Choose trees for soil, wires

Q. I’m trying to plan what kinds of trees to plant come spring. What types of trees grow in wetlands? What trees grow in dry areas?

Joe from Poland

A. What a great time of year to plan for spring (it’s closer than you think!). Taking the time to plan before you plant trees is the most important step in planting the tree.

What are the features of the site you will be planting in? Take time to not only notice if the area is wet or dry, but what type of soil is in the area, what the nutrient levels are of the soil, what other plants are growing there and more.

Are there wires above or buried lines below? Be sure to call before you dig to ensure there are no underground lines. If you have a septic system, do you know where it is located?

Signs of a wet or poorly drained soil include standing water and regular patches of moss in the area. Standing water can be noticeable for a few hours after a rain or longer term due to runoff from other areas. Many trees will grow in a wet site that drains within a few hours after a rain. But sites that stay wet longer will need specific trees for a successful planting.

Several of the maples can stand wet sites, as can sweet gum and oaks. If the site is unusually wet, there are many willow options, as well as bald cypress and dawn redwood. These last two trees have unique characteristics, such as being a deciduous conifer (they look like an evergreen, but lose their needled leaves in the fall) and their roots can rise out of the ground as “knees” when grown in particularly wet sites.

Consider some large shrubs for wet sites. The native silky dogwood has a beautiful bloom in early June, filling in after the spring blooming plants and before the main summer blooming period. Spicebush, some viburnums and Virginia sweetspire are other options.

Dry sites can be due to soil conditions, but also due to lack of proper soil conditions due to construction. This includes areas around homes, driveways and between the street and sidewalks. The options for trees include everything from Ginkgo to maples, and beech to sycamore.

Complete lists of options are available at these links:

Trees and Shrubs for wet sites: http://go.osu.edu/wetsites.

Trees for wet or dry sites http://go.osu.edu/wetordry.

Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. Call the office hotline at 330-533-5538 to submit your questions. Regular clinic hours are over for the growing season, but you can still call and submit questions. Hours vary throughout the winter season.