Seek Suggestions for Privacy Tree

[openspaces]

Hi,

I'm in eastern Pa. Zone 6. I'm thinking of planting a single tree in the corner of my lot to block out an eyesore on the neighbor's property. I've seen some nice trees around here that would fit the bill, but nobody knows what they are or where to buy the same exact tree.

I'd like a deciduous tree that is nice and full of leaves in the spring to fall, and which is either round or oval (vertically). Also that has no branches until about 5 or 6 feet up the trunk. The road I live on has plenty of such trees, which are now 20 years old, and about 25 to

30 feet tall, are round, and fully leafed out spring to fall (can't see through them).

I want the tree to have a mature height of no more than 30 feet. Can be

20 to 30 feet wide.

Thanks

[Treedweller]

So you only want to screen out the view part of the year? Deciduous trees will not help much in fall and winter.

I can't make good suggestions since I don't know much about your area, but call the county extension agent to get good advice about what performs well there.

Keith

[openspaces]

Thanks. Yes, I had thought of evergreens, like pine trees, but I just don't like pines. A few arbor vitae would work too, but I only need blocking in one corner of the lot, and just a few AV's there would not look so great, I think. I could just do the entire side of the yard with AV, so it looks good, but that is expensive. Just one appropriate deciduous tree in the corner would be good, and I could live eith the non-blocking from Nov/Dec to April.

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Cedars don't look like pines - much. Maybe a Chinese (Lacebark) Elm? I love mine so far.

Carl

[Kay Lancaster]

When you talk to your extension service (or poke around at

and so forth) ask if there are any broadleaved evergreens that will do well in your situation. Holly is one that comes to mind; also Rhododendron species. Since we don't know the exposure or soil type, there's not much to go on.

Also, you may find that a small grove of trees looks better than one lonely one standing on the corner... 3-5 of various heights, or even the same. The advantage of a mixed planting is that you can put a fast grower in the bunch, and cut it down as soon as the slower growing, more desirable specimens are of sufficient height.

Want some really fast cover? Consider a trellis and something like hops...

[openspaces]

love mine so far.

Carl >>>

Actually, I am considering a Chinese Elm. I saw one in a local park. It had a nameplate in front of it identifying it as a Chinese elm. The branches drooped down near the bottom just enough to block the view at eye level and a few feet below eye level, and the hieght and width of the Elm were good. About 20 feet high.

I noticed most of the other trees in the park had branches that started too high up on the trunk, about 6 or 7 feet high, which left 6 or 7 feet of open space to look at the eyesore.

The small trees had branches that were lower.

The soil here is fairly clayish beneath the surface.

The area I want to plant will have exposure to sun all day except the first 2 or 3 hours of the morning.

As a tree grows, do the braches move up as the trunk grows up from the soil ??? Or does a tree grow from the top only ?

Thanks for the help, everyone.

.

[Kay Lancaster]

That's because they were pruned up that far. You don't have to do that with your trees.

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

You should be able to prune it as it grows to your desired shape. There are several 'cultivars' of Ulmus Parvifolia. But most have close similarites from the last I recall. Mine is still small but, as I had read, it does seem to be moderately fast growing, not superfast - those type trees are prone to breakge in high winds. If you have no wind - maybe a Bradford Pear would work for you, but nowadays they are considered undesiarable around my area. I dunno exactly what trees are suitable for your zone, but a couple of others that I strongly considered was Zelkovia Serrata and Quercus Shumardii .Couldn't find the Zelkova locally and my wife didn't like the idea of acorns from the oak.

ymmv

Carl

[openspaces]

with your trees.

[Treedweller]

The branches will not move upward. They elongate from the tips of branches and increase diameter over time. The low pruning cuts may have been absorbed so long ago that they don't show up anymore (though I suspect a trained eye could spot some). Similarly, if you sticka hammock hook or a nail in the trunk, it will still be at the same height in 50 years (if the tree is still there). It may be deep in the wood and invisible, though. That's one big reason that it's hard to sell urban logs to sawmills.

Chinese Elm is not a 20-foot tree. You saw a young one. They reach heights up to 70 feet.

you could have a 70-foot tree with branches starting 6 feet above grade. It's all in how you prune them.

Keith