Author |
Message |
Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 12:25 pm
Anyone know a good tree that would provide a lot of shade? We are moving possibly to a house that has a backyard that faces west and a little south so it will get a ton of sun. I have red hair and that will make me melt. It is a newer subdivision so there are not many trees at all. This particular backyard has no trees. So we will have to put a new tree or two in. Any suggestions? We live in the Chicago area. We would like a tree that is cheaper, very shady, maybe fast growing, hearty (no green thumbs here). Thanks!
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Sasman
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 7:52 pm
The faster growing trees are not good because they usually are quite messy like a weeping willow. I think you would be much better putting in a maple tree, they give you plenty of shade and are beautiful.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 10:57 pm
I keep hearing that the Japanese maple, I think that is it's name, it has redish leaves, is a really good tree. Don't know much about them but they sure are pretty on the "rally round the house" shows, and they look like they are pretty good size when they go in. Maybe if you taped a couple of the rally shows you could get some good ideas for the trees. They do the show in different areas so you could figure out the tree that works best in your area.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 11:31 pm
Just call or visit a nursery, Julieboo. They will tell you exactly what you need. It is absolutely amazing how helpful they are around here.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 7:26 am
Thanks! What station is Rally round the house on?
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 12:06 pm
Julie I have several cottonless cottonwood trees in my yard. They are a very fast growing tree, but do leave a little mess, not too much though and it does not have that cotton stuff that flies around. It may be hard to find anything with any size or quick growing without paying a pretty good price. I agree check with your local nursaries, they should be able to provide you with all kinds of information.
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Readonly
Member
04-16-2003
| Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 1:16 pm
We have a beautiful Zelcova tree in our front yard (not sure if that's the correct spelling, but it's phonetically correct). It's beautifully shaped like an umbrella and is a sturdy tree (no green thumbs here). The only problem (my husband's problem) is that there are many, many leaves to rake up in the fall. I would highly recommend it.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 2:14 pm
Jag and Read-where do each of you live? And also: Thanks!
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Readonly
Member
04-16-2003
| Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 2:32 pm
I live in Maryland, about halfway between Baltimore & D.C. I don't know what zone number I'm in. You can google zelcova serrata and you'll be able to find out some information about the tree. Good luck on your tree hunting.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 5:40 pm
Rally is on the discovery channel.
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 7:46 am
Julie I live in Minnesota, so if you are in Chicago the weather is almost the same, except a little colder in Minnesota. The cottonwood trees grow fast, I had one sprout up from a runner from my tree and over about 3 years it grew to about 20 to 25 feet tall. I have heard that these trees only last for about 40 years before they need to be taken down.
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Cancunkid
Member
10-01-2003
| Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 3:06 pm
Readonly does a Japanese Elm drop little twigs all over like my neighbors Chinese Elm? Julieboo the only thing I can tell you is what not to plant! No sweetgums or silver maples. Although the silver maple is a fast growing tree those little helecopter things make me nuts but never had a problem with them until my nighbor planted two in their yard. Golden rain trees are pretty trees not sure if they grow that far north but they can be a bit messy as they have chinese lantern looking seed pods that drop all over. I have two in my yard one front one back supposed to be ornamental but the one in back is 35 feet tall after about 20 years. October Blaze maples are beautiful and ours has gone from about 8 feet when planted in 2000 to about 18 feet now. It is a beautiful red in Fall that makes my front hall look like it is on fire in the afternoon when the sun shines through it into the entryway. http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/269905a1fb059eb48825683c0080938a/$searchForm?SearchView is a great search for all kinds of plants and you can specify all kinds of criteria
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Monday, May 03, 2004 - 11:43 am
What zone is Chicago? Anyone know? Also thanks for all the comments and suggestions! I do appreciate it!
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Monday, May 03, 2004 - 12:08 pm
Chicago would be in Zone 5 or more precise Zone 5A, but alot of the zoning sites don't break it down that much. Going to try to post a link to the zoning area.http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-ne1.html
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Monday, May 03, 2004 - 12:26 pm
Jagger thank you so much!!!
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Monday, May 03, 2004 - 12:34 pm
Julieboo I am goint to post some different sites where you can read about different types of trees that may be suitable for your area. I'm not sure if you've decided on any trees yet. Poplar sitehttp://www.cdr3.com/lombardy/ here's another site from the same author as the first site\newurl {http://www.cdr3.com/growers/,http://www.cdr3.com/growers/} I personally would not recommend a willow tree, they are way too messy, but they do grow fast.
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Jewels
Member
09-23-2000
| Monday, May 03, 2004 - 7:58 pm
Jagger, I have never heard of a Cottonless Cottonwood! What a concept! The past couple days it has looked like it is snowing here even though it is in the 80's, and the nearest cottonwood tree is about 3 blocks away! Drives me crazy. My neighbors used to have 2 cottonwoods that were about 65 feet tall, but thankgoodness they cut them down, they were right on our fence line and as much as I miss the shade, I sure don't miss the cotton. They suckered bad too, we cut roots out or our yard for days after the trees were gone. We had a sucker sprout up 50 feet away from the tree! Cottonless would be great since they do grow so fast. Alders grow pretty fast too, Julie. 
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 5:11 am
I had never heard of a cottonless Cottonwood either until I moved into my place and it had one in the yard. The tree grows like crazy, and yes they do send out suckers, luckily for me they sent several of these out into the vacant feild next to me, so I have been babing those. One of them is now over 25 feet tall and the newest one, about 2 years old is up about 12 feet.
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Readonly
Member
04-16-2003
| Tuesday, May 11, 2004 - 7:18 am
Cancun, I don't know anything about Japanese Elms. I have a Zelcova (which may be a member of that family -- I'm not very plant/tree savvy). The Zelcova does shed a lot of small twigs and it has about a million leaves to rake in the fall. But it is a beauiful tree with an umbrella type shape. And I love to hear the sound of the wind whistling through the leaves.
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Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Sunday, May 16, 2004 - 12:11 pm
Julieboo, for a much slower growing tree in a corner where you need something smaller, a tri-colored beech is very nice. It is exquisite with rose, green, and white mottled leaves. Lying beneath it looking up through its branches is one of the most peaceful things on earth.
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