Proper planning makes a happy tree

By Stephanie Hughes

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

You can still plant a tree from the local garden center in your yard. But when you select a tree for your yard, some important considerations must be made.

Consider these items when choosing the best tree for your yard:

Size at maturity (height and width).

Hardiness zones. We are Zone 5.

Site conditions: sunny or shady, moist or dry soil, heavy or loamy soil, pH.

Resistance to our area’s pests, diseases and climate to keep the tree stress-free.

Maintenance required to keep it healthy, in bounds, and exactly what you want.

Two trees are a wonderful addition to any area, but the above considerations must be taken into account for a successful experience.

The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), the harbinger of spring, is a native, growing 20-30 feet tall. It is a four-season tree. Before any leaves come out, the flowers (actually bracts that surround tiny flowers) explode into a beautiful display. In summer there are red “berry” fruit for the birds. In fall the crimson and bronze leaves make quite an appearance. Then in winter the “alligator” bark shows well in the snow. It loves partial shade, and acidic, moist soil that is loamy and well-drained. It is an understory tree, meaning it thrives in the protection of larger trees (from winds, hot sun and snow). Though dogwoods do get aphids, anthracnose, powdery mildew and borers, if you take care to provide what it needs to thrive, a healthy tree can ward off many of these.

The Japanese maple is another eye-popping beauty. There are more than 700 varieties to choose from. It is smaller — 3-15 feet, and comes in a variety of colors: yellow/green, orange, red, bronze, purple. The leaf formation can be quite dazzling, from laceleaf to the broad bloodgood. It has four-season beauty as well, as the shape is as important as color and leaf formation. Some cascade like a waterfall, some slope down a hillside, some have similar horizontal branches as the dogwood. They are a bit pricey, so this should be considered an investment that will pay back dividends. It is more drought-tolerant, and can handle a bit more sun (dappled). Hardiness Zone 5 makes this a good candidate, though they can be short-lived (15-20 years). Protection from the afternoon sun and bitter Ohio winds, and good drainage are vital. Plant when the tree is dormant, but if not, after all danger of frost is past. Prune to enhance air circulation, for a healthy tree. Morning sun benefits both of these trees, as it dries the leaves quickly and inhibits anthracnose.

For more on deciduous trees for Ohio, see http://go.osu.edu/Ohiotrees.