Stupid Trees

This is probably a little off topic, but I have these box elder trees where I live. They are the stupidest trees. A strong wind comes along, they bend over till the branches touch the ground and they stay that way until I remove them. They dont break, they just tip over. What the heck is the deal with these trees?

Where I used to live, we had hardwoods and conifers. None of them ever did this. Rarely did they break, but if they did, there was an actual break, normally a branch. We just had some high winds, and I found several box elders that fell. One fell on my garage roof. No damage to the roof, just the branches fell on it. The good thing these are not heavy trees and generally bust off or do this stupid tip over nonsense long before they get more than 10 inches of trunk. I have another laying against my barn, and two more that are laying on my livestock fences. I guess this is one reason that everyone around here hates them. They are junky trees, make poor firewood, and have little other use. When they are sturdy, they make good shade trees, but they will just suddenly tip over for no reason, and they stay that way. Why do they do this? They are not broke, but the trunk twists. Is the wood just that weak, or is there some other reason that is not obvious?

I should mention that the one that fell on the garage actually broke. The 7 inch trunk just split and the tree was alive. At least they are easy to saw up. Even a hand bow saw will cut them quickly. They sure are irritating though.

Reply to
businessman
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weak trees, notice they arent heavy, by your report. heavier trees are stronger.

just dont plant any new ones, or at least not where they can cause grief if they fall over.

and start a replacement program, replace every tree that falls or you cut down cause its a possible future hazard with something more durable

Reply to
hallerb

...

They are what they are...

Not all people (or cattle for that matter) grow up to be the same...

--

Reply to
dpb

snipped-for-privacy@nomail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Boxelder is native to portions of the southern tier of NY and Susquehana Valley, but has become more broadly established throughout many parts of the state. Boxelder grows commonly along the banks of streams and rivers, and may occur as a weedy species in urban areas where its seeds are able to germinate. Boxelder has a soft wood that has no commercial value, but is important for wildlife and the stabilization of stream banks where it grows. Boxelder is not recommended for horticultural plantings.

Boxelder is ok for carving (whittling), but it's not a landscape or lumber tree. you can use it for syrup, but it's not as good as sugar or red maple. lee

Reply to
enigma

Box elder trees grow in a much larger area than you indicated. Here they are known as Manitoba maple trees. There are a bunch growing around here also, in Southern Ontario. I have never seen the problems you are experiencing, must be the generic stock you have. However they are weak and drop branches constantly but they can give a quick ground cover especially in low, wet lands.

Reply to
EXT

You have to realize that these trees have lumbago, arthritis, and burisitis, which makes it hard for them to get back up. They are elderly.

Reply to
mm

I'm suprised no one has mentioned box elder beetles yet. They breed on the female box elder tree:

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In the fall, when the weather cools down, I sometimes find hundreds of them clinging to the siding of my house in places where it's been warmed by the sun's rays.

Inevitably a few of them get inside the house where they freak SWMBO out. But, from what I've read, they don't chew up anything, carry disease, sting or bite. About the worst damage they do is to leave a stain if you squish them, so I just let 'em be and eventually they disappear.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

Hi,

Box elders are weed trees. The reasons you describe pretty well sum up why. There was a row of 6 or 8 of them planted next to our old farm house probably 50 years ago. They have gotten huge and fallen over one another in a twisted mess that no life loving person would think of approaching with a chain saw. Over the years these trees have dumped thousands of pounds of their seed around the farm buildings. Box elders sprout up anyplace that is not mowed. If you cut them down they sprout up from the stumps twice as thick. The only way to really get rid of them is poison or pulling them by the roots. It was the joke around our place that any free time was devoted to the box elder eradication program. Despite many many days working on this the box elders won in the end. Maybe the next owner will root them out.

Have a great day! David

Reply to
David

No kidding? Are there other trees that can be used for syrup?

Reply to
Larry Caldwell

Larry Caldwell wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.peaksky.com:

black birch (betula lenta) is good. it's also known as sweet birch, river birch or spice birch. it makes really good syrup, but has to be kept separate from the maple if you're commercially producing maple. lee

Reply to
enigma

This would make a great movie.

Maybe Pinocchio could play the hero.

Reply to
mm

Why do they do this? They are not broke, but the trunk twists.

It's probably a quality control issue. Contact tech support.

Reply to
Robert Barr

At our house they get vacuumed out of the way.

Reply to
Elmo

Box elders and soft maples are considered weeds at my place. As they spring up from seed they get pulled up. If they get to the point where they exist, anything smaller than my thumb gets pruned at the root line by the brush cutter blade. Larger ones require pruning with a chain saw but always at the root line. I push back the edges a few feet a year and I'm currently staying ahead of them.

Reply to
Elmo

You might try sending that question to the Bronx Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

Reply to
safeharbor

We HAD 4 box elder trees in our back yard till one day, after 4 days of good rain, one laid down on the garage.The roots come up out of the ground. I checked some books and they all said that box elder trees are the weeds of maples. Did a Mr. "T" and had them all cut down along with 3 cottonwoods.( I did replant with sugar maple and oak)

Reply to
Mark H

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