Fast growing shade trees that are car and people friendly

Nutball

TreeHouser
Joined
Apr 4, 2015
Messages
4,083
Location
Mt. Juliet, TN
We might take down a few of our pine trees that are right next to the driveway. They have become quite large after 25 years, and drop a lot of sap on the cars. I once tried cutting back the branches and parking else where until they stopped dripping sap, but apparently these eastern white pines will randomly pour sap out of wounds over a year old.

What tree varieties are fast growing, and drop the least sap?

I know eastern white pine drips sap from the cones, but do all fast growing pines?

Sycamore seems fast growing, but can be very irritating.

I'm leaning toward silver maple since I like the look, but do they hold up to win well enough, or do they drip a lot of sap?

Is cottonwood any good? I don't know if they shade much or hold up well in wind. We haven't had any major breaks on our tulip poplars in windy storms, but they do drop a lot of smaller branches, which I don't mind so much.
 
Cottonwoods seem to be lightning magnets, big tall poles packed with water and stinky juices that smell like sewage, and yes brittle. Even more brittle after a few weeks of freezing temps if that happens in TN. Then for a week or 2 in the summer they drop tons of fluffy crap that makes me sneeze and eyes water. They’re like weeds.

Do silver maples grow there? If so, I’d say go for it and train them young to be single dominant stems. They will fall apart some in 50+ mph gusts but so do many of your options.

Sycamore = London Plane or is that just around here that the names mean the same? Very strong stuff that does well in storms, beautiful too! I’ve had eye and sinus irritation when cutting it but never noticed a problem from just being around them. I would never guess them to be fast growing but probably never paid attention.
 
Think of how long you presume to be able to dismantle trees. Mix in some shorter-lived, faster ones (to be thinned out over time), with some slower growing, climax species.

I aim for some serial planting and removal on my property, and often tell people a similar idea. Plant small, cheap trees, knowing you won't want to let the doug-fir grow to 150' over you house in your 80's. I can get bare-root trees through the conservation district for about $20/ dozen native trees or shrubs.

I want privacy screening and sun, and shade, so I'll start planting some more conifers, and thin out the ones that are 10 years old now, probably canopy raising some of them off the ground once the new layer fills in enough, or I fence the work yard for privacy screening. No compaction under the trees is good.


The right tree, for the right location, on the right timeline.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7
I've wanted to try paulownias just for fun, but I think they die back each year around here.

I could always just stay on top of cabling silver maples as they become codominant. I kind of like them in 2's and 3's

I kind of want to eventually log the trees around the house and plant new ones. We have lots of lumber waiting to be cut, all the pines and poplars are 18-26" DBH, about 15 trees. I just need to figure out where to store them and how I want to go about cutting them (bandsaw, chainsaw...)
 
I have much to learn about trees, but i always thought the things that made shade trees grow quickly are the same things that make them fail in storms, which makes them not very car, people, or house friendly. Conversely, your slow growing oaks, hard maples, etc. last much longer because they have much stronger growth and better limb structure. Around here they planted tons of silver maples for the same reasons that you are looking for, and i would estimate that even with all the ash trees here silver maples account for over 40 percent of removals in central Illinois.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9
Maybe plant silvers then some red oaks under them.

The pines grew quickly, and have had little to no trouble from the wind all these years. I'd plant more if it wasn't for the sap.

I was also thinking about frequent feeding and mulching to boost the growth rate.
 
Silver maple is often planted because they grow fast .However after a few years they tend to be self pruners ,drop limbs .I have no idea where they come from because the native species in this part of Ohio is sugar maple which are much slower growing but can get huge .Fact I've got one in my front yard that is nearly 100 feet high .Just about like the white oaks .
 
Steer clear of sliver maples they get real big fast 3/4-1" growth rings are common, weak wooded, structural issues, and messy, twigs and branches with every wind gust.
And cottonwoods are called cottonweeds for a reason MESSY as f # @ K.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13
I didn't pick silver maple for nothing. Fast growth is the whole idea. There is another row of trees to help slow the wind before where these would be.
 
Fruitless Mulberry
Morus alba

Chinese pistache
Pistachia chinesis

Chinese elm
Ulmus parvifolia

Indian rosewood
Dalbergia sissoo

Ugh, to all those choices.

Morus Alba: propagated to be a 'filler' tree in new housing developments. Originally meant to create the appearance of a developed neighborhood, with the intent to be replaced by high value specimen trees

pistacia chinesis: messy, but rewards us with colorful foliage at certain times of year

Ulmus parvifolia: pretty branch and trunk structure, but only does well in specific climates VERY susceptible to cankers.

All these are heavily propagated simply because the per unit cost is low. Thus prevalent in commercial installations.

Not familiar with the rosewood...
 
linden, birch, willow.

Redwood ?:D

Redwood. TALLEST tree in the WORLD!
Yes let's plant them into a small residential lot.

If you are attempting to generate work then better choices abound: eucs come to mind....
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #22
I think, it would be pretty cool to plant a redwood in my yard, but I think it would freeze each year. Boy would it stick out after a good 50 years of feeding and watering. Planes might have to watch out for it :)
 
Giant sequoias are hardy to minus 20 and can grow in my neck of the woods so you should be golden in Tennessee.
 
Back
Top