smell will linger for a longer period of time, and plus, it’s a two-and-one because the soap will make for a slippery surface.

In a spray bottle, mix all the ingredients, and then spray a generous amount all along your tree.

Not only will this spicy insecticide prevent oakworms from going by your oak tree, but it will prevent many types of critters – flies, caterpillars, beetles, raccoons, rats, birds, opossums, and even deer.

The smell of spice is often too much for an animal or insect to handle. The spicy aroma will overwhelm their senses, making it harder for an oakworm and other critters to find food and safety.

Insects and animals rely on their sense of smell for almost all things, and without it, they wouldn’t be able to function.

Placing smells strategically around your oak tree will help prevent oakworms and a bunch of other unwanted guests.

Plant Lavender Plants Near Your Oak Tree

With the same idea in mind of using scents as a means to get rid of oakworms, another scent you can try is lavender!

Lavender field surrounding oak tree.
Lavender field surrounding oak tree.

Planting lavender plants around your oak will act like an oakworm barrier and will not only look beautiful but will prevent oakworms and other critters from getting too close to your oak tree.

If planting isn’t for you, another great way to incorporate lavender into your plan of action is to use diluted lavender essential oil and soaking cotton balls in it.

After the cotton balls are fully soaked, adding the lavender balls around your oak tree, or hidden in little hollows or in branches, can help keep oakworms and other pests away.

Lavender, although fresh smelling and pleasing to humans, is overpowering for an insect, especially something as tiny as an oakworm or Caterpillar.

It’s interesting because caterpillars can only see the light and dark – they can’t make out images, so their smell is really all that they rely on.

Add Bird Feeders Near Your Oak Tree

One last way that we suggest you try to get rid of oakworms is to introduce some oakworm predators into your oak trees.

A simple way to get rid of oakworms would be to add bird feeders around the branches. Adding feeders will attract birds to the seed, but once the birds get there and see the oakworms, they will choose the oakworms over the seed.

You can add as many or as few feeders as you like, but remember, the more seed, the more birds! And because birds aren’t typically wreaking havoc on your trees, which makes them an easy wildlife animal to introduce to your environment.

Birds will, however, eat all types of seed. So, if you have just planted some grass or flowers, we don’t suggest doing this step until your grass and flower seed start to germinate.

Have A Professional Remove Them Manually

We are sorry to even say this, especially if you are squeamish, but the tried-and-true method of getting rid of oakworms on our oak tree is by physically removing them.

Now, first and foremost. If you attempt this method, it’s totally your call. We recommend contacting a professional first for identification, to make sure that you actually have oakworms caterpillars and not another stinging caterpillar.

Do not touch the caterpillars. Remember, you aren’t a professional and you don’t want to accidentally touch the incorrect caterpillar.

Below is an image of the Anistoa virginiensis (the pinkstriped oakworm) commonly found in the northwest to northeast.

Pink-striped Oak Worm Moth Caterpillar (Anisota virginiensis.)

Take a look at Wikipedia’s images and data on Anisota senatoria (the orangestriped oakworm here) commonly found in the north but can also be found in the south as well.

Now, back to removal.

Using gloves and a stick, and only if you are brave enough on your own, pick an oakworm off the tree do identify it. Make sure not to touch it until a professional is able to examine the oakworm.

Picking oakworms up from their bellies with a stick can be a way to get rid of them without harm and without using your fingers!

If your oak tree branches are high up, you may need to get a ladder to do this, and we also suggest bringing a bucket up with you so that you can place the oakworms into the bucket after you pick them for easier, cleaner removal.

If you and a professional determine that you do indeed have oakworms, we suggest spraying an insecticide, like BT, to prevent the oakworms from coming back.

They can cause damage for multiple seasons at a time, so its important to get rid of them before oakworms cause significant damage to your tree.

Other Types of Worms (Caterpillars) in Oak Trees

There are four common oakworms that you may see in your oak tree, and they all leave different signs of their presence in your oak tree.

Tent Caterpillar

A hairy oakworm with a red-brown body is one of the worms that create webs.

Tent caterpillars spinning a web.
Tent caterpillars spinning a web.

The name Tent Caterpillars comes from the fact that they literally make tents for their oakworm colony. Spinning silky webs around branches, Tent Caterpillars build these webs to keep the oakworms in and will help keep them safe from falling from the oak tree’s high heights.

The webs of Tent Caterpillars are detrimental to the health of the oak tree and are unsightly at that. Imagine a ton of Halloween spider webs hanging from your trees in clumps – that’s what these webs look like.

If you notice an abundance of webs forming, wait it out until the winter months, and take action when the tree becomes dormant. Pruning the branches that the webs are on is the way to protect your tree from an infestation to come.

YellowNecked Caterpillar

This yellow and black striped caterpillar – almost resembling a bumblebee but in oakworm form (no thanks), is a big threat to our oak trees.

The YellowNecked Caterpillars like to eat in foliage sections and will eat the entirety of one section of the oak tree and then move on to the next.

If you start to notice sections of your oak tree’s leaves missing, there’s a good chance you have some YellowNecked Caterpillars on the loose!

To prevent more foliage loss, if you notice empty sections, it’s best to find the culprit and act immediately. You can save the oak tree if you act quickly enough and get rid of these caterpillars.

Oak Leafroller

A relatively small caterpillar with a green or brown body and a dark-colored head, Leafroller oakworms are also web-making oakworms, but these guys act a bit differently.

Leafroller caterpillar on a green leaf.
Leafroller caterpillar on a green leaf.

Leafroller caterpillars literally roll the leaves within their webs. They can make a web the size of a branch, and instead of just keeping the oakworms safe, these webs are created so that these worms can eat branch by branch without having to worry about predators or competition eating them or their food.

Leafroller webs can get completely out of hand, and the oakworms can defoliate the entirety of the oak tree.

If you notice large webs that seem almost impossible to make – well, they are not impossible, and you most likely have a Leafroller infestation on your hands – well, technically on your oak tree!

If you’re finding that you have one of these oak caterpillars on your property, check out our guide with simple tips to remove caterpillars on your oak tree.

That’s a Wrap!

If you notice the presence of oakworms on your oak tree – you should act fast to prevent any infestation and to ensure your oak tree’s health.

A few oakworms here and there is not a problem, and honestly, let those little guys eat – but, when they get out of control, your oak trees can be completely covered, your outdoor spaces can become covered in fallen oakworms, and it will be just a complete mess!

To save your oak trees, use some of these simple steps to get rid of the oakworms, and if you’re not sure what to do, always check in with a professional.

To make sure you aren’t confusing oak worm damage with another oak tree affliction, check out our guide on what’s wrong with your oak tree here.

References:

Coffelt, M. A., & Schultz, P. B. (1990). Development of an aesthetic injury level to decrease pesticide use against orange striped oakworm (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in an urban pest management project. Journal of Economic Entomology, 83(5), 2044-2049.

Coffelt, M. A., & Schultz, P. B. (1993). Quantification of an aesthetic injury level and threshold for an urban pest management program against orangestriped oakworm (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Journal of economic entomology, 86(5), 1512-1515.

Hiychcock, S. W. (1961). Egg parasitism and larval habits of the orange-striped oakworm. Journal of Economic Entomology, 54(3), 502-503.

“Tent Caterpillars – How Do I Get Rid of Tent Caterpillars?” Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 4 Mar. 2019, https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/tent-caterpillars/.

Oak Leafroller – Fs.usda.gov. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5347803.pdf. 

Oak tree in full leaf in summer standing alone in a field against a steel grey stormy sky.

9 Best Oak Trees to Plant – Pros and Cons of Major Types

As summertime rolls around and you’re thinking about updating your property, you may be considering planting a new tree that will grow into a cornerstone of your yard. Eventually, you’ll have shade, a place for the kids to climb, and a beautiful little sea of color in the fall. We can picture it now, and hope you can, too!

In general, the best oak trees to plant include willow, black, Japanese evergreen, water, pin, chinkapin, post, bur, and white. These oak trees adapt well to many different habitats and conditions while provide marvelous beauty and shade.

Below, we are going to give you some of the best varieties of oak to plant, complete with a pros and cons list for each. We’ll answer some commonly asked questions that we hear regarding oak trees as well.

What Is An Oak Tree?

So, let’s start simple. What exactly is an oak tree and how is it different from literally any other tree?

An oak tree produces acorns, the fruit that we consider to be a nut. You know, the thing that squirrels love and groundskeepers despise just a little. Its wood is used in creating hardwood floor panels, furniture such as chairs and desks, and cabinets or other storage devices. 

There are a wide variety of oak trees, some more adaptable than others and some with better aesthetic qualities. When it comes down to it, though, oak trees are pretty regularly long-lasting, durable, amenable trees. 

How Many Varieties of Oak Trees Are There?

We can start by dividing up oak trees into two categories: red oak and white oak. 

This helps give us some sort of starting point since there are dozens of varieties of oak trees in North America. Beyond that, the varieties are endless. Between new varieties, hybrids, and mutant varieties of oak, quantifying these trees is easier said than done. 

All in all, there are about 500 species of oak trees.

What is the major difference between red and white oaks, you may be asking yourself right about now? The biggest difference is the shape of their respective leaves and the speed at which their acorns develop.

Red Oak Tree

Old northern red oak tree (Quercus rubra) with colorful autumn leaves in a park.
Old northern red oak tree (Quercus rubra) with colorful autumn leaves in a park.

Red oak trees have more of a pointy end on each part of the leaf, very dark bark most of the time, and slower developing acorns.

Some of the most common varieties of red oak are:

  • Willow Oak
  • Black Oak
  • Japanese Evergreen Oak
  • Water Oak
  • Pin/Nuttall Oak

Keep in mind that these are only a few varieties and if you expected to see one that is not on here, that doesn’t mean that it is not a great variety. We only have so much space and time to talk about a tree that has a huge range of variants spread out across the globe.

White Oak Tree

White oak tree in park.

White oak trees tend to have leaves that are much more rounded, for starters. They also develop their acorns faster than the red oak does. The bark of a white oak has a much more grayish tinge than its red, darker counterpart does.

Some of the most common white oaks include:

  • Chinkapin
  • Post Oak 
  • Bur Oak
  • White Oak

The differences between red and white oaks are not extremely obvious, but each category and variety of oak has a purpose to serve. In one situation, a red oak might be best. In another situation, a white oak could prevail. 

It all comes down to the environment, the need, and the long-term goal for the tree that you are planting.

Luckily for you, we have taken the time to compile a list of the 9 best oak trees to plant, including pros and cons for each so you know that you have made the best choice for your unique situation.

Again, if you aren’t seeing a variety that you were expecting to see, that does not mean that your potential choice is wrong, or that your knowledge of that variety is in vain. With about 500 species of oak, this would be a very long piece if we tried to cover even 10% of the oak tree varieties out there.

If you’re interested, you can read our fancy guide on the main differences between oak and maple trees here.

The 9 Best Oak Trees To Plant

If you’re thinking about planting an oak tree, consider the environment you are planting it in. Is it poorly draining soil or well-draining soil? Are the summers hot? Winters wet?

All of this comes into play when choosing the oak tree that has the best chance of survival in your specific area.

Without further delay, let’s check out the 9 BEST oak trees to plant, and the pros and cons of each.

Willow Oak Tree

The willow oak is characterized by fine twigs and a strong branch structure. It prefers a moist environment but is flexible in the way that most other oaks are, too.

Pros 

  • Transplants more easily than most other oak varieties
  • Tolerates poorly drained soil

Cons 

  • Produces acorns that may create clutter in your yard
  • Requires full, direct sunlight

FYI – the willow oak (Quercus phellos) is different than a typical willow tree, which is from the genus Salix. If you’d like to purchase a willow oak tree, take a look at this fantastic option from Fast-Growing Trees.

Black Oak Tree

Black oak trees, though the name indicates otherwise, are actually part of the red oak category. They’re found in all the coastal regions of North America. This variety also resides a little way inland.

Pros 

  • The bark has multiple medicinal uses from an astringent to helping with sore throats, fevers, asthma, colds, and so much more. 
  • Beautiful, vibrant leaves in all seasons

Cons 

  • Its irregular form means that it might look rather unruly as it grows
  • Difficult to transplant, so unlikely to be found in a nursery

Japanese Evergreen Oak Tree

This variety of oak is native to parts of China, Korea, Taiwan, and, of course, Japan. A North American resident since the end of the 19th century, it is an oak tree that is known for the material it produces. 

Some Japanese martial arts practice weapons are made out of this Japanese evergreen oak wood. This ties culture, history, and durability all together in a really cool way.

Pros 

  • Pests are not as likely to attack this tree
  • Acts as a great shade cover
  • Tolerates soil of many kinds, and is flexible in a range of conditions

Cons 

  • There is a chance that the tree will be attacked by pathogens such as cankers 

Water Oak Tree

Water oak is a variety that holds deep importance when it comes to wildlife and how we utilize oak for our daily needs. Water oaks are used as plywood in produce containers and provide shelter, food, and habitat to the wildlife that roams around it.

Many birds prefer to nest in water oaks, and they also are often home to flying squirrels and other smaller critters.

Pros

  • Their acorns provide a source of food to wildlife like squirrels, chipmunks, waterfowl, bluejay, wild turkey, and more.
  • Provides lots of shade for your yard

Cons 

  • Very susceptible to disease and insect attack
  • Flowers often do not withstand late frosts
  • More susceptible to air pollution than other varieties

Pin/Nuttall Oak Tree

The Nuttall oak is taking over the place of the pin oak, as a very similar but faster-growing, more resilient variety. If you are looking for a long-lasting oak that won’t take decades to mature, this is your guy.

Pros 

  • Fast growing oak tree
  • Thrives in a range of soil conditions
  • Requires minimal care

Cons 

  • Needs at least 6 hours of unfiltered sunlight daily
  • Grows large and wide in a quick time, not great for small spaces
  • Produces acorns that you may not want falling in your yard

If you’re interested in a Pin Oak, you can grab one here for delivery to your doorstep!

Chinkapin Oak Tree

This oak is a medium-large size and is great for more expansive outdoor spaces. Again, a small backyard might not be the best home for this tree, but it looks amazing and is rather adaptable.

Pros 

  • Acorns of this variety are a preferred food source for many wildlife and won’t stick around your yard
  • Leaves feed cattle, if you are looking for a tree that serves animals, too
  • Durable and adaptable variety

Cons

  • Too large to thrive in small areas
  • Needs direct sunlight and open space

Post Oak Tree

A slow-growing white oak, this tree is more suitable for dry areas due to its resistance to rot, fire, and drought.

Pros 

  • Fire Resistant
  • Drought Resistant
  • Rot Resistant

Cons

  • Slow-growing
  • Susceptible to diseases like cankers and wood-boring insects

Bur Oak Tree

Also spelled burr, at times, this is a beautiful variety of oak that thrives in a wide range of environments from moist woodlands to dry sandhills.

Pros 

  • Beautiful tree when fully mature
  • Tolerant of many soil types
  • Long lifespan 

Cons

  • Produces large acorns that may not be ideal right next to your home
  • Large in size and not appropriate for small spaces

White Oak Tree

A tree that thrives best in loamy, well-drained soils, this variety happens to be more durable than the red oak.

Pros 

  • A type of oak tree that is tolerant of partial to heavy shade, unlike all of the others on this list that need as much direct sunlight as possible
  • Acorns provide food for wildlife
  • Excellent provider of shade at maturity 

Cons

  • Young trees hold their leaves through winter and can be a bit aesthetically awkward at the beginning of their lives
  • Flowers and acorns can be overwhelming in some years, especially as they fall into your yard

If you’d like to purchase a white oak, you can get one delivered here!

Best Oak Tree Annual Growth, Full Height and Hardiness Zone

Here’s a quick dataset for some of the most popular oak trees, and not just the best ones we discussed on this list. Feel free to search your favorite tree then keep on reading below!

TREEANNUAL GROWTHFULL HEIGHTBEST HARDINESS ZONE
Willow oak13–24"40-60'5-9
Japanese evergreen oak36"30'9a-11
Water oak24"100'6-9
Pin oak24"60-70'4-8
Chinkapin oak12-24"50'3-9a
Post oak2"40'5-9
Bur oak12"80'2a-8a
White oak12-18"80'3b-8b
Coast live oak24"70'9-10
Interior live oak12-24"70'8-10
Canyon live oak24"100'8-10
Southern live oak24-36"50'7b-10b
Valley oak24-36"130'7-9
Southern red oak12-36"60-80'6-9
Blue oak6"100'5-10
Black oak8-12"50-60'3-9
Laurel oak24"100'6-9
Red oak24"90-140'4-8
Nuttall Oak24-36"40-60'6-9

Other Considerations When Planting Oak Trees

There are a few other, more general, rules of thumb that you should keep in mind when planting an oak tree. 

You don’t want to be unprepared and later realize that you could have made a simple change early on that would have made everything easier.

So let’s dive into some important factors like time of year, speed of growth, location preferences, benefits of having an oak tree, and even aesthetically pleasing varieties. 

When Is The Best Time Of Year To Plant Oak Trees?

East Bay San Francisco Bay Area from above in the hills at sunset in summer

Any time of year that the soil is not frozen is a good time to plant an oak tree!

Realistically, late summer or early fall is going to be your best bet. This allows the tree to establish roots in plenty of time before the soil freezes. It won’t do you or your new tree any good if you don’t allow for enough time to settle in before those cold winter months.

If you are looking to transplant an oak tree, it is best to do this in early spring. Perhaps February or March would be ideal but it is really about transplanting just before all of the other flora in your area begins to bud.

Which Oak Tree Grows The Fastest?

In truth, the southern live oak, valley oak, Japanese evergreen and nuttall oak trees are the fastest-growing species of oak and grow 24-36 inches per year. 

What Is The Prettiest Oak Tree?

This is quite a subjective question, of course. However, there are three varieties of oak trees that are classically beautiful and tend to be loved by all. They might not all show up on the list of our top 9 oak trees, but these deserve a special mention either way:

  • Scarlet Oak Tree– this is an excellent shade tree that is rather attractive to all sorts of wildlife thanks to all its foliage. Its vibrant red leaves in the fall are a wonder to witness and give this tree some serious brownie points in the ‘pretty’ category.
  • Red Oak Tree– a highly adaptable variety that combines beauty and stability, as it can live over 500 years (about 200 years longer than many other oaks.) The deep colors of the leaves in any season and the ability to resist disease make this tree great for planting in any setting.
  • Bur Oak Tree– with a wide trunk, versatile capacity to handle lots of conditions, and unique leaf shape, this tree is quite a sight. Not only that, this one actually is on our ‘top 9’ list, speaking volumes to its quality and not just its looks.

How Long Do Oak Trees Live?

In general, most oak trees live around 100-150 years! Several species live under this, and there are some very rare exceptions of oak trees that have been alive for thousands of years.

You can read our full guide on how long oak trees live here.

Where Do Oak Trees Grow Best?

Where to grow your oak tree with the most success is dependent on a few factors. Different varieties of oak trees thrive in different environments. 

While most are pretty adaptable when it comes to soil, it is worth doing some research into the specific variety that you are hoping to plant.

What Is The Oak Tree Good For?

Oh, you mean besides improving air quality? Well, these trees help reduce pollution in the air through the same process that stores carbon dioxide and puts oxygen back out into the atmosphere.

Oak trees can absorb up to 10 pounds of pollutants a year according to the Napa County Resource Conservation District. Which is a ton when you stop to consider that these trees live around 400 years. 

Not only do these trees help purify the air that we breathe, but they also help to enrich the soil in which they grow.

Studies show that they are great catalysts for increased soil fertility through nutrient cycling and incorporation of organic matter.

Now those are some benefits that we can get behind!

That’s All For Now!

So, clearly, we have not been able to list for you every single variety, hybrid, and mutant of the oak tree. Hopefully, however, this gives you a good sense of what to expect when you are planting your oak tree. 

Remember, do your research on what type of tree is best suited for your environment, as some varieties of oak are much more resilient and adaptable than others!

From Nuttall oaks to scarlet, red, and bur, there is an oak tree variety out there for everyone! Whether it is strength, speed, looks, or resilience that you are looking for, we know that you will make the right choice when it comes to your newest tree. 

Happy planting!

References

Dahlgren, R. A., SINGER, M. J., & Huang, X. (1997). Oak tree and grazing impacts on soil properties and nutrients in a California oak woodland. Biogeochemistry, 39(1), 45-64.

Pilcher, J. R., & Gray, B. (1982). The relationships between oak tree growth and climate in Britain. The journal of ecology, 297-304.

Union of Concerned Scientists. (2010). (Rep.). Union of Concerned Scientists.

Harden, R. M. (2000). Evolution or revolution and the future of medical education: replacing the oak tree. Medical Teacher, 22(5), 435-442.

What Trees Produce The Most Oxygen (And How They Do It)

Trees (along with some other very small powerhouse oxygen creators) are one of our planet’s primary producers of oxygen a gas necessary for all life! Before deciding you need more O2 in your life, you might wonder which trees produce the most oxygen. How do they do it?

Maple, beech, true fir, spruce, and Douglas-fir trees produce the most oxygen. They do this using photosynthesis, which converts carbon dioxide into oxygen. Trees help our environment by reducing the effects of climate change, detoxifying poisonous gasses, and balancing atmospheric temperatures.

Read on to discover more about which trees produce the most oxygen as well as how the process of photosynthesis benefits you and all life on our planet.

What Trees Produce The Most Oxygen?

There are different approaches to determining a tree’s oxygen production, and they often yield different results. Despite this, research has consistently shown that oxygen emission is proportional to a tree’s leaf mass. Technically, this is known as the Leaf Area Index (LAI). 

LAI refers to the total leafage in a tree’s canopy, which is the upper part of the tree, including its branches, leaves, or needles. An article in the Journal of Experimental Botany tells us LAI is the total area of one side of leaf tissue per unit, which can also measure tree growth rate.

Based on its LAI, a tree has a certain output of O2.

Below are the trees that produce the least to the most amount of oxygen:

  • Least O2: pines, which are coniferous (cone-bearing) and evergreen (stay green all year).
  • Average O2: oaks and aspens, which are primarily deciduous (shed leaves).
  • Most O2: maples, beeches, true firs, spruces, and Douglas-firs. These trees are a mixture of deciduous, coniferous, and evergreen. 

Since it is beneficial for you to have trees in your yard that produce the most oxygen, let’s take a deeper look at the top five oxygen-producing trees.

Maple Trees

Maple trees belong to the genus Acer, which is in the family Sapindaceae. There are around 125 maple species throughout the world. Although there are 12 species native to North America, these are the five species most often seen: sugar maple, red maple, silver maple, boxelder, and bigleaf. 

Like fingers from a hand, a maple tree’s leaves emanate outwards from the leafstalk. Many people admire a maple’s leaves during autumn, which is when, for many species, they turn vibrant colors. A maple tree is deciduous, so their colorful leaves will eventually drop, and the tree will become dormant during winter. 

Regarding oxygen production, a mature silver maple tree, for instance, can emit enough O2 in one day for two people. On the same day, a silver maple can consume nearly 100 gallons of water from the soil and disperse it into the atmosphere. Within a year, a silver maple can take in about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide. 

Although they are very beautiful and create heaps of oxygen, some maple trees are messier than others. To learn more about these trees, check out 4 Maple Trees That Produce The Most Helicopter Seeds.

Beech Trees

Beautiful beech tree in a forest. Autumn landscape. Fall scenery bacground for travel materials

Beech trees belong to the genus Fagus, which is in the family Fagaceae. There are between 10 and 13 beech species throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The most commonly known species are the American Beech, which is native to eastern North America, and the European Beech, which is native to Eurasia. 

A beech tree’s leaves are oval-shaped with parallel veins and toothed edges. A beech’s leaves turn vibrant shades of yellow during autumn. Just like a maple tree, a beech tree is deciduous; so, their colorful leaves will eventually drop, and the tree will become dormant during winter.

In one hour, a beech tree can take in 5.5 pounds of carbon dioxide. During the same hour, a beech tree can release 3.75 pounds of oxygen. This is enough to supply 10 people per year with oxygen.

True Fir Trees

True firs belong to the genus Abies, which is in the family Pinaceae. There are more than 40 species of true firs, all of which are evergreen trees. They are native to Asia, Europe, northern Africa, and North and Central America.

A true fir’s leaves are like needles (characteristic of a coniferous tree) and directly grow from its branches. A unique feature of a true fir is its needles’ bases look like suction cups, which attach to the branches. When these needles detach from the branches, they leave behind noticeable circular indentations.

Several true fir species are raised on Christmas tree farms and later harvested for temporary display inside homes. One acre of Christmas trees can give off the amount of oxygen needed for 18 people. This same acre of Christmas trees will take in around 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

Spruce Trees

Spruce trees belong to the genus Picea, which is in the family Pinaceae. There are around 40 species of spruce, all of which are evergreen trees. They are native to typically colder regions in the Northern Hemisphere.

These trees may require a bit of extra care to reach their full potential. Take a look at this great piece about how to properly fertilize spruce trees, 5 Best Spruce Tree Fertilizers (And How to Use Them).

A spruce tree’s leaves are like needles (characteristic of a coniferous tree) and are attached to woody pegs that project from the branches. When these needles detach from the branches, the woody pegs remain, which is why a spruce tree’s branches can feel rough if touched.

In terms of oxygen production, a mature short-needled Norway spruce, for instance, can emit 58% more O2 than a beech tree. In fact, a Norway spruce can photosynthesize for 260 days per year while a beech can only photosynthesize for 176 days per year. We will discuss photosynthesis, an integral part of a tree’s oxygen production, in the next section.

Douglas-Fir Trees

Closeup of douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) evergreen branches and needles

Douglas-firs belong to the genus Pseudotsuga, which is in the family Pinaceae. There are about six species of Douglas-firs, all of which are evergreen trees. They are native to eastern Asia and western North America.

A Douglas-fir tree’s leaves are like needles (characteristic of a coniferous tree) and directly grow from its branches. Each needle is borne alone and has a little stalk at its base. Interestingly enough, Douglas-firs are not true firs: they were named after David Douglas, a botanist who first recorded the tree for Western science.

Since a Douglas-fir is an evergreen, it can photosynthesize and emit O2 throughout the year. A Douglas-fir’s needles are coated in a protective layer that stops an extensive loss of water. This allows the tree to produce oxygen during winter with limited sunlight. 

How Do Trees Produce Oxygen?

As previously mentioned, photosynthesis is an integral process for oxygen production. In this process, trees obtain three resources to create their food—sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.

They absorb sunlight (and turn it into glucose, a sugar), and they take in carbon dioxide from the air through tiny holes on their leaves. Trees also lap up water from the ground with their roots.

After trees consume those three resources, they create the food to help them grow.

According to research from the Canadian Journal of Botany, this food nourishes all parts of the tree and gets distributed this way:

  • 60% to the tree trunk.
  • 20% to the roots.
  • 15% to the stems
  • 5% to the leaves.

The tree releases any remnants from making this food through their leaves as oxygen. Typically, one mature tree can produce enough oxygen for up to four people. The process of photosynthesis is precisely the reason that Earth has a livable atmosphere for all animals, including humans.

Few people know trees respirate along with photosynthesizing. They use sugars they have already made through photosynthesis. When they break down these sugars, the trees emit energy.

It requires trees to consume oxygen and discharge carbon dioxide. This process is the exact opposite of photosynthesis, and it occurs in both the leaves and stems of trees.

If you would like to read more about photosynthesis, By the Light of the Sun: Trees, Wood, Photosynthesis and Climate Change is a fantastic read. It details how photosynthesis occurs and ways we can use it to counteract climate change.

A Tree’s Leaves Are Necessary For Photosynthesis

Trees in Fall Colors: A row of maple trees shows a spectrum of fall colors on a sunny October day in northern Virginia.

Leaves are critical in the process of photosynthesis. They take in the carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere. The gas enters a tree through the tiny holes on their leaves called stomata.

The place where photosynthesis happens is in the leaves’ chloroplasts, which are the green sections of the leaves. Leaves are green because of chloroplasts. Deciduous trees whose leaves lose their green coloration in the autumn and winter can no longer photosynthesize. 

Trees like maples, oaks, aspens, cherries and chestnuts are deciduous trees. As soon as they drop their leaves, they cannot pull in carbon dioxide nor produce oxygen. These trees will overcompensate for this loss of oxygen production during the spring and summer.

Some deciduous trees, however, have green stems; this includes aspens. These stems can photosynthesize if the temperatures are not too cold during winter. Instead of taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, these stems make their own and use that for photosynthesis. 

Trees that have green stems can use their self-made carbon dioxide to photosynthesize after their leaves have dropped. However, trees never photosynthesize as much during winter as they do during summer. Most of the oxygen on our planet is created by trees during spring and summer. Deciduous trees are mostly dormant during winter, and evergreen trees photosynthesize at much a slower rate in that season.

Even if it is winter in one hemisphere, this only means it is summer in the other hemisphere. Wherever it is spring or summer on the planet, trees are still busy creating oxygen. Leafless trees in one place mean there are new leaves somewhere else.

Traits And Conditions That Make Trees Produce More O2

It is challenging to measure exactly how much oxygen any particular tree produces. Even so, there are several traits of trees and conditions that are shown to contribute to higher oxygen production. 

A tree with more leaves will release more oxygen. This is because the tree has a greater advantage in photosynthesizing: more leaves are undergoing the process and creating oxygen as a natural byproduct. In addition, a tree with an expansive canopy will often absorb more sunlight and potentially photosynthesize at a quicker pace.

An actively growing tree will emit more oxygen than one that is near the end of maturity, is elderly or dying. An actively growing tree demands more glucose to reach maturity; thus, this tree is rapidly photosynthesizing and transforming carbon dioxide, water and sunlight into food. This inevitably produces more oxygen.

Temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis. Usually, higher temperatures expedite the photosynthesis process for trees. Conversely, lower temperatures (between 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit) slow the photosynthetic speed. This is because the enzymes that facilitate photosynthesis do not work as efficiently, which reduces glucose creation. It can even stall the growth of the tree.

High rates of oxygen production can feasibly come from both deciduous and evergreen trees. One does not dominate the other. On one hand, deciduous trees often have leafier canopies than evergreen trees, which can allow for more sunlight absorption, but they also drop their leaves annually, which takes out oxygen from the air.

Evergreen trees that grow in colder climates can have a slower photosynthetic process in the coldest months. Despite being green all year, they will not contribute much oxygen to the atmosphere during winter. On the flip side, since they do not drop their leaves, they can still, under the right conditions, photosynthesize all-year long.

Based on the top oxygen-producing trees discussed earlier, it’s fascinating to note two of them, maple and beech, are deciduous. The three others, true fir, spruce, and Douglas-fir, are evergreen. Again, neither one of these types of tree absolutely surpasses the other in oxygen production.

Genetically engineered trees show promise of emitting high levels of O2. Some of these trees have been recorded to grow at 35 feet each year, which means they are rapidly photosynthesizing. Investing more in these trees might have a significant effect on our atmosphere.

How Do Trees Help The Environment?

Beautiful nature at morning in the misty spring forest with sunshine

The world currently has over 3.1 trillion trees, according to Nature. While this is a stunning number, it’s below half the total number of trees that were on the planet prior to human impact. Given that carbon dioxide has substantially increased during the last 50 years, it’s more important than ever to protect the tree population.

Trees are truly a treasure. Along with their natural allure, they provide a heap of necessities that improve the health of Earth. They enhance air quality, balance climate temperatures, raise the quality of soil, and offer food, shade, and shelter for people around the world.

Trees Reduce Harmful Effects Of Climate Change

Of the air that we breathe, oxygen is one-fifth of it. Annually, one acre of trees can produce enough air for 18 people. Trees and other photosynthesizing plants are imperative for all animal lives, including human lives, on Earth. Otherwise, we would eventually be unable to breathe. 

As trees emit life-giving O2, they also take in carbon dioxide; clearly, trees have a deep impact on our environment. Carbon dioxide is the primary cause of the greenhouse effect, which holds heat in our planet’s atmosphere. This makes Earth warmer and, ideally, a more tolerable place to live. 

Trees hold carbon dioxide in their trunk fibers. This, in turn, purifies the air around them and minimizes the harmful effects of CO2. This enhancement of air quality is especially beneficial in cities that have more pollutants than other areas.

In one year, a mature tree will take in over 48 pounds of carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen. When there is too much heat (which is an overabundance of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide), this causes climate change. Climate change is why glaciers melt at unprecedented rates and why hurricanes devastate more lives each year.

To add one powerful oxygen creator that’s even more powerful than trees, take a look at phytoplankton – these immensely small plants live in the ocean and make up 50-80% of the Earth’s oxygen and carbon dioxide intake. Talk about a powerhouse!

Trees Detoxify The Environment

Even one acre of trees plays an essential part in preventing unprecedented climate change. One acre of trees takes in the same amount of CO2 that a vehicle creates after driving 26,000 miles. This same acre of trees also takes in the amount of carbon dioxide that two vehicles create within a year. 

Trees do more than only absorb unsafe levels of carbon dioxide. Their leaves store other harmful gasses such as sulfur, ammonia, and nitrogen oxides. They are an all-natural detoxifier for the environment.

Trees also help conserve energy by minimizing air conditioning needs by nearly 50%. This not only saves us money on our utility payments but also minimizes the production of poisonous gasses. Trees are equipped to protect our world.

Trees Balance Atmospheric Temperatures

The leaves of trees create a cooling result in the atmosphere. The tiny holes in leaves, stomata, emit water vapor into the air. This is a process called transpiration.

Transpiration helps balance moisture levels in the atmosphere as well as temperatures. Trees planted near streets and buildings, for instance, are beneficial because they will decrease the surrounding temperature. In addition, the natural shade from trees also cools any creature who requires a respite from the sun and heat.

Not only do trees reduce atmospheric temperatures, but they also purify rainwater by breaking down the water molecules with their leaves. As trees purify this rainwater, they also prevent soil erosion during heavy rainstorms with their canopies and root systems. This reduces the risk of mudslides and flooding.

If you’d like to learn more about how trees help the environment, check out our article: 7 Amazing Ways Oak Trees Help The Environment.

It’s Time To Plant Some Trees!

Besides benefiting the community at large, planting trees in your yard can greatly improve your quality of life. Consider planting maple, beech, true fir, spruce, or Douglas-fir trees. They produce the most oxygen out of any tree species. Photosynthesis allows this oxygen production to happen.

With the many ways trees add to your health and that of the planet, it is time to plant some of this deciduous and evergreen vegetation in your yard today.

References

Bastin, J. F., Finegold, Y., Garcia, C., Mollicone, D., Rezende, M., Routh, D., … & Crowther, T. W. (2019). The global tree restoration potential. Science, 365(6448), 76-79.

Breda, N. J. (2003). Ground-based measurements of leaf area index: a review of methods, instruments and current controversies. Journal of experimental botany, 54(392), 2403-2417.

Nowak, D. J., Hoehn, R., & Crane, D. E. (2007). Oxygen production by urban trees in the United States. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. 33 (3): 220-226., 33(3).

Warren, C. R., & Adams, M. A. (2004). Evergreen trees do not maximize instantaneous photosynthesis. Trends in plant science, 9(6), 270-274.

Crowther, T., Glick, H., Covey, K. et al. Mapping tree density at a global scale. Nature 525, 201–205 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14967

Spruce Trees In A Thriving forest

Why Spruce Trees Love Acidic Soil (How To Test Yours!)

Throughout the changing seasons, the spruce tree still displays an unchanged hue of green. Because of this, spruce trees make the perfect ornamental tree, Christmas tree, and backdrop to the Rocky Mountains no matter the season. Even when the last of the leaves finally drop, the needles of the evergreen spruce don’t miss a beat. 

But did you know that spruce trees naturally root in regions of higher elevations and colder climates?

They have the unique ability to adapt to different soil pH levels but prefer acidic soil. Spruce trees love acidic soil because it creates an environment that allows better nutrient absorption and overall tree growth.

The pH of your soil can greatly affect the development of your spruce tree from the ground up. If your spruce is struggling, consider testing your soil to uncover the root of the problem.

Do Spruce Trees Like Acidic Soil?

Summer Day In A Thriving Spruce Forest

Yes, spruce trees like acidic soil. They actually prefer it.

Spruce trees are native to colder regions, which is why you see forests of them in the coldest and most northern climates of the United States.

In these colder, elevated regions of heavy rainfall, certain nutrients in the soil begin to dissolve creating conditions of acidic soil beneath them.

If you are considering planting a spruce tree, make sure to head on over to our article about the best spruce trees to plant! That way if you currently have acidic soil, or if you have a different kind, you can find the best spruce to match your environment!

Spruce Trees Adapt To The Soil

Spruce trees have learned to adapt to these ever-changing soil conditions and can thrive in different pH values ranging anywhere from alkaline to acidic. You’ll most likely find them growing on mountain slopes, along rivers, and sometimes even in your neighbor’s yard!

A study conducted by the Scandinavian Journal Of Forest Research discovered that when compared to ash, beech, elm, hornbeam, and oak trees, spruce trees generated the most acidic soil.

If you find that your soil doesn’t meet their standards, keep reading to learn ways to make your soil more acidic.

Why Do Spruce Trees Love Acidic Soil?

Spruce Forest Covered In Thick Snow

Soil pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 where any number under 7 means acidic and anything above means alkaline. For spruce trees, a soil pH of anywhere between 5.0 and 8.0 is optimal for growth.

With the ability to slide between slightly alkaline and strongly acidic, spruce trees are extremely adaptable.

The pH of the soil determines the availability of essential nutrients taken up by each tree which can greatly influence the overall growth of any tree. 

Acidic soil generates the optimal environment for your spruce tree to tower over all of the others while containing all the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Acidic Soil Helps Spruce Trees Absorb Nutrients

The soil beneath your spree tree becomes acidic as a result of the environment around it.

Heavy rainfall can drain your soil of minerals that are more abundant in alkaline soils, such as calcium and magnesium.

Spruce trees love acidic soil because of the nutrients available to reach their roots. Acidity allows for more nutrient absorption into the trees. Hence why you see a lot of spruce trees on mountains and in snowy areas!

Acidic Soil Has More Moisture

Acidic soils also hold moisture better. Because spruce trees have shallow roots, dry and humid climates can easily damage them. Be sure you’re staying on top of watering your spruce tree!

Moisture and nutrient uptake are the two most important factors in spruce growth, which is why spruce trees love acidic soil.

In fact, the waxy coating on the needles of your spruce conserves water, so when the soil below is frozen, they are still getting the water they need during those cold, mountain winters!

As you can tell, spruce trees need a lot of water to survive as well – which is why acidic soil is so perfect for them! Head on over to our article about watering spruce trees, to find out the best ways to do it, and how much water they will need!

Acidic Soil Speeds Up the Spruce Tree Growth Timeline

Research from Michigan State University indicates that conifers grow best in acidic soil, and an increase in soil pH may dramatically slow spruce tree growth.

A conifer is any tree that bears cones instead of flowers and forms needle-like foliage instead of leaves. Spruce trees are conifers and are also evergreens.

With the proper acidic soil environment, the spruce tree can focus on sunlight intake to shoot up towards the sky as the roots that are spread down below worry less about fighting for essential nutrients.

Spruce trees also need sunlight to grow, and may not do as well without ample enough sun. For more info on why spruce trees need sunlight, head on over to our article to learn more!

How To Make Soil Around Your Spruce Trees More Acidic

Small spruce tree in the snow against a winter forest

There are very few trees and plants that can tolerate acidic soil. Luckily, your spruce tree can tolerate acidic and alkaline soil.

However, if you want your spruce tree to look and grow its best, you’ll want to create an acidic environment around it, which starts in the soil.

To make your soil acidic, you can add compost, coffee grounds, and fertilizers to the soil beneath your spruce.

Spruce needles themselves are also acidic! As they drop from the tree, they will decompose and add hints of acidity to the soil.

Monitoring the health of your spruce is important, especially if it pertains to soil health. For instance, soil issues such as poor nutrients or improper pH can cause a slew of issues such as tree reddening and needle drop.

Apply Compost To Increase Spruce Tree Acidity

If you’re looking to organically increase the acidity of your soil, add compost.

Well-decomposed compost will slowly increase the pH of your soil and the overall growth of your spruce tree.

Compost is composed of decomposed organic matter, such as leaves, twigs, kitchen scraps, and other organic materials.

You can create your own compost by saving leftover scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, and the mountains of leaves that are starting to pile up around your home.

Compost May Take A Long Time To Work

Although adding compost to your soil improves the overall soil structure, it is not the quickest fix to your soil acidity.

Compost only increases soil acidity over time, so throughout the growing season, you will see a gradual increase in acidity and the health of your spruce.

This is still an amazing option to increase your soil acidity and overall growth and can be used in combination with other options!

Spread Coffee Grounds Around Your Spruce Trees To Help Acidity

It takes time to craft a compost pile and allow the organic material to decompose properly before use. If you’re looking for something to increase the acidity of your soil this morning, go grab those coffee grounds from your freshly brewed pot of coffee!

Spreading coffee grounds throughout the soil under your spruce tree can increase soil acidity.

You can simply sprinkle the coffee grounds on the soil, add them to your compost pile for an extra acidic boost, or cultivate the coffee grounds into the soil beneath your spruce to help the acidity.

Coffee grounds also contain up to 2% nitrogen, which is beneficial to the overall growth of your spruce! They do not, however, contain any phosphorus or potassium.

Try Using Fertilizer To Make Your Soil More Acidic

If you’re searching for a quick, full-proof way to increase the acidity of your soil, consider purchasing an acidifying fertilizer.

Many premade fertilizers contain macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, and beneficial bacteria that can help acidify your soil and promote growth.

Espoma Organic Evergreen-Tone is an all-natural fertilizer proven to increase acidity and promote the overall growth of your spruce tree. This fertilizer contains the minerals and bacteria necessary to keep your spruce thriving!

Evergreen-Tone Fertilizer is formulated specifically for your at-home evergreen trees, including your spruce tree. It is ready to use, and recommended that you feed your tree once in early spring and once in the late fall.

Here’s a full list of our top recommended spruce tree fertilizers if you’d like to take a look!

How To Test Your Own Soil At Home

Bright landscape with a variety of spruce and other conifer trees

If you’re unsure if the soil is the reason your spruce is struggling, it is best to test your soil before trying to amend it.

Of course, it is always best to test your soil before ever planting your spruce tree!

There are many ways to test your soil at home. You can even test your soil without leaving your home by using items found in your cabinets!

Buy A Basic Soil Testing Kit To Test Your Soil At Home

The simplest way to test your soil is with an at-home soil testing kit.

In many states, you can simply contact or visit your local conservation department to secure a soil testing kit! If you opt for this route, you’ll likely have to mail or drop off the soil sample and wait for the results.

For a quick at-home test, you can purchase a simple soil testing kit online. In a matter of minutes, you can have the pH of your soil in your hands! No mailing or waiting is required.

Here Are Some Great PH Testers!

Luster Leaf is a brand that has created two different kits to quickly test your soil however you prefer.

This Luster Leaf BioLogic Soil pH Tester is a simple rapid test that displays the exact pH of your soil. This kit even contains ten different tests!

They also have a Digital Soil pH Meter that you can stick in the soil and receive the results within minutes! These options require minimal preparation, test quickly, and come at an affordable price.

The optimal pH for a spruce tree should be between 5.0 and 8.0, and each of these tests will provide readings for you to determine if your spruce’s soil falls between these numbers.

Add Baking Soda To Soil As An At-Home Acidity Test

You can test your soil at home with baking soda.

This soil test does not provide exact readings, but it will give you an idea about the type of soil that is underneath your spruce.

How To Test With Baking Soda

  1. To prepare for this soil test, you’ll need at least 2 tablespoons of moistened soil from your spruce tree and ½ cup of baking soda.
  2. Once you have gathered these materials, place your soil in a bowl and moisten it with distilled water. Tap water may provide skewed results, so be sure to apply distilled water to your soil.
  3. After you’ve moistened your soil, add ½ cup of baking soda. If the mixture fizzes in any way, you have acidic soil.

Of course, you won’t know just how acidic your soil is. If the acidity falls below 5.0, it is possible that your spruce will start showing signs of disease or deficiencies.

Add Vinegar To Your Soil To Alter Acidity

This test is just as simple as the one above but includes vinegar instead of baking soda. Surely you have one of the two!

You can quickly test your soil at home with vinegar! Here are the steps:

  1. To prepare this soil test, you’ll need at least 2 tablespoons of soil and ½ cup of vinegar.
  2. Once you’ve gathered soil from your spruce, add it to a bowl. The soil does not have to be moistened for this test.
  3. Lastly, you’ll add ½ cup of vinegar to your bowl of soil. In this case, if the mixture fizzes, you have alkaline soil.

For most plants and trees, this is good news! For your spruce tree, this could be the reason your spruce is struggling.

BUT – spruce trees can still grow healthy in alkaline soil! They just don’t love it. If your spruce doesn’t seem to be thriving, consider diving into the options above to make your soil more acidic!

Wrapping Up!

To sum up, spruce trees love acidic soil. Not only are their needles themselves acidic in composition, but the climate in which spruce trees thrive is a breeding ground for acidic soil.

Most importantly, acidic soil allows your spruce tree to absorb nutrients better and speed up the growth timeline.

In order to fully understand the soil beneath your spruce, it is encouraged that you test the soil. Purchase an at-home soil testing kit or grab some items from your pantry and get testing!

Now as you journey through nature and encounter a forest of spruce trees, you’ll be able to connect with a better understanding of why spruce trees love acidic soil and how to establish an environment at home for one of your own!

References

Badalucco, L., Grego, S., Dell’Orco, S., & Nannipieri, P. (1992). Effect of liming on some chemical, biochemical, and microbiological properties of acid soils under spruce (Picea abies L.). Biology and Fertility of Soils, 14(2), 76-83.

Mund, M., Kummetz, E., Hein, M., Bauer, G. A., & Schulze, E. D. (2002). Growth and carbon stocks of a spruce forest chronosequence in central Europe. Forest Ecology and Management, 171(3), 275-296.

Oostra, S., Majdi, H., & Olsson, M. (2006). Impact of tree species on soil carbon stocks and soil acidity in southern Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 21(5), 364-371.

Puhe, J. (2003). Growth and development of the root system of Norway spruce (Picea abies) in forest stands—a review. Forest ecology and management, 175(1-3), 253-273.

Schulze, E. D. (1989). Air pollution and forest decline in a spruce (Picea abies) forest. Science, 244(4906), 776-783.

Tropical view to the ocean at blue sky

9 Most Common Places That Coconuts Grow

Coconuts are well known throughout the world. They are the iconic symbol of a tropical environment, hanging in bunches on enormous coconut palm trees. Did you ever stop to wonder where in the world coconuts grow?

Coconuts grow on the coconut palm tree. These trees typically only grow in tropical regions from 25 degrees north latitude to 25 degrees south latitude. Coconut palms grow in places like Australia, the Pacific Islands, Florida, the Caribbean, and Indonesia.

Read on to learn about all the regions of the world where coconut palm trees grow. We’ll also go over the best conditions to grow one yourself!

Why Coconut Palm Trees Only Grow In Certain Places

Coconut palms on the beach near the blue ocean

Before we get into all the places where you can find coconut trees, let’s talk about some of the basics of a coconut palm tree so you can understand just why they grow where they do.

Let’s get into it!

Coconut Tree Characteristics

Photo Untouched Tropical Beach in Bali Island. Palm with fruits. Vertical Picture. Fishboat Blurred Background. Snorkeling Equipment

There are two varieties of coconut trees: tall and dwarf. The tall version of this tree is the one we are all most familiar with. According to the University of Florida, it can reach heights of 100 feet!

For a more in-depth look at the coconut tree’s potential height, check out our article about how tall coconut trees grow.

Because coconut palms often live near shorelines, the trunk is usually bending one way or the other due to the wind. In addition, the coconut palm is thicker at its base to better withstand the wind without being knocked over.

The leaves of a coconut palm tree are huge. They can grow up to 18 feet long. That’s almost as long as your average giraffe is tall! The leaves are arranged in a spiraling pattern, each containing leaflets that can extend up to 5 feet long.

How Do Coconuts Form On The Coconut Palm Tree?

If you’ve ever seen a coconut, it’s hard to imagine how something like that could grow on a tree. Coconuts are big, weighing in at about 3 pounds when fully mature. The enormous size of the coconut palm tree is the only thing that allows it to handle such heavy fruit.

Wait…fruit? Yes, coconuts are considered a fruit. And just to add to the confusion, they’re also considered a tree nut!

Coconuts form from a canoe-shaped flower pod. When the flower pods open, it contains both the male and female flowers on the same pod. The male flowers open first, and then the female flowers.

The flowers contain sweet nectar that attracts bees, which often travel between the male and female flowers. If the female flower gets pollinated, it will eventually turn into a coconut.

The entire process takes about 6 months before the coconut can be harvested for drinking. However, this is not a fully mature coconut. Those can take over a year, and will typically turn brown and fall to the ground on their own.

Coconut palm trees have a huge advantage over non-tropical trees – they produce fruit year-round. Every lunar cycle new flowers will emerge. As long as they are pollinated, new coconuts will form.

If you are looking at a coconut palm tree from below, you’ll be looking at the oldest coconuts. The new coconuts form in a spiraling pattern, similar to the leaves, and continue to spiral upward as they form.

Climate And Soil Requirements To Grow A Coconut Palm Tree

If you happen to live in one of the regions discussed below, you might be interested in growing a coconut palm tree yourself. Additionally, this will also clarify the common places where coconuts grow as well.

Without further ado, what exactly is needed to grow a coconut palm tree?

Temperature: The best temperature for germination happens around 95℉, however, according to Penn State University anywhere that has an average temp around 80℉ will do just fine. If the temperature drops below 72℉ while growing, growth could be stunted.

Soil: Coconut palm trees prefer soil that has a pH between 5.0 and 8.0. They can grow in just about any soil as long as it is well-draining. 

Sun: Coconut palms love the sun! They prefer full sun and do not grow well under shady conditions.

Timing: Since coconut palms grow in tropical regions, they can be planted at any time of the year. However, the warm and wet summer months tend to yield the best results. 

Rainfall: The amount of water a tree receives naturally is an important factor in where it can thrive. Coconut trees prefer areas with a little heavier rainfall, around 30-50 inches per year. 

For more information about watering your coconut tree, check out our article on watering requirements for your coconut tree.

Fertilizer: Coconut palm trees will thrive with a fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Palm Plant Food. It is rich in magnesium, iron, and manganese, which help palm trees grow quickly. According to a study published in the Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, boron is also a highly effective fertilizer.

9 Common Places That Coconuts Grow

Now that we know a little more about the amazing coconut palm tree, let’s check out where it grows!

Florida

Sunrise on the Smathers beach - Key West, Florida

Florida is one of only two states in the United States that can grow coconut palm trees. The other is Hawaii, but we’ll get to Hawaii later.

Coconut palm trees grow best in humid environments where the temperature averages around 80℉. They love the sun and prefer to grow on ocean shores since they are tolerant of salty conditions.

Sounds like Florida to me! 

Even though Florida has a lot of good stuff to offer coconut palm trees, only the southern tip of the state offers optimal growing conditions.

Natural coconut palms are rarely found inland because they evolved to disperse via the ocean currents. The only way you will find them inland is if a human carried the coconut seed and planted it. 

Needless to say, coconuts prefer to live on coastal shores. In Florida, you can find coconut palm trees on the east coast from Stuart down to Key West and on the west coast from Punta Gorda down to Key West.

Did you know that palm trees can grow in New Orleans? Typically however, coconut trees are not commonly grown there.

Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii. Waikiki beach and Honolulu's skyline.

Hawaii may be a part of the United States, but the islands have a very rich, deep-rooted culture that differs vastly from that of folks living in the contiguous states. 

The coconut palm tree is not native to Hawaii. It was first brought over by the original Polynesian settlers and thrived in the tropical climate.

Nowadays, coconut palm trees can be found on all 8 islands of Hawaii – Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Maui, Kaho’olawe, and Hawai’i. They can also be found on the uninhabited island of Kauo.

Many of the ancient coconut palm trees on the islands were planted at the request of kings or chiefs of the island to shade their royal fish ponds. Some ancient groves like the Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove are forbidden to walk through due to the dangers of falling coconuts!

Coconut trees provided early settlers with an abundance of material. They used every inch of the tree to make things like: 

  • Buttons
  • Rope
  • Musical Instruments
  • Brooms
  • Roofing Material

They also used the coconut tree for food such as coconut milk, meat, and oil.

Africa

View to historic city at the Goree island in Dakar, Senegal. It is small island near Dakar. It was was the largest slave trade center on the African coast. It is beautiful view.

Unless you have a deep understanding of geography, many of us think of Africa as a big desert interspersed with savannahs and jungles. We think of elephants, cheetahs, crocodiles, and gazelles. 

But Africa has much more to offer than deserts and savannahs. Surrounding the famous Congo River is the world’s second-largest rainforest. And, along its warmer coasts, you can find coconut palm trees.

Since the equator runs directly across Africa, it’s no surprise that coconut palm trees have flourished along the warm, tropical coasts of Africa. 

However, just like Hawaii, coconut palms are not native to Africa. 

They were brought by traders and colonists who often used coconuts as a means of fresh water on long voyages across the sea. Coconuts contain the most water when they are young and green. 

It’s possible that older coconuts were chucked overboard and floated until they reached the coasts. According to the University of Florida, coconuts can float for months before reaching shore and still be able to germinate into a tree.

In Africa, you can find coconut palm trees in the western and eastern coastal regions.

West Coast: You can find coconut palms from the west coast of Senegal down to the northern and central coastal regions of Angola. 

East Coast: Starting along the southern tip of Somalia, you can find coconut palm trees down to the northern regions of South Africa.

Why not the southern and northern coasts? 

Mostly because it is out of the coconut palm’s preferred comfort zone. They like to stick to the 25°N and 25°S latitudes, and the northern and southern coasts of Africa are a bit out of range. 

However, some coconut palms can be found in areas as far north as Egypt and Tunisia and as far south as the southern tip of South Africa. 

Asia

Palm tree shadow on tropical tranquil beach with powdery white sand, crystal clear blue ocean lagoon and palm trees in background. Vacation and lifestyle concept.

Asia is a huge continent but most of it cannot be inhabited by our beloved coconut palm tree. Any country above Pakistan and China is just too cold for the coconut tree to survive.

According to Duke University, despite this, Asia produces over 80% of the global coconut production.

The three largest producers of coconuts include:

  • Indonesia – #1
  • Philippines – #2
  • India – #3

But these aren’t the only regions in Asia that have coconut palm trees swaying in the wind and giving off those tropical vibes.

Sri Lanka is the world’s 4th largest producer of coconuts. Located just below India, this warm, humid island contains the perfect environment to make coconut palm trees happy.

You can also find coconut palm trees in southern Bangladesh, western and southern Myanmar, and along the coastal regions of Malaysia. 

On the eastern coast of Asia, coconut palm trees grow along the coasts of Vietnam and eastern China up to about Quanzhou. They also grow on the island of Taiwan.

Papua New Guinea

Port Douglas beach and ocean on sunny day, Queensland, Australia

Australia has a lot going on – scary spiders, scary snakes, scary sharks. Luckily, there is something that grows on the island of New Guinea that’s not so scary – coconuts!

Papua New Guinea is located north of Australia, and thriving with coconut trees.

Coconut palm trees grace the coasts of this entire island and can be found inland as well since Papua New Guinea is the 7th largest producer of coconuts in the world!

Located just below the equator, Papua New Guinea has all the right conditions for coconut trees – warmth all year round, humidity, and plenty of rainfall.

Mexico & Central America

Paradise Sunny beach with palms and turquoise sea. Summer vacation and tropical beach concept.

Mexico and the countries of Central America have optimal growing conditions for the coconut palm tree. Though both are located in North America, the countries of Central America contain a distinct regional difference in both culture and history.

Coconut palm trees are not native to Mexico or Central America. Don’t worry, we’ll get to where coconuts originated from later.

According to the Washington University in St. Louis, coconuts were probably brought to Mexico during the colonial period, when travelers from the Philippines brought them to the west coast of Mexico.

Jalisco, located on the west coast of Mexico, is one of the largest producers of coconuts in the country. Coconut trees can also be found on the east coast of Mexico, but are easier to find on the west coast.

The countries of Central America include Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. 

Coconut palm trees can be found in all of Central America. The warm, humid, tropical climate provides the perfect habitat for coconut trees to thrive.

South America

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cuenca in Ecuador

South America is well known for its production and distribution of coffee beans. What would we do without our morning cup of joe! But South America also produces a lot of coconuts from various countries.

You can find the tropical coconut palm tree along the northwestern, northern, and eastern coast of South America. Specifically, coconuts grow in the following countries:

  • Ecuador
  • Peru
  • Venezuela
  • Guyana
  • Suriname
  • French Guiana
  • Brazil
  • Columbia

The equator runs right through the top of the continent, making it the perfect climate for coconut palms. 

Although areas like Argentina and Uruguay have warm temperatures throughout the year, the average temperature in Argentina during the summer season is 75℉ and even colder in Uruguay at 65℉. These temperatures cannot sustain the coconut tree.

Europe

View of Santa Catalina beach and mountains with Tenerife island in the background, La Gomera island, Spain

It almost feels like cheating to include Europe. The continent is definitely too cold for coconut palm trees, right? Right?

Every part of Europe is too cold for coconut palm trees except the Canary Islands, which are a part of Spain but located closer to Africa.

The Canary Islands are located west of Africa, directly across from the border separating Morocco from Western Sahara. The islands are located a bit out of the coconut palm’s comfort zone, but you can still find them on the island.

Tenerife is probably the most well-known area of the Canary Islands for having coconut trees. The volcanic island provides coconut palms with coastal areas and many sunny days.

Where Did Coconut Trees Originally Come From?

Exotic tropical palm trees at summer, view from bottom up to the sky at sunny day

You may have noticed that for most of the areas mentioned above, we said that coconut palm trees were not native to the area. But we were suspiciously quiet about Asia…

A plant evolutionary biologist at Washington University in St. Louis took a look at the DNA from over a thousand coconuts collected all over the world. What he found was that there are two distinct coconut DNAs. 

One from the Pacific Ocean Basin and the other from the Indian Ocean Basin. This led to the conclusion that coconut palm trees probably originated in two regions: the Philippine islands and southern India/Sri Lanka. 

From those two regions, coconuts have spread to pretty much everywhere they can possibly grow, and for good reason.

The amount of things you can get from a single coconut is amazing:

  • Food
  • Potable Water
  • Rope
  • Charcoal
  • Flotation Device

That list might not seem as impressive nowadays with our advanced technology, but to pioneers, travelers, and native people, the coconut was a fruit of life. 

So, naturally, wherever people went they wanted to take this amazing fruit with them! That’s how the coconut spread from two single regions to pretty much everywhere spanning just above the Tropic of Cancer and just below the Tropic of Capricorn.

For a closer look at how coconuts spread from these two regions, you can check out the map from the DNA study mentioned above.

Do All Palm Trees Grow Coconuts?

If you’re cruising along somewhere in central or northern Florida, you may be wondering why there are no coconuts on the palm trees?

There are over 2,000 species of palm trees, but only one grows coconuts: the coconut palm tree. Other palm trees have different fruits that we are familiar with such as dates, acai berries, and peach palms.

If you live in a region where coconut trees can survive, or if you would like one indoors, you can purchase them online like Root 98 Warehouse’s Coconut Tree. If you live near coconut trees, you can also plant one simply by burying a viable coconut in the ground. In 3-6 months it will sprout into a whole new tree.

Did you know that you can even grow certain types of palm trees in New York? Unfortunately, you can’t grow a tropical coconut tree in the climate, however.

That’s A Wrap!

Tropical Indian village with coconut palm trees near the road and blue ocean in Varkala, Kerala, India

Coconut palm trees are found mostly between the latitudes of 25°N and 25°S. They prefer areas along the coast that are sunny, humid, and warm.

These amazing trees provided so much to early settlers and colonists who used the coconut for water, food, rope, and so much more.

Although the coconut tree originated in the Philippines and southern India and Sri Lanka, it has spread far and wide, covering every continent except Antarctica. 

Here are the 9 most common places that coconuts grow:

  • Florida – Southern tip
  • Hawaii
  • West- and East-coasts of Africa
  • Asia – Especially in the Philippines, Indonesia, and India
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Mexico – Especially in Jalisco
  • Central America
  • South America – Especially in Brazil
  • Europe – The Canary Islands only

If you’re looking for the world’s largest concentration of coconut palm trees, you’ll want to look at the Philippines, Indonesia, or India. 

But if you’d rather stay local in the United States, you can hit up any of the islands of Hawaii or the southern tip of Florida.

References

Ahmed, A., Ibrahim, A., & Hussein, S. (2019). Detection of Palm Tree Pests Using Thermal Imaging: A Review. Machine Learning Paradigms: Theory and Application, 801.

Ledo, A. d. S., Passos, E. E. M., Fontes, H. R., Ferreira, J. M. S., Talamini, V., & Vendrame, W. A. (2019). Advances in Coconut palm propagation. Propagation, 41(2).

Marina, A. M., Che Man, Y. B., & Amin, I. (2009, October). Virgin coconut oil: emerging functional food oil. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 20(10), 481-487.

Moura, J. Z., Prado, R. M., Benvindo, R. N., & Alencar, L. C. (2013, February 06). Applying boron to coconut palm plants: effects on the soil, on the plant nutritional status and on productivity boron to coconut palm trees. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 13(1).

old linden tree foliage in morning light with sunlight

Why Linden Trees Are So Messy (And What To Plant Instead)

Linden trees are gorgeous, pyramidal-shaped, sap-filled trees that have been cultivated for centuries for their wood and flowers. But linden trees are notably messy! Despite popular belief, linden trees aren’t responsible for their mess, can you guess what is?

Linden trees are so messy because of aphids! Linden flowers secrete a substance that attracts aphids, who then excrete a honeydew, leaving things covered and messy. There are a few trees you can grow in place of linden trees, such as Allegheny serviceberry, dogwood, river birch, magnolia, or redbud.

Keep reading to learn more about what trees you can plant instead of linden trees, and why lindens are so messy.

What Causes Linden Trees To Be So Messy?

Linden Tree Blossom

Linden trees are beautiful flowering trees that contain sweet sap that attracts insects of all sorts.

Linden trees are one of a bee’s favorite trees, but today we’re going to be talking about aphids. Aphids are actually what is responsible for making linden trees so messy. Aphids suck up sap from the tree and their excretion is what leaves the mess.

Once they ingest it, they excrete a liquid that’s rich in sugar, called honeydew, which coats the linden leaves. This honeydew is known to cover sidewalks, roads, and even cars, and becomes a nuisance very quickly.

Imagine spilling a sugary drink and not cleaning it up, you are left with a big, sticky mess. Well, that’s the result of these aphids!

As if that wasn’t enough, once honeydew appears, sooty mold comes in. This is a fungal disease that grows specifically on plants that are covered by honeydew. 

Sooty mold, however, doesn’t necessarily hurt the plant, but if it covers the entire plant surface, then sunlight can no longer penetrate it, which reduces the plant’s ability to grow.

If you decide to do any maintenance to your tree the Tanglefoot Tree Pruning Sealer is a great option to have on hand. It helps to minimize sap loss after pruning cuts or other tree injuries by creating a flexible and weatherproof seal. It also will help protect against insects and diseases when you have cuts on your tree.

We’ve got another article dedicated to messy trees, check out our piece on the 14 Dirtiest & Messiest Trees To Not Plant In Your Yard!

How Can I Clean Up My Linden Tree?

Under the linden tree in autumn in the garden

The first step in cleaning up your linden tree is to get rid of the aphids and any other honeydew-producing insects.

You might be asking yourself, how would you even do that in the first place?

Spray It With A Hose

There are two ways you can treat aphids, the first one is spraying down your tree with a hose. Using a hand sprayer from the hose, as often as possible will help get rid of aphids, making it difficult for them to come back to the tree.

If you want to use this method, the Flexi Hose with 8 Function Nozzle Expandable Garden Hose is a perfect choice. I love these hoses because they are lightweight, easy to use, and don’t kink!

Use An Insecticidal Soap

Second, you can use an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, but with this method, aside from reading the label before applying, you’ll want to get a bee-friendly one. Bees are often very attracted to the sweet, fragrant flowers of the linden tree, and populations usually become decimated after feeding on linden trees that have been sprayed with insecticides.

You can use a product like Safer Brand 5118-6 Insect Soap Concentrate 16oz to control aphids. It’s an insecticidal soap that is made up of potassium salts of fatty acids, made from natural plant extracts, and will not persist in the environment.

Before using, make sure to read the label first! Additionally, because linden trees are pollinator-attractive plants, you’ll want to spray your tree in the very early morning or the evening, after pollinators are not active.

Use A Natural Aphid Control

Another product to try to control aphids is Trifecta’s Crop Control. This is a natural solution made up of essential oils, soap, isopropyl alcohol, and vinegar.

With a guarantee to work, you can have peace of mind when you use it. Another great thing about this product is that it is pet-friendly and food-grade, so bring on the sigh of relief!

This product is said to work on powdery mildew, spitter mites, russet mites, broad mites, botrytis, grey mold, aphids, fungal, and parasitic species. What a powerhouse! All you have to do is mix the solution with water and spray! But of course, always read the label before applying.

So if you have a linden tree in your yard and you don’t want to get rid of it anytime soon (we know how much it costs to remove a tree), these are some efficient methods you can use to keep honeydew-producing insects at bay.

6 Trees To Plant Instead Of Linden Trees

Linden Tree With Flowers Growing Around

If you are deciding on landscaping ideas and want a different type of tree, other than a linden, we’ve got some great options for any landscape. Here we’ve got a list of flowering trees that do well in the same zones as lindens and grow roughly to the same size.

Furthermore, some people get linden and basswood trees mixed up – so feel free to read up a bit more on their differences before diving deeper below.

1. Allegheny Serviceberry, Amelanchier laevis

The first tree on our list is the Allegheny serviceberry, which is a great option for smaller landscapes.

the Allegheny serviceberry reaches about 15-25 feet high and wide and does well in partial sun and partial shade. This is a great choice that does well in moist, and well-draining soils, similar to the linden.

This tree does well in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8. Don’t worry if you don’t have moist, acidic, or well-draining soils, this tree is also tolerant of alkaline and clayey soils.

If you don’t want to sacrifice the beautiful showy flowers of the linden tree, well don’t worry! The serviceberry offers year-round interest with its fragrant, white flowers, and small, dark purple berries.

2. Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida

Flowering dogwood Teutonia - Latin name - Cornus kousa Teutonia

Dogwoods are another great choice for just about any landscape. The flowering dogwood is probably the most common, but the kousa dogwood is close behind. Today though, we’ll touch on the flowering dogwood. 

This is another great tree choice for most landscapes since they vary in height.

Smaller dogwood trees reach 15-25 feet tall and 20 feet wide, while medium dogwood trees reach anywhere from 25-40 feet tall and 20 feet wide. The flowering dogwood, like all of the trees we’ll cover, has similar requirements to the linden tree. 

The flowering dogwood does well in all light requirements, including full sun to full shade. This tree also grows well in acidic, moist, and well-draining soils. 

You can easily grow this tree in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9. Don’t worry about flowers! Flowering dogwoods have bracts that act as their flowers, which are modified leaf clusters.

These bracts come in white, pink, and a beautiful red, and attract lots of birds, pollinators, and mammals. 

3. River Birch, Betula nigra

Next up on our list, we have the river birch! While this tree might not have the flowers you’re hoping for, it makes up with its beautiful bark. The river birch also offers year-round interest.

The river birch is a little larger than the previous trees we talked about. It grows anywhere between 25-40 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide. This tree is a powerhouse with what it tolerates, including acidic soils, well-draining, and even wet soils. It also tolerates clayey soils, occasional flooding, and wet areas. 

This tree has a fast growth rate so you can expect it to reach its full size in 15-20 years! This tree needs full sun and attracts songbirds, pollinators, and mammals. 

You may be interested in learning that not all birch trees have white bark – you can thank the paper birch tree for that!

4. Loebner’s Magnolia ‘Leonard Messel’, Magnolia x loebneri

The Loebner’s magnolia is an excellent hybrid magnolia to plant instead of a linden tree. It grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9 and grows anywhere from full sun to part shade. This magnolia hybrid grows best in moist and well-draining soils and is tolerant of acidic soils. 

If you’ve ever seen a regular magnolia tree, you probably remember its size and its flowers. Magnolia trees are known to grow to great heights, and we mean huge, like over 70 feet tall! They are also known for their beautiful, large, showy flowers.

What’s so great about this magnolia tree hybrid is its size. In contrast to the large magnolia, this magnolia hybrid is a small to medium-sized, compact, rounded tree that grows to a height and width of 20-30 feet. It also has beautiful showy and fragrant white and pink flowers. 

5. Redbud, Cercis canadensis

judas tree in blossom. purple flowers on the twigs. beautiful redbud background.

Ah, the redbud! These trees are serious show stoppers, especially in the early spring. Before the redbud’s leaves emerge, bright pink and purple flowers are seen in early spring against their dark brown bark, making this tree a showstopper for your yard. 

The redbud grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. It grows best in full sun, partial sun, and partial shade. Redbuds also do well in moist, well-draining soils, but can tolerate alkaline and clay soils.

This tree is a small to medium-sized tree, growing anywhere from 15-40 feet tall and wide, making it ideal for any small space.

That’s A Wrap!

That’s all we’ve got for you today on why linden trees are so messy. Let’s recap just why that is and what you can plant instead of a linden tree!

Linden trees are messy because of aphids! Linden flowers secrete a sap that aphids love. 

Once they suck up all that sap, they excrete what’s called honeydew, which leaves things covered in a sugary mess. 

Aphids aren’t the only honeydew-producing insect, but they are the most common culprit of why linden trees are so messy. 

There are two ways you can get rid of aphids, the first one is spraying down your tree with a hard spraying hose as often as you can. This will help get rid of aphids, by making it difficult for them to come back to the tree, and they most likely won’t.

The second is using insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to get rid of aphids. By using a spray as we mentioned above, you can have peace of mind treating your tree, knowing aphids won’t come back!

The last thing we covered was what to plant instead of linden trees if you’re thinking of adding to your landscape.

Some trees you can plant instead of linden trees are:

  • Allegheny Serviceberry, Amelanchier laevis
  • Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida
  • River Birch, Betula nigra
  • Loebner’s Magnolia ‘Leonard Messel’, Magnolia x loebneri
  • Redbud, Cercis canadensis

Well, that’s all we have today on why linden trees are so messy and what you can plant instead.

Thanks for sticking around with us on your tree journey, and we wish you the best of luck on your Tree Journey!

References 

Braun, Mihály, Zita Margitai, Albert Tóth, and Martine Leermakers. “Environmental monitoring using linden tree leaves as natural traps of atmospheric deposition: A pilot study in Transilvania, Romania.” Landscape & Environment 1, no. 1 (2007): 24-35.

Dahlsten, D., A. Hajek, D. Clair, S. Dreistadt, D. Rowney, and V. Lewis. “Pest management in the urban forest.” California Agriculture 39, no. 1 (1985): 21-22.

Evert, R. F., W. Eschrich, J. T. Medler, and F. J. Alfieri. “Observations on penetration of linden branches by stylets of the aphid Longistigma caryae.” American Journal of Botany 55, no. 7 (1968): 860-874.

Koch, Hauke, and Philip C. Stevenson. “Do linden trees kill bees? Reviewing the causes of bee deaths on silver linden (Tilia tomentosa).” Biology letters 13, no. 9 (2017): 20170484.

Olkowski, W., H. Olkowski, and R. VanDen Bosch. “Linden aphid parasite establishment.” Environmental Entomology 11, no. 5 (1982): 1023-1025.

A ladder rests against an orange tree full of fruit off center in an orchard.

9 Simple Steps To Pruning Your Orange Tree (And When To Do It)

Growing citrus trees is a process with its own challenges. However, you can prevent a lot of them by maintaining and pruning your orange tree properly!

In general, it’s best to prune your orange tree either before the blossoms appear or before the fruit begins to show.

You will need to take off suckers, damaged branches, and branches that interfere with growth. Pruning your orange tree is not just for superficial purposes—it’s also crucial to keep it healthy.

If you’re not sure where to start, keep reading this simple guide to pruning orange trees!

Steps For Pruning Your Orange Tree

Why Do You Even Need To Prune Your Orange Tree?

When you prune your orange tree, you need to make sure you know how to do it properly. If you take off too many branches (or don’t take enough), the health of your orange tree will suffer.

While there are general guidelines to follow when pruning trees in general, citrus trees also have certain requirements that other trees don’t.

A lot of people prune their trees to keep them looking nice and from becoming a neighborhood burden. While pruning your orange tree will accomplish that, there are many other reasons it’s a necessary task.

Pruning Will Enhance Your Orange Tree’s Longevity

While it’s not the first thing that might come to mind, pruning your orange tree will actually help it live longer.

If you’re going to put forth the time and effort to even have a citrus tree in the first place, it’s essential to take care of your investment!

Another thing that will help prolong your orange tree’s longevity is making sure that you plant it in the best possible place.

Pruning Helps Manage Sunlight Distribution

Carefully selecting which branches to remove helps your tree receive light equally throughout. Otherwise, some branches might not ever see the sun!

Remember, plants use the sunlight that reaches their leaves to convert nutrients into usable food. Ensuring the leaves on your citrus tree get enough light helps your tree stay healthy.

Here’s a bit more detail on why orange trees need full sun if you’d like more info on that.

Prevent Problems In Your Orange Tree By Pruning

If you notice problematic branches, removing them allows the rest of your tree to continue
growing healthily. That may seem counterintuitive, but it’s true!

Otherwise, your tree will spend unnecessary energy trying to repair and send resources to these damaged branches!

Pruning Gives You Bigger, Better Fruit Harvests

You might think that removing branches from orange trees results in less fruit. However, the opposite is actually true.

By pruning extra branches, you give your orange tree the opportunity to spend its energy growing more oranges. Not only that, your orange tree produces bigger, better fruit.

In short, if you want to get more oranges, better quality fruit, and want to keep your tree growing a long, healthy life, you need to prune it.

But what’s the best way to do this?

A close up of three oranges on a leafy branch of a tree.

1. Choose The Right Time To Prune

If your tree is growing outdoors, you have a tighter timeline in which to prune your orange tree. This will also depend on where you live, and the climate in your area.

The short answer is you should prune your orange tree between February and April.

The more accurate answer is that orange trees in cool climates are best pruned when the weather starts to warm around the end of February, or even late March. If you live in a hotter climate, you can often start pruning earlier if the weather is right.

If you really have to prune in winter, only take off small branches. However, it really depends on your specific orange tree.

You can choose between two options: prune just after you see fruit beginning to appear or prior to seeing blooms on your tree.

For a deeper dive into timing, check out our full article on the absolute best time to prune large trees.

2. Get The Right Pruning Supplies

Once the time is right, you need to make sure you have the right supplies on hand. Most
gardeners have at least one set of pruning shears on.

However, to properly prune your orange tree, you should have a few different tools.

(Remember, you’ll be trimming branches of various sizes, and the shears you use for your rose bush can’t hope to take on a thick tree branch.)

You will need:

  • Hand shears (for smaller branches under 1” thick)
  • Pole pruning shears (these are necessary to remove branches higher in the canopy)
  • Pruning saw (for use when removing much larger, thicker branches)
  • Loppers (these are for moderately thick branches that need more force to remove)
  • Safety glasses (you might not see this on every supply list, but they are crucial to
    keeping flying wood shards off the most sensitive parts of your face

While it may sound like a large investment, high-quality tools can last you throughout the lifespan of your tree (and are equally useful throughout your garden).

3. Clean Your Tools

Even if you purchase brand-new tools to prune orange trees, it’s still important to give them a good clean before you start.

Sure, you might think they’re clean because you don’t see any gunk or dirt on them. Unfortunately, microbes and other small pests can linger and go unnoticed.

If you do see some build-up on your shears, carefully wipe it off with a damp cloth, and dry
thoroughly. To sterilize your shears, isopropyl alcohol is the tried and true solution to use.

If you need further proof, the University of Florida touts this as the recommended method to sterilize gardening tools.

Note: While alcohol is useful for sterilizing gardening tools, it’s important to keep your tools well lubricated and treated to avoid rust. This not only keeps your pruning shears in good shape, but it also helps them smoothly slice through branches (preventing unnecessary damage to your tree).

It’s also a good idea to use clean protective gloves before you prune orange trees. This serves two purposes. First, it protects your hands from splinters, flying debris, and other accidents.

Second, it also helps prevent the potential spread of bacteria or pests to your tree. (This means, don’t use the same gloves you used for weeding last week to prune your orange tree today).

4. Assess Your Tree’s Pruning Needs

This is the part where a lot of gardeners struggle, and for good reason.

Now, there are some circumstances where you’ll know that certain branches need to be pruned off. For example, if you see a broken branch, you need to remove it before it causes further issues.

Or, if the tree is struggling to support the weight of a certain branch (and it is, therefore, likely to splinter or break in the future), pruning it can prevent damage before it happens.

In other cases, you may notice a sickly-looking branch. Again, that’s a branch that needs to go before it spreads damage to the rest of the tree.

Don’t Be A “Sucker”

Another part of your tree that needs tending? Suckers.

Because most orange trees (and citrus trees in general) are grafted from another plant (the rootstock), they often develop suckers, which are branches that often grow from the lower parts of the main stem of a tree.

It’s important to remove these as soon as you see them, lest they take essential resources from the main tree.

Remove branches that cross into the space of other main branches. Not only are these extra branches taking up sunlight from productive branches, but they can also run against or damage otherwise healthy branches!

Of course, there are also different steps you’ll take when pruning mature orange trees, versus pruning sapling orange trees.

Pruning A Mature Tree

Mature trees don’t often need pruning. In fact, pruning your mature orange try should be more of a rarity than a regular practice.

However, if you notice problematic branches or suckers, you still need to prune them to maintain your tree’s health.

It’s important to inspect your orange tree, even if it isn’t currently producing fruit.

Even if your tree is fully grown, you’ll still need to water it correctly. For a detailed guide on how, read our article on how often you should actually water an orange tree.

Pruning Saplings And Nursery Trees

These young citrus trees are where you really need to focus more on shaping and pruning.

The younger the tree, the less incidence of scarring and permanent damage from pruning and making large cuts.

When you prune a young orange tree, you’re removing extra, unnecessary branches that stray from the main branch of the bulk of the canopy. This is also a crucial time to inspect your tree and thin out weaker or sickly-looking branches.

There are a few other pruning tasks you’ll need to put on your checklist for a juvenile orange tree.

If you’re getting your orange tree from a nursery, this next part may, in fact, already be done for you. If not, you’re going to need to cut back the branches significantly. (Yes, it sounds harsh, but it’s best for the overall longevity of orange trees!)

Try to cut the branches as close to one-half and one foot as possible. Next is a guideline most new orange tree growers really struggle with. Cut off the first fruits.

You’re surely thinking, “but aren’t the oranges the reason I’m growing this tree?” And, of course, they are. However, if your young tree is focused on producing fruit, it’s spending its limited resources on creating a few oranges, rather than on vegetative growth.

Vegetative growth is the stage before plants begin flowering, fruiting, and reproductive stages. If any plant does not have enough vegetative growth, it ultimately won’t be able to produce as good of a harvest as a plant that has had time to fully develop through the vegetative stage.

Two hands wearing yellow gardening gloves use small pruners to prune a small branch from a young tree or shrub with smooth bark.

5. Start Removing Branches!

Once your gear is ready and you’ve inspected your tree for areas that need maintenance, it’s time to get down to the real work: removing branches from your orange tree.

Before you get started, there are a few things you need to know. We’re going to discuss not only the different types and widths of branches you remove but also the tools you need to handle each.

There are a few categories of branches, according to diameter, that you need to consider.

Small Branches

We will consider branches that are thinner than one inch (about two and a half centimeters) in diameter to be “little”.

These can typically undergo pruning with a set of sharp, well-maintained, hand shears.

Medium Branches

Once stems and branches are thicker (up to a few inches in diameter) long-handled shears, often called loppers, are the tool to use.

Loppers often have larger blades, and the elongated handle makes it easier to gain the leverage you need to cut through woody growth.

Large Branches

To remove even larger branches, you will likely need to use a pruning saw. You can choose different lengths and shapes to best suit the needs of the branches you need to remove.

If you don’t feel comfortable using a pruning saw or climbing high on a ladder, remember that there is no shame in hiring an arborist!

6. Get Rid Of Suckers And Small Branches

You will want to start pruning the branches of your orange tree in an orderly manner. To keep track of where you are in the pruning process, many people choose to work from smallest to largest.

We will also follow the steps of pruning from the smallest branches to the largest. We will begin with the suckers.

Suckers are small shoots of growth that often appear near the base of your tree. Because many citrus trees are cultivated through grafting, it’s very common to see suckers on your orange tree.

Remove suckers as soon as you notice them. You can usually use a small pair of hand shears to snip them off near the base. If you allow them to grow, they often end up taking away nutrients from the rest of the orange tree.

When pruning a young tree, you will also remove smaller branches to help shape the tree.
However, when dealing with an older tree, removing smaller branches, especially those that emerge from larger branches, keeps your tree’s resources going to the most important parts.

7. Remove Larger Branches

There are multiple reasons to remove larger branches. One major reason is to keep other
branches and limbs healthy. As branches grow, they tend to damage, rub against, or even steal sunlight and other resources from the other branches.

Removing medium to large branches from the lower parts of the main trunk is often done to keep the orange tree looking good. In mature trees, these branches often don’t come back after pruning.

As you move to prune the canopy, you won’t often cut off an entire branch. The only
reason you would do this is the case of significant damage or illness.

Canopy branches can be harder to reach (and are often more established branches) so you’ll need to use your tools for big branches (many of these may be too big even for loppers, so a pruning saw or a pole saw may be necessary).

Special Considerations For Cutting Large Branches

If you’re pruning the canopy for maintenance, you only need to remove the last third of the branch. This keeps the shape of your tree intact and often frees up enough space to prevent issues with other canopy branches.

However, if you’re removing a branch that causes a lot of issues because it’s too overgrown,
you can remove the entire branch. You simply won’t have that branch available to produce fruit in the next growing season.

If you do need to remove the entire branch, make your cut just at the collar of the branch.

What is the collar? It’s simply the spot where the branch raises out from the main stem. The
reason to cut here is to encourage better healing and prevent issues that can result from
making drastic cuts.

8. Remove Damaged Or Dying Orange Tree Branches

When you remove damaged or diseased branches from your orange tree, you’re likely to be getting rid of larger branches. So you can keep the same tools at hand. Removing large,
damaged branches is a bit different than removing big branches to maintain the canopy.

You’ll also cut the branch differently. Rather than removing the outer third of the branch, you’ll take off the entire thing. And, rather than cutting the branch at the collar, you’ll remove the branch flush with the collar.

Basically, you’re cutting the entire branch off, and from the origin. When you cut off the branch, you should be able to see healthy wood from the main trunk or stem on the other side of your cut.

Because this is a very drastic cut, you may need to cover the remaining area with protective tree paint to allow your orange tree time to heal and prevent infection. You can also use a spray like the Tanglefoot Tree Pruning Sealer for convenience.

9. Remove Orange Fruit

There are two different instances in which you’ll remove the fruit: thinning out and harvesting.

Harvests can happen all at once, or a couple of times throughout the season, depending on the maturity of your oranges.

Don’t rely on color alone to determine when to pick an orange. Oranges are rarely the same perfect shade of orange you might imagine. Not only that, but different varieties of orange trees also produce fruits that have different coloring.

If you know how large your oranges should grow, you can use that as one indicator. Another way to tell if your oranges are ripe is by smell. Ripe oranges have a sweet smell that you can pick up as you walk around your tree.

It’s easy to make the mistake of thinking there’s one specific month in which you’ll harvest. Just as different varieties of oranges produce different fruit, they also have different timelines for a typical harvest.

For example, Valencia oranges may be ready in March, while Clementines are often ready around October. When your oranges are ready, you can easily pull the fruit from the tree by hand.

Of course, for fruits higher in the canopy, you may need a ladder or a tool like the Achort Fruit Picker Tool to help you grab oranges from the high branches.

A cluster of small ripe oranges at the end of a tree branch full of green leaves.

Thinning Out Fruit Can Bring A Better Harvest

Thinning out oranges is just as important as pruning if you want a bountiful harvest. Those that are new to growing orange trees may find themselves aghast at the thought of removing fruit before it goes to harvest.

However, by sacrificing a few fruits early on, you do get a better harvest later.

Too many underdeveloped fruits put strain on the branches (which can also lead to damage). Not only that, but when you thin out fruit, you allow your tree the resources it needs to grow better oranges this season.

Simply remove some of the oranges when you notice them beginning to grow, and target those on branches if they seem to sag with too much weight. In the next growing season, you’ll notice a higher yield and better quality oranges.

The one exception to this rule is when you grow orange trees in containers. If growing orange trees indoors, only remove fruit as needed, and when ready to harvest.

If you’re thinking of growing a tree indoors, first read up with our article on the 7 easiest fruits to grow indoors.

Bonus: How To Prune An Orange Hedge!

Not all oranges come from the typical orange tree often we think of. While still technically orange trees, they can be grown as hedges!

Essentially, it comes down to selective shaping and pruning. You can prune your orange hedge in much the same way you prune an orange tree. However, you also use some of the techniques you do for pruning hedges.

With orange hedges, the goal is to allow sunlight to reach as many parts of the plant as possible. Keep branches near the bottom longer, and decrease their length as you near the top. This allows lower branches to continue receiving enough light to keep growing quality fruit.

We have all the info on the most common places where orange trees grow. Is your home located in one of these places?

Pruning Orange Trees—It Really Is That Simple

If you correctly prune orange trees, as we’ve shown in this guide, you can look forward to a tree with many good harvests to come. Remember, always use the right safety gear and clean tools. Then, just follow the simple steps above and enjoy your orange tree for all the years to come.

References

Burns, R. M., Boswell, S. B., & Atkin, D. R. (1970). Influences of skirt pruning on orange tree
yield. Citrograph, 55, 413-14.

Kallsen, C. E. (2005). Topping and manual pruning effects on the production of commercially valuable fruit in a midseason Navel Orange variety. HortTechnology, 15(2), 335-341.

Kumar, E. V., Srivenkataramana, T., & Sundararaj, N. (1985). Branch sampling for estimating
the number of fruit on a tree. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 110(3), 451-454.

a famous elm tree in yosemite valley

Elm Tree Timeline: How Long Until They Reach Maturity

There are many elm trees you can grow in your yard depending on where you live, what size elm tree you want, and the overall look you prefer.

Another important consideration is how quickly your elm tree will grow. While some species can grow slower, most elm tree varieties grow 3 to 6 feet per year.

Here we will cover what to expect during each stage of an elm tree’s life from seed to mature tree. We will also help you determine which species is best for your yard and give you some tips on how to keep your tree healthy and happy for its lifetime and yours!

Full Timeline Of An Elm From Seed To Tree

An elm tree that has been trained to have low hanging branches. The canopy of the tree hangs low enough to almost brush the grass.

So you’re thinking about growing an elm tree of your own to add beauty and shade to your yard? But how long will it take? What can you expect?

Since most elm species grow at about the same rate per year, the time to reach maturity mostly depends on how tall the tree gets.

We’ve done the research for you and put together a full description of what to expect and how to grow your very own elm tree from seed to a fully mature tree!

The American elm can reach a height of 80 to 130 feet tall and will reach maturity (full height) in 30 to 40 years. The Chinese elm can reach a height of 40 to 50 feet tall and will reach maturity in 20 to 25 years.

If you have considered planting an elm tree, oak trees might have crossed your mind as well. To learn more about the differences between elm and oak trees, check out this article!

Day 0: Selecting Your Seed Or Sapling Species

Before you grow an elm tree, you’ll have to decide what species and/or variety of elm tree you want to grow. We cover how big different species get and where they grow best later in this article.

Keep in mind, Dutch Elm Disease (DED) can harm many of the native elm species in North America and Europe. If you decide to grow one of these species, there are several cultivars which have been selected and bred to resist DED. Clemson University has a list of some of the resistant American elm cultivars that are currently available.

You can easily grow a healthy, beautiful elm tree from a seed, or you can start with a small sapling.

If you’re looking for seeds, mature elm trees will drop several hundred seeds within a 300-foot radius of the tree. If you don’t have an elm tree nearby to collect seeds from, you can usually find a sapling at your local garden center.

Day 1 To Day 90: How To Plant Your New Elm Tree Seedling

If you decide to go the seed route, be prepared to sow a lot of seeds to get a few to sprout. Elm seeds do not remain viable for long after falling from the adult tree. You should try to collect them within a few weeks of them falling from the adult tree in spring for the best results.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take to get your elm tree seeds to grow into a tree:

  • Dry the seeds: After you collect your elm tree seeds, allow them to air dry indoors on a paper towel for 1 to 3 days.
  • Prepare your potting mix: You want to have well-drained soil for good germination. You can do this by adding equal parts of regular potting soil together with sand and mixing well.
  • Prepare your planting tray: Fill a shallow tray with 2 to 3 inches of your potting mix and thoroughly water it. Make sure the tray has drainage holes in the bottom to keep the potting mix well drained.
  • Plant your seeds: Simply lay the elm tree seeds you’ve collected about 1 inch apart from each other across the top of the potting mix. Barely cover the seeds with extra potting mix by sprinkling a thin layer over them. Gently water the top layer of soil so it is moist.
  • Place the container in a dark area: You don’t want to expose your tray to sunlight until your seedlings grow. Keep your planting tray in a dark cool area of your house and check every couple of days to see if the seeds have sprouted. Keep the soil moist without over watering or the seeds will rot.

In 2 weeks to 2 months, you should start to see your elm trees sprouting. After they begin to sprout, you can move them to a window that gets around 6 hours of sunlight per day. Once the saplings reach about 2 inches tall, you’ll want to thin them out so that the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches apart.

Once the seedlings have several leaves on them, they are ready to be planted in individual pots. Use the same potting mix as you did for germinating the seeds (equal parts of potting soil and sand) and transfer your seedlings into individual pots. It’s best to get a 1-gallon pot with drainage holes and a saucer.

The HC Companies 8″ Classic Planter and their matching 8″ Classic Saucer are perfect for your seedling to grow into a sapling. They also come in several colors so you can match them to your personal style.  

You can now move your seedling outside!

Day 90 To 1 Year: Watching Your Seedling Become A Sapling

During the first year of the seedling’s life, you will want to keep your seedling from getting too much direct sun. While adult trees thrive in full sunlight, seedlings do better in partial sunlight. Make sure the seedling doesn’t get over 2 to 2.5 hours of direct sunlight per day, preferably earlier in the day.

Also, make sure that you keep your seedling watered without over-watering. Having the seedling in a pot with drainage holes will help prevent over-watering.

The first year of life for an elm tree is a vulnerable time when it is most susceptible to dying. Watch for any signs of declining health, such as yellowing leaves or stunting, and make sure you follow the recommendations for sunlight and water.

Depending on where you live, you will want to bring your seedling inside if there is a sudden drop in temperatures below freezing. The seedling will harden and become tolerant to the cold after experiencing several weeks of temperatures between 32°F and 50°F.

If your seedling hasn’t had enough exposure to temperatures that will harden and protect it from freezing cold temperatures, you will want to move it inside if temperatures suddenly drop below freezing.

Year 1 to Year 3: Transplanting Your Elm Sapling And Watching It Grow

If you started out with a sapling instead of a seed, this is where your elm tree journey will begin.

Getting to the sapling stage requires a fair amount of effort and care. You may want to start out with a sapling instead of a seed, depending on the time and effort you want to spend growing your elm tree early on.

Timing is critical when transplanting your sapling. You’ll want to transplant your elm tree sapling in early spring after the threat of frost has passed. You will also want to transplant before temperatures get too warm so that your new sapling has time to get used to its new environment before summer weather becomes too harsh.

The act of transplanting a sapling is stressful for the plant no matter how good of a job you do. By transplanting at the right time, you prevent the added stress of environmental factors such as temperature from further stressing the sapling.

Finding the right location in your yard to plant your sapling is also critical. After the first year, elm saplings grow best in full sunlight and well-drained soil. Elm trees are pretty hardy, are drought tolerant, and shouldn’t require annual fertilizer in most situations.

Make sure the spot you plan to plant your elm tree sapling gets plenty of sunlight and provides enough space for the adult tree to grow into. Keep in mind that planting your elm tree too close to sidewalks or driveways may lead to concrete damage as the tree becomes larger. Later in this article, we go over how big different adult elm tree species grow.

It is normal to see your elm tree sapling become a little stressed after being transplanted because of the environmental changes it experiences by being moved into the ground and getting direct sunlight.

Don’t worry, as long as you pick the right spot and make sure it has the correct amount of sunlight and water, it will thrive before you know it!

To minimize the amount of stress your elm tree sapling undergoes during transplanting, follow these steps:

  • Dig the hole at least twice as wide as the pot the sapling is currently in. This will ensure that when you place your sapling, and fill the hole back in with the loosened dirt you dug up, the roots have room to grow into some new soil that isn’t already compacted.
  • Place your sapling in the hole. You may need to add some dirt back into the hole if you dug it too deep. That’s okay, you want to have some loosened dirt below the root ball as well. Make sure when you fill in the hole, the dirt does not go more than an inch above where the soil level was on the trunk while in the pot. This will help ensure roots which have been developing near the surface of the soil in the pot don’t get buried so deep that they get stressed.
  • Fill the hole with dirt and press it down gently. It may be helpful to have a second person hold the sapling straight while you fill the hole with dirt to ensure it doesn’t move.
  • Water the elm tree thoroughly immediately after transplanting it.
  • Mulch the area right around your new tree. This will help the soil retain moisture and reduce competition from weeds. Use 3 inches of pine bark mulch for the best results.

Make sure you continue to water your newly transplanted elm tree weekly if you don’t get rain. Stop weekly watering once temperatures drop during fall.

You’re now one step closer to having yourself a fantastic, large shade tree that you can enjoy for decades to come!

Eager to see your tree mature? Check out our article on the 12 fastest growing deciduous trees for a complete list.

Year 3 To 10: Maintain The Shape Of Your Elm Tree

By the third year of growth, and possibly before depending on the individual tree and how healthy it is, pruning will become extremely important to ensure you end up with a gorgeous elm tree when it is fully grown.

Pruning, when done correctly, will eliminate limbs while they are still a manageable size to remove. Pruning also helps ensure you end up with a straight, symmetrical tree.

Not sure how to go about pruning? Luckily, we have created a guide on just when and how to prune large trees with plenty of helpful tips!

If you are not comfortable or knowledgeable about pruning, it is best to reach out to an ISA-certified arborist for help. While the correct pruning will insure a beautiful tree, incorrect pruning can cause a dead tree. Pruning can also be dangerous, so do not hesitate to call in a professional.

You should also fertilize your new elm tree in the spring one year after you transplant it. After that, your elm tree shouldn’t need fertilizer unless your soil quality is extremely poor. Follow the fertilizer directions exactly because too much fertilizer can harm your new elm tree.

Make sure you continue to replace the mulch around your elm tree annually to help retain soil moisture, reduce competition from weeds, and provide extra nutrients and organic matter to the soil as it decomposes.

Year 10 And Beyond: Sit Back And Enjoy The Shade

Around age 10, the need for annual pruning should be over as the tree is now maturing and should have a good form at this point. It may still be a good idea to have a professional come out every few years to assess your elm tree’s health and remove any branches that may be damaged during severe weather.

Your elm tree will start producing flowers and seeds around year 15. This will attract many birds which you can enjoy watching while you sit in the shade of your elm tree. 

Check out the information below regarding pests that might attack your elm tree so you know what to look out for and how to manage those pests if they hurt your elm tree.

Did you know that elms are one of the faster growing shade trees? To see the other 10 easy to plant shade trees, take a look at our article where we reveal them all!

What Type Of Elm Tree Is Right For Your Yard?

A close up of the branch of an elm tree full of green leaves and seeds.

With over 30 elm tree species available to choose from, there are plenty of unique leaves, bark textures, and overall shapes and sizes to consider. However, the two most important factors to consider are (1) the space you have available to grow the tree and (2) if the species grows in your USDA plant hardiness zone.  

Where And How Tall Do Elm Trees Grow?

Most elm tree species grow to be 30 to 70 feet tall and 30 to 60 feet wide. However, the American elm can grow up to 130 feet tall and 120 feet wide! 

Below is a chart you can reference for the mature tree size, hardiness zone, and DED resistance status when choosing the elm tree species you want to grow. Remember, some species also have multiple cultivars available if you want an elm tree that is resistant to DED or certain insect pests. 

SpeciesMaximum Height (feet)Maximum Width (feet)Hardiness ZoneDED Resistance
American elm (Ulmus americana)80-13060-1202a – 9bCertain cultivars are resistant to DED
Chinese lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia)40-5035-505b-10aYes
Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra)40-6035-506a-9aNo
Scotch elm(Ulmus glabra)70-10050-704a-6aNo
Siberian elm(Ulmus pumila)50-7035-504a-9aYes

How Long Do Elm Trees Live?

Elm trees have an average lifespan of 100 to 150 years. Shorter-lived species such as the Chinese elm may only live for 50 years. On the other hand, American elms can live much longer with some trees being over 300 years old!

How To Keep Your Elm Tree Healthy And Happy

An elm tree looking at the canopy from below. The moss covered trunk is prominent with the branches full of leaves above.

One of the biggest concerns homeowners have about planting elm trees is the well-known Dutch Elm Disease (DED). DED first hit North America in the early 1900s and wiped out millions of elm trees. It is estimated that DED has affected between 20 and 40 million elm trees in North America since its arrival.

DED is spread to elm trees by tiny bark beetles that carry DED and spread it when they burrow into the tree to lay their eggs. The most common sign of DED infection is leaf wilting usually on a single branch of the tree. DED will slowly move throughout the tree, sometimes taking years, causing the tree to ultimately perish if it has no resistance to DED.

The best prevention for DED in your elm tree is to plant a resistant species. 

Resistant elm species can still be infected, but they can often overcome DED. To add a layer of protection to your elm tree, try to keep your elm tree healthy by properly pruning, fertilizing, and watering it early on. The beetles that spread DED to elm trees are often more attracted to stressed elm trees.

Several other pathogens can cause damage to your elm tree. Most of them are transmitted by insects just like DED. To keep insects from feeding on and damaging your elm tree, it is recommended to use insecticides.

The easiest method for this is to use an insecticide you can apply using soil drenches.

Soil drenching is a method for applying insecticide where you pour the insecticide around the base of the tree and water it in. Soil drenches can usually be applied once a year and provide protection all year from various insect pests.

Soil drenching is preferred to foliar sprays, especially once trees reach maturity when it is extremely difficult to get the entire tree sufficiently covered to prevent insect damage.

With a soil drench, the insecticide is absorbed through the roots into all the parts of the tree, so when insects ingest any part of the tree, they are ingesting the insecticide.

We recommend Bonide Annual Tree and Shrub Insect Control, which will provide year-long insect control for your elm tree. 

Make sure you read and follow all the label directions when applying any insecticide to prevent damage to your plants and/or to yourself. 

References

Harvey, R. B. 1980. Length of exposure to low temperatures as a factor in the hardening process in tree seedlings. Journal of Forestry 28:50-53.

Merkle, S.A., Andrade, G.M., Nairn, C.J., Powell, W.A. and Maynard, C.A., 2007. Restoration of threatened species: a noble cause for transgenic trees. Tree Genetics & Genomes, 3(2), pp.111-118.

Strobel, G.A. and Lanier, G.N., 1981. Dutch elm disease. Scientific American, 245(2), pp.56-67.

Growing a maple tree from a seed

Four Simple Steps To Grow Your Maple Tree From A Seed

Maple trees are one of the most popular types of trees throughout the United States and Canada! Maple trees are known not only for the syrup they produce but for their beautiful, leafy canopies and brilliantly bright fall foliage.

If you want to plant a maple tree in your yard or garden, there is no need to purchase a sapling or young maple tree – you can grow a maple tree from just a seed. 

As long as you are adequately prepared with the right knowledge to help you cultivate your maple tree from day one, you can grow a fully mature maple tree from just one seed.

Read on for four simple steps to growing a maple tree from a seed, including some pointers about which type of maple tree to choose, how to plant the seed, and how to care for your maple tree well into its adult life!

1. Choose A Type Of Maple Tree

There are a number of different varieties of a maple tree, including some of the more popular like the sugar maple, red maple, and silver maple.

How to grow a maple tree from a seed infographic

Which type you choose depends on what you’re looking for your tree to provide!

Let’s take a look at a few different examples to give you an idea of what might work best in your yard. 

Growing Sugar Maple Trees From Seed

The sugar maple is identified by leaves with sparse teeth, a pale green color on the underside of the leaves, and a greenish-yellow flower that grows at the same time as spring leaf growth. 

Sugar maple leaves turn yellow, red, or dark orange in autumn, and these trees are known for their beautiful fall foliage.

A grove of sugar maples with yellow fall foliage.

Sugar maples can grow to as high as 75 feet with a canopy that can be 50 feet wide when the trees are fully grown. 

Sugar Maples Grow Slowly

One potential downside of planting a sugar maple tree from a seed is that the sugar maple is a fairly slow-growing tree, growing only a foot or two per year.

But if you are not in a hurry to see a mature sugar maple tree, this might work well for you, giving you lots of time to enjoy the tree’s growth and make sure it is in the right spot, as you can move it more easily the smaller it is.

Sugar Maples Like Humidity

Like most varieties of a maple tree, the sugar maple prefers a lot of sun, though in super hot and dry climates, it might grow better as a sapling with some afternoon shade.

Sugar maple trees prefer to live in climates that are cool and experience a good deal of rain and humidity, so this tree variety may not be ideal for the southwestern states, which are normally very sunny, dry, and often hot. 

Sugar Maples Make Great Shade Trees

Sugar maples make great shade trees, so if this is part of your desire to plant a tree, this might be the right variety for you.

The sugar maple grows abundant leaves, making the space under the tree very shady in all seasons except winter, and the number of leaves when they start to change color makes for a beautiful display of fall foliage. 

If it’s shade you’re looking for, maple trees are some of the best. In fact, we listed 6 more reasons maple trees make amazing shade trees!

And, lastly, sugar maples do live up to their name, producing a sweet sap that can be used to make maple syrup.

While you probably don’t plan to collect the maple sap from your tree and eat it, it’s good to be aware that it is there, as it can leak if the tree breaks or you cut a branch from it. So, in that case, be prepared with a bucket or container to catch sap so you don’t end up with a lot of sticky syrup in your yard!

For Fall Color Choose A Red Maple Tree

Red maple trees are named for the brilliant red color their leaves turn in the fall. This bright autumn foliage is a draw for many people who travel many miles to see leaves changing color in the fall.

There are sub-varieties of red maples, such as the aptly named Autumn Blaze maple tree, which looks as though its leaves are a bright, colorful fire throughout the autumn months. 

Red maples are particularly plentiful in the northeast United States, where their bright fall colors are well-known. In fact, while it might seem like continued development of areas of the U.S. in the past decades would have meant fewer trees, the population of red maple trees in the northeast has grown quite a bit during the twentieth century. 

Red Maples Do Well In Urban Environments

Also, red maples are among the species of trees that have been found to do well in urban environments, so this tree can work very well for a yard in a more populated city. 

While red maples are frequently found in New England and surrounding parts of the country, they can be planted in most gardening zones provided they have the right initial planting conditions and are planted at the right time of year.

If you are interested in planting a maple tree with particularly brilliant fall leaves, a variety of red maple might be right for you. 

Planting A Silver Maple Tree

A single red and orange maple leaf on an otherwise bare branch.

Silver maple trees are fast-growing and they do best in very moist soil, so keep that in mind if you live in a dry climate.

Like most maple trees, the silver maple can be grown in a number of environments, but it may not do well in a dry, hot climate, and it will need special care anywhere that is not naturally rainy with a lot of cooler or even cold weather.

Silver maple trees grow quickly, and they can grow to be as tall as 80 feet. Like other maples, they are great to plant as shade trees. If you do decide to grow this variety, bookmark our guide on the best places to plant sugar maple trees.

Silver Maples Have Beautiful Colors

Silver maples earned their name because of the silvery color found on the underside of the leaves. The leaves of the silver maple turn yellow in the fall, and the underneath of the leaves stays silver. 

While these trees are not known to be as spectacularly bright in autumn as some other types of maple trees, you might consider a silver maple tree if you want something interesting in your yard for fall or something a little more subdued to pair with a brighter tree. 

Here’s our full sugar maple tree growth timeline if you’d like more info on growing one!

Choosing Other Varieties Of Maple Tree

There are many other varieties of maple trees, too, like Japanese maple, a popular tree that is very different from the standard maple trees you are likely to find in a northeastern United States forest.

For more standard varieties, there are Norway maples, paperbark maples, and boxelder maples.

You can choose whichever type of maple tree works best for what you want, whether that be the size of the mature tree, the color of the fall leaves, or the rate at which the tree grows. If you’re curious about the pros and cons of different types of maple trees, head on over to our article for a full list of maple tree variations!

Most maple trees have similar needs regarding soil, water, and sunlight, so with only a few exceptions, our general guidelines here are applicable to the type of maple tree you decide to grow from seed. If you’d like a specific fast growing maple, take a peak at our guide on the fastest growing maple trees as well.

2. Choose A Spot To Plant Your Maple Tree

Two maple trees in a park behind a grass field. One tree has yellow foliage and the other has orange foliage.

Once you have chosen the type of maple tree you want to plant and have acquired the seeds, the next step is to choose a spot to plant your maple tree.

Most maple trees want to be located in a cooler climate and they need a lot of water, plus some moisture in the air. In fact, maple trees should be watered twice a week! For more information, check out our article on why maple trees need so much water!

If you have determined that you live in a suitable climate, you can plant the seeds directly in your yard. 

Starting Your Tree In A Container

If you are concerned about the location of your maple tree, or you want to have more control over the soil, water, water drainage, and sunlight in your tree’s first year or so, you can start by planting your maple tree seedling in a container, like a large pot.

There are a number of advantages to this method, all of which relate to giving you more control over the maple seedling’s environment from day one. 

More Control Over Soil Makes For A Healthier Tree

Maple trees like a certain level of acidity in their soil, and that is not always compatible with some parts of the country, like the southwest.

If you want to give your maple seedling the best possible start, you can start by growing it in potting soil, which will be ideally formulated to help your seedling grow as well as possible. 

Potting soil, like this Miracle-Gro Garden Soil Trees & Shrubs, often also contains fertilizer and other nutrients to help your plants, like maple trees, grow faster and healthier from the very beginning.

A healthy seedling is the best possible start to a long-lived, healthy maple tree. 

Ensuring A Proper Watering Schedule

A common problem with planting maple tree seedlings, or any tree seedlings, especially in a part of the country where there may not be as many native maple trees, is controlling the amount of water your tree gets.

Planting your maple tree in a container will help you ensure that the tree is not only adequately watered but also that the water is draining properly from the roots of the tree. Too much water can be a bad thing.

To make sure your container drains well, you can start by buying a container that includes a drain at the bottom of the container itself. Then, help drainage even more by adding a layer of bark or even rocks at the bottom of the pot before you put in any soil. This can help your tree’s roots stay hydrated but healthy as you water them. 

Controlling The Location Of Your Tree

Choosing where to plant your tree can be a difficult decision. The tree will need a lot of sunlight, but, depending on how much sun your home normally gets, it might need a little shade, especially at the beginning of its life when it is just starting to establish its roots and branches. 

Being Able To Move Your Maple Tree

If you plant your maple tree in a container, you can place it in the best possible place to begin with, and you will be able to move the tree without having to dig it up and replant it, if you determine the location is not good.

A tip here is to put your container on a wheeled plant stand so you can move it more easily, as a large container full of wet soil is extremely heavy. 

Another bonus of being able to move your maple tree seedling in the first year or so of its life is that you will be able to take it indoors for the winter if you want to make sure it is not shocked or harmed by snow, ice, and extreme temperatures.

You Can Bring The Tree In For The Cold

While maple trees are very hardy trees able to withstand and even thrive in cold weather, as made evident by their native locations of the northeast United States and in Canada, young trees are more vulnerable than those that have been established. 

Rather than cover the seedling with burlap or a tree bag in the winter, if you have a maple tree in a pot, you can simply bring it indoors. This will also allow you to place the plant somewhere where it is easier to control the humidity around it, not just the temperature. This can be particularly valuable if you live in a very dry climate, as maple trees prefer moist air. 

Whether you plant your tree in a container or directly in the ground of your yard, picking a good location from the beginning can be the difference between a maple tree seedling that thrives and one that does not even survive. 

3. Turn Your Maple Tree Seeds Into Seedlings

A large maple tree with red fall leaves in front of snowy evergreen trees and a cloudy sky overhead.

Once you have chosen a location, you could just put the seeds in the ground and walk away, as this is, after all, how they grow naturally in forests.

The best time to germinate maple tree seeds is in the fall, and the best time to plant the seedlings will be in the spring, so plan accordingly.

While you might think that you will just be digging a hole and putting the maple tree seeds in, it is actually best to germinate the seeds first, which means to let them grow a little bit and start their roots, before you put them in the ground.

Building A Seedbed

To do this, you can build a seedbed. That can be a container you have built out of wood or it can be pots or containers, but you want to be able to control the environment, as the seeds will initially only be planted an inch or so under the soil. 

You should make sure all the soil around the area you want to plant the seed has been broken up, and you should remove any rocks or other objects that are not dirt.

You should begin your seedbed with nothing but the soil that was already there. 

When you are ready to plant, you might think that one tree equals one seed, but because so many seeds may not survive, it’s actually best to plant quite a few–as many as 50. Put the seeds about one inch below the surface of the soil.

Waiting For Seeds To Germinate

The process at this point can take a couple of months.

While your seeds are germinating, your main job is to keep the soil moist.

Sunlight is not as important at this stage, as the seeds are completed underground. 

Planting Your Tiny Maple Tree Seedlings

After a couple of months, when your seedling is several inches tall and has roots, you can move it to a more permanent location, be that outdoors in the ground or in a container as discussed above. 

If you are planting the tree outdoors in your chosen location, wait until early spring, after the winter has passed, then dig a hole that will cover the roots.

If your sapling is very small, it’s probably a good idea to put some type of fencing or protection around it so it doesn’t get accidentally walked on or hit with a lawnmower.  

Water the tree carefully, making sure to use a very gentle setting on your garden hose so the pressure of the water does not damage the tree. 

4. Caring For Your Maple Tree Sapling

The red leaves of a Japanese maple tree partially framing a snow capped Mount Fuji in the background.
Japanese red maple leaves in autumn

Once your tree has been planted, the basic care of your maple tree sapling can begin.

This really just means making sure the tree is protected from the elements and has plenty of water. But if you want to give your tree some added advantages, or you want it to grow faster, there are a few additional steps you can take. 

Using Fertilizer To Make Your Maple Tree Grow Faster

One way to boost the growth of your maple tree is to add some plant food to the soil around it, like these Miracle-Gro Tree and Shrub Plant Food Spikes.

These spikes go into the soil around your tree, providing added nutrients to the sapling as it grows.

Another option for a fertilizer that can easily be placed around growing trees is Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes for Trees & Shrubs, which also provide added nutrients in the soil around the base of your tree. 

For a deeper dive into the world of fertilizers, check out our list of the 5 best maple tree fertilizers!

Protecting Your Maple Tree From Wildlife and Accidents

One easy way to keep people from accidentally harming your tiny maple tree is to place a small garden fence around it.

This will keep anyone from walking on it or keeping any garden vehicles away.

If you are concerned about wildlife, you can also use fencing to keep animals away. Wildlife is not a big concern for a young maple tree at this point, but you might want to use fencing to discourage even your pets from trampling your tree. 

Long-Term Care Of Your Maple Tree

Maple trees are easy to care for once they are well-established in the ground, as long as you live in the right environment.

If you live in a hot, dry climate, you may find that the leaves experience some health issues and that you have to work very hard to give your tree enough water.

But in most parts of the United States, many varieties of maple trees will flourish without any extra help from you.

That’s A Wrap!

Now you are ready to choose the type of maple tree best for your yard, germinate seeds, and watch one of those new seedlings grow into a mature maple tree.

The different varieties of maple trees grow at different rates, so how quickly you see your tree mature will depend a lot on whether you have chosen a slow-growing or fast-growing maple tree.

But either way, your tree will eventually mature into a classic shade tree with beautiful fall foliage. 

For more information about growing your maple tree, check out our post on the full life of a maple tree, Maple Tree Timeline: How Long It Takes For Full Growth. 

Happy planting!

References

Abrams, M. D. (1998). “The red maple paradox.” BioScience, 48(5), 355-364.

Sonti, N. F., Hallett, R. A., Griffin, K. L., & Sullivan, J. H. (2019). “White oak and red maple tree ring analysis reveals enhanced productivity in urban forest patches.” Forest Ecology and Management, 453, 117626.

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