my baby trees, willow and catalpa,& burr Oak non germ.

[Jacqueline Davidson]

I have several Catalpa tree babies that are healthy and thriving. Not my favorite tree, wouldn't you know. I plan to put them in gallon size planting cans (gardening cans) when they are a bit taller.

The Willows are doing very well too, each is about 2 feet tall now. I have moved them to larger pots and will keep them there until they are larger. Altogether I have about 6 now.

My Chinaberry seeds have not yet germinated, nor have the Burr Oak and Live Oak. So I don't know what to do with them. Any hints? I had placed them in good potting soil and I am keeping them moist. The Chinaberrys are outside on the patio in pots, the Oaks are in the sun room near the window. Any ideas?

We love trees and want to have many in our bare acre in the back.

Jackie, zone 7, Mississippi

[Jangchub]

Since I'm relatively certain you won't be pruning or doing any of the other things which you were directed to do, I beg of you first that you do not plant chinaberry. It is a noxious weed and is taking over many parts of the south, displacing the native trees.

If you do a simple search on how to germinate Burr Oak and Live Oak you will find it. I have seedlings coming up everywhere in the yard on all sides. I am going to pot them up and grow them out for a few years and sell them to the nursery I deal with. I don't actually germinate the oaks myself, they do it all on their own.

[symplastless]

Chinaberry tree is a close cousin of the neem tree. During the depression people that could not afford screens in windows would plant a chinaberry tree by the window. This kept the insects out. Also if you throw a couple of leaves from a chinaberry tree in your dog pen the fleas will flea. The fruits contain a pulp with a poisonous narcotic, and children, poultry, and pigs are reported to have been poisoned by them The tree is by no means new to the south just taking over. It has been around for a while.

Also a section on Chinaberry Tree, Melia azedarach. The tree produces medicinal substances that are narcotic, and deadly to insects, especially fleas and mosquitoes, Many trees produce medicinal substances that do benefit humankind in many ways. The nature of potentially beneficial properties of many of the inclusions in wood and bark are poorly understood. The saddest part of the story is that some of the trees that are called weeds may have some of the most valuable substances. They are the first to be cut. The tree may also form tyloses in vessels. A good picture of vessels of chinaberry can be found on page 53 of TREE ANATOMY by DR SHIGO.

A good book on seeds.

Seeds of Woody Plants in the United States Ag. Handbook No.450 By the US Forest Service, it is very good source for information on seeds. If you have a fax number I will fax the pages for the type of seeds you are interested in. Just email me your fax number and seeds interested in to [e-mail] and I will fax them ASAP.

[Jangchub]

?Symbol=MEAZ?id=5b68DsGlvVIC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&dq=chinaberry+noxious+weed&source=web&ots=GYz5HEfl7I&sig=hWslxF4fbQVHIC6TsGPs5tDZez0&hl=en#PPA181,M1 I continue or are these reliable resources enough to satisfy your ignorance?

[symplastless]

Name some of the unique features of chinaberry that make it helpful to humans. If you know any. If not, why?

You are one of those people calling trees weeds and know, nothing, about the unique features of the trees.