Happy Arbor Day (well almost). Ok…are you scratching your head and wondering if I’ve lost my sense of time? In seven days, on the third Friday of January, it will be Arbor Day for both Florida and Louisiana…two states who appear to want to be first in the nation. We are all familiar with National Arbor Day that is the last Friday in April and celebrated by 28 states as their State holiday. Did you know that in addition to the national holiday many states have another date? They choose them according to their best tree-planting times. When does your state hoist the shovels to celebrate?
So, you’ve found out WHEN, then there is the question of WHAT…finding a tree to plant for Arbor Day. Despite the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) trying to “inspire people to plant” by offering 10 free trees with membership, I always try to discourage this. Wait…don’t get your pansies in a bunch, I think supporting a non-profit is a commendable thing to do, but please forego the free trees delivered to your house. Choose “No trees” or the “10 Trees Planted in our Nation’s Forests in Your Honor” option instead.
Let me explain why. How many of us have been excited to get our free trees only to struggle to get them established while we watch them fail to flourish or die a slow death. I sometimes think that homeowners who get these free trees become discouraged to plant due to failure of the specimens to thrive. At my own place, a friend who got their free trees gave me two crepe myrtles (not native to Florida, I KNOW, but considered “Florida-Friendly“). Well, those things have been planted since 2006 and are still barely 1-1/2 feet tall and one has yet to flower.
All ten trees that I received with my membership that same year are dead, despite nursing them according to instructions. If I hadn’t learned about native plants since their “burial” and local provenance, I’d be cursing Florida’s ability to provide a proper garden, blaming the sand that pretends to be soil. Apparently it is that the poor trees just aren’t adapted to the soil conditions or our climate. Heck, it even took me a while to get used to Florida where you can run the a/c and the heat on the same day.
Pinus spp. planted by a bird or the wind. Local provenance assured
Provenance can be a crucial factor in a tree’s ability to live a good long life and using a nursery within a 100-mile radius of the intended planting site will go a long way toward achieving better success. In addition, the question of the importance of genetic diversity and also the possible affect that outside specimens could have on our native populations through pollination or seed dispersal is often brought into discussion.
While purchasing with provenance in mind might give you a head start toward success, that’s not to say that you don’t have to baby a native tree during its young life. While we tout that native plants use fewer resources such as water and are generally carefree, even native trees need regular watering and care in order to get established.
I transplanted this red maple while a single leaf in my driveway to a pot and then into it’s current location
I say when your state celebrates Arbor Day, find a nice native plant nursery in your locale to purchase your tree and support local business at the same time. I have a couple of Red Maple (Acer rubrum) seedlings purchased at our Master Gardener sale that are on tap for planting. And I also noticed a Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) volunteer under the momma tree that I will relocate (at least to a pot).
One of these acorns produced a “vounteer” seedling for me to transplant
Oh…and you gotta love South Carolina. They must be a hearty bunch as they get out there on the first Friday in December to celebrate their Arbor Day.
© 2012, Loret T. Setters. All rights reserved. This article is the property of Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Loret T. Setters
well said! Now if we could only get the organizations like the ADF to come around — so many well many people being sent a curve ball.
Thanks Sue!
Hopefully with people following our blogs, native plant societies becoming more prominent and mainstream, etc. the word will get out!
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Loret we celebrate at the end of April in NY which is sometimes too soon..I plant to do exactly what you have advocated here…visit a local native plant nursery and plant a tree…
Donna@ Gardens Eye View recently posted..Simply The Best-January
Donna, up your way it would seem the ground might still be under snow in April (depending on how MUCH snow you guys get that year). I like to look back at what tree I planted each year since I started doing this. Its fun to watch their progress.
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Glad you brought up the topic of buying local for your Arbor Day trees. In fact, CA is one of the states that does not allow ADF to deliver trees! So I have to give up my (10) free ones anyway. And, as you say, turns out it is just as well.
Kathy @nativegardener recently posted..Top 5 Favorite Posts from 2011
Three cheers for CA! I’m sure a lot of invasive pest issues could also be held in check in other areas if more states took a similar stance. For sure a lot of poor bare rooted specimens wouldn’t be sentenced to death. Seems like such a waste.
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Great Idea Loret!! I will have to read more carefully next time as I had not see the option. Thanks to you I will always do it in the future. Considering provenance . . . Amen! Inspiring to read about your successes with native (homegrown) seedlings.
Carol Duke recently posted..A Bestiary – At Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens PART TWO
Carol, in addition to my little “driveway” red maple, a few years back I also saw an oak with maybe one set of leaves coming up under an existing native oak. I transplanted it to a location across the yard and I’m please to say that it is coming into its own, just a little taller than me now. Nothing makes me happier than seeing plants grow from infancy. It’s very rewarding!
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Loret, Here in CT, we observe Arbor Day in late April. I think as the issue of provenance becomes more well known, it’ll be a great marketing tool for local native plant nurseries that have been quietly growing thier own stock for years.
Debbie recently posted..Biocontrols for Your Garden: Advice from the Experts
Debbie you are right about it being the perfect marketing tool. I only joined the native plant society in 2008. At that time I didnt’ know a native plant from a rock. When I first started helping at outreach programs, few passerbys really knew the term “native plant”. Now, when we have an info table all we get are questions on where to buy native plants, with no prompting on our part. They have certainly come into their own. Thank goodness!
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Thanks Loret, very good topic. I like you after trying repeatedly to establish their stock have since given up and donate them to the park. One of my favorite exercises for early spring which coincides with Arbor day here in MA is to walk the highway road right of ways where the native Quercus seedlings establish and select an appropriate transplant location for them where the additional plant diversity or
Structure is needed and where the trees will be able to grow unaffected by mowing, development etc.
Cori Rose recently posted..Portrait of the Oak
Cori, that is music to my ears. The oaks of MA are lucky to have you!
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Loret, so well said! I grew discouraged with the Arbor Day Foundation years ago when their selection was anything but native and I couldn’t seem to reach a warm body to suggest that they include natives instead. Great advice to support a nearby native plant nursery in your own area on Arbor Day.
Pat Sutton recently posted..Mourning Cloaks in the Garden
Thanks Pat!
ADF did suggest a few trees native to my area when I put in my zip code, but those poor trees weren’t conditioned to Florida and didn’t stand a chance. I’m working on buying local in all aspects of my purchasing power.
Loret recently posted..Making a Comeback
Toronto did a massive purchase of “native” trees from Tennessee…bypassing slightly more expensive reliable local growers. Penny wise, pound foolish.
How sad. Obviously the accountants making decisions instead of the people trained in botany. Let’s hope the trees don’t pay the ultimate price by not thriving.