River Birch or Maple and suggestions

17 years ago

After the past few years of loosing a number of ash trees to the ash bore we are cutting the trees down. It is an area that will get afternoon sun and facing west. It was at one time very shady and now not so. It is a somewhat wet area however we dug a dry rock bed and that seems to work. So if it does get wet the wetness only stays a day or so.

Our question is, we would like to start replacing trees back into the area since there are still more ash trees still in this wooded area however who knows how long those will last in the next few years. We have been looking at the clump river birch, some type of maple. We would like some thing that might grow some what quickly to build our woods back. There are oak, hickory mixed in. Before this all happened with the bores we built large beds with hostas which are doing very well.

Can anyone give us some suggestions????? Please no willows!!!!

Thanks

Lary & Deb

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Comments (8)

Bob_Zn5
17 years ago
As the name suggests, the River Birch will take the wetness pretty well. There are several named varieties. On the other hand, I'm originally from the Northeast & maples fit in perfectly in a hardwood forest. Just don't plant those purple leaf things they sell in every discount joint. If you decide to go with a maple, do a little research, there all kinds of varieties. The ones in the wild I'm accustom to were mostly sugar maples. In general, most birches & maples grow at a respectable rate.
Bogart
17 years ago
Ditto the above regarding maples. Avoid anything that says Acer platanoides -- whatever the variety. These are Norway maples - not native to the northeast - they spread quite quickly via seed and their roots suck up moisture voraciously, making it hard for other plants to thrive under them. Red maples and sugar maples are great, as are silver maple.
Bob_Zn5
17 years ago
Aren't silver maples those week wooded things that throw up water sprouts at an ugly rate? Or am I confusing with Norways. I have a couple of them (I didn't plant them)& they are trash.
Its hard to cut even trash down once they reach respectable size tho so I'm living with 'em.
paul_
17 years ago
Not a fan personally of the silver maples -- they're common/boring and throw those stupid seeds everywhere!

If a willow had been an option [I understand it isn't] I would have suggested a pussy willow.
peenut
17 years ago
Pssssssssst! Go for River birch AND Pussy willow!! :)
sheryl_ontario
17 years ago
Willows can be interesting too. The twisted branches of the small corkscrew willow are beautiful!
pondwelr
17 years ago
Swamp white oak is quite fast growing, and will take wet feet too. I put one in a very difficult spot that had cattails(!) but I added soil and raised a long wide bed that is doing wonderfully well. "Just say NO" to willows. I like Bobs idea of Sugar Maple. One of the finest trees. I also planted a deciduous evergreen (tamarack) that is native to wetlands, joepye shrub and elderberry also like damp soil. So too, will serviceberry florish in shade and moist soil. Silver maples are total trash trees. Dont even think of planting one.
I have a Autuum purple Ash on my lot line bed and worry that it will succumb to the dreaded borer too. So far, so good. River birches are fine. I have two. Also have two old fashioned white birch, which I love. And one paperbark maple, which is beautiful in all seasons. There are so many beautiful choices out there. Dont settle for cheap and fast. And go for the best.
chrismich250
17 years ago
I saw a river birch at Lowes for $11. Of course they also had the $11 specials of: Bradford Pear, silver maple, etc. Find out what they have, buy some differeent ones, come home and check out the purchases, and then return the ones that you find out are trash trees.