Hello everyone,

Just wanted to see if anyone on here had noticed all the new types of trees popping up in Edmonton? The city has been on a planting streak of autumn blaze maples, honeylocusts, columnar norway maples, armstrong maples, red maples, red oak, white ash etc... most seem to be doing great, minus the autumn blaze at the front of hawreluk park. I would probably dedicated that loss to terrible soil, lack of water and colder temps in the river valley. But oddly enough there are a couple in another part of hawreluk with no problems. I'm assuming the extreme open and dry spot of the others is getting to them. I'd guess that the river valley is practically zone 2b. I've watched my temperature gauge drop five degrees when going down there at night compared to higher up on the bank.

I'd also like to add a couple other great things I've seen lately. Crimson king maples doing great all over the place. Found one that was about 30 feet tall in an older neighborhood as well as two massive probably 70 feet tall weeping silver maples. Don't see those too often.

I think Edmonton is finally starting to break out of their tree shell. We are realizing how much stuff grows here that we never gave a chance before. Northern pin oaks are another great one as well. I saw an original weeping willow in St Paul, Alberta (zone 2a)yesterday that was 30 feet tall. Why was I listening to the people that told me they weren't hardy here all these years? Another one at a pond store outside of Edmonton that was about 30 feet as well.

Oh and two hands for all the people planting sugar maples now as well. I am now seeing ones that have been planted for 10 years that have already dwarfed two story homes.

I for one support this amazing diversity that is showing up. Its ironic that this is all happening when Edmonton seems to be in its prime for every other area as well.

A few more additions I've seen do well:
Hackberries, walnuts, butternuts, horsechestnuts and my zone 5 smokebush even flowered last year!