Regarding my earlier challenge, in the ligustrum post above, the
biggest weed in TX would be the Hackberry tree in my friend's world
view.

k
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html

In article
65F4392C99DB5A9E.3EAAE84D510AC2E6.EA7F7749D472818 ,
(Babberney) wrote:

Regarding my earlier challenge, in the ligustrum post above, the
biggest weed in TX would be the Hackberry tree in my friend's world
view.

k

Why exactly do people hate Hackberries? For example, Howard Garrett likes
your friend calls them weeds and says dont, plant and if present remove.

I recently bought a place with 3 dying Hackberries which I had to have
removed. In researching them to decide whether or not to have them
removed I came upon the opinions cited and the fact that they drop limbs
and are generally ugly. The suggested lifespan was 60-100 years (my trees
were quite massive and probably in the high end of the age range which
made it easier to decide to remove them because of their poor condition
and they had already dropped a bunch of limbs). However, all souces said
they were very well adapted and draught tolerant etc.

In researching trees to replace the ones I removed I find that many trees
that people love seem to have similar "problems". For example the usual
list of authors on texas trees like Chinese Pistachoes or Pecans. Both
however drop limbs (the Chinese Pistacho is called "self pruning" which I
interpret to mean it drops limbs) and Pecans have brittle wood. Pecans
also make one hell of a mess with nuts etc. So why is limb dropping for a
Hackberry bad but on a Pecan acceptable?

I really would like to understand why Hackberries have such a bad reputation?

Roland

I really would like to understand why Hackberries have such a bad reputation?

Roland

I don't really know, either. I have both hackberries and pecans and
haven't noticed one making more of a mess than the other

My only problem with hackberries is that the birds seem to distribute
the seeds along my fenceline or right next to small trees and bushes. I
really have no volunteer pecan trees since the squirrels tend to bury
the nuts in places that I weed or my husband mows. Having to weed pecans
out of my garden is a pain of its own, but not as annoying as having
hackberries slowly ripping my fences apart.

--
Suzanne http://cshardie.tripod.com
Loyal opposition is the mark of a patriot, principled dissent the
obligation of every citizen.
http://www.tompaine.com/op_ads/opad.cfm/ID/5925

The Chinese tallow far out junks anything native.

On Mon, 16 Dec 2002 16:04:01 GMT, (Babberney) wrote:

Regarding my earlier challenge, in the ligustrum post above, the
biggest weed in TX would be the Hackberry tree in my friend's world
view.

k
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html

On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 14:24:33 GMT, cshardie wrote:

nd

I don't really know, either. I have both hackberries and pecans and
haven't noticed one making more of a mess than the other

My only problem with hackberries is that the birds seem to distribute
the seeds along my fenceline or right next to small trees and bushes. I
really have no volunteer pecan trees since the squirrels tend to bury
the nuts in places that I weed or my husband mows. Having to weed pecans
out of my garden is a pain of its own, but not as annoying as having
hackberries slowly ripping my fences apart.

The point is, hackberry is a native plant which birds eat berries from. I too
have hackberry seedlings. Maybe 4 times a growing season I get out my little
sequiturs and cut them to the ground. They do nothing to my fence.

On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 15:29:23 GMT, animaux wrote:

The Chinese tallow far out junks anything native.

As well as Chinaberry. The Ligustrums and even Nandina can be
problems. King Ranch Bluestem is my most hated weed, though.

I acquired a new weed about 4 years ago called Malta Star-thistle
(Centaurea melitensis per Enquist) which is hard to control around my
place. It is now pretty common in my neighborhood and it was not here
at all 5 years ago.

Rusty Mase

animaux wrote:
The point is, hackberry is a native plant which birds eat berries from. I too
have hackberry seedlings. Maybe 4 times a growing season I get out my little
sequiturs and cut them to the ground. They do nothing to my fence.

I cut the seedlings, too, which is really no more than a minor pain.
Unfortunately we bought our house from someone who didn't go around 4
times a growing season and cut seedlings to the ground. We inherited a
fence already full of stumps and trunks that can't be cut out without
removing fencing. I guess someday we'll have to do that.

--
Suzanne http://cshardie.tripod.com
Loyal opposition is the mark of a patriot, principled dissent the
obligation of every citizen.
http://www.tompaine.com/op_ads/opad.cfm/ID/5925

"Joe Doe" wrote in message
...
In article
65F4392C99DB5A9E.3EAAE84D510AC2E6.EA7F7749D472818 ,
(Babberney) wrote:

Regarding my earlier challenge, in the ligustrum post above, the
biggest weed in TX would be the Hackberry tree in my friend's world
view.

k

Why exactly do people hate Hackberries? For example, Howard Garrett likes
your friend calls them weeds and says dont, plant and if present remove.

The only hackberry I liked was the one that fell and destroyed the back
end of my house. It depreciated the value to the point where I could afford
to buy it.
There was damage to fences and outbuildings all over the place from
hackberries. They tend to split and drop major limbs or break off at the
trunk. They are also fast growers that outpace and stunt all other trees in
the vicinity. Their wood is useless. I do appreciate their gnarled beauty
from regrowth of their broken limbs as long as they are far away from
anything they can damage. The rotten trunks also attract ladderback
woodpeckers.
Pecans, in my experience, drop much smaller limbs. Their wood can can be
used both decoratively and as firewood. And, you can eat pecans.

I recently bought a place with 3 dying Hackberries which I had to have
removed. In researching them to decide whether or not to have them
removed I came upon the opinions cited and the fact that they drop limbs
and are generally ugly. The suggested lifespan was 60-100 years (my trees
were quite massive and probably in the high end of the age range which
made it easier to decide to remove them because of their poor condition
and they had already dropped a bunch of limbs). However, all souces said
they were very well adapted and draught tolerant etc.

In researching trees to replace the ones I removed I find that many trees
that people love seem to have similar "problems". For example the usual
list of authors on texas trees like Chinese Pistachoes or Pecans. Both
however drop limbs (the Chinese Pistacho is called "self pruning" which I
interpret to mean it drops limbs) and Pecans have brittle wood. Pecans
also make one hell of a mess with nuts etc. So why is limb dropping for a
Hackberry bad but on a Pecan acceptable?

I really would like to understand why Hackberries have such a bad
reputation?

Roland

On Mon, 16 Dec 2002 23:28:27 -0600, (Joe Doe)
wrote:

In article
65F4392C99DB5A9E.3EAAE84D510AC2E6.EA7F7749D47281 ,
(Babberney) wrote:

Regarding my earlier challenge, in the ligustrum post above, the
biggest weed in TX would be the Hackberry tree in my friend's world
view.

k

Why exactly do people hate Hackberries? For example, Howard Garrett likes
your friend calls them weeds and says dont, plant and if present remove.

First, let me say I was presenting this as a facetious side note. I
agree hackberries are too easily condemned much of the time.

In addition to the problems already mentioned, though, hackberries are
highly susceptible to mistletoe infestation. Right now you can drive
around and see hackberries with no leaves that still look like they
did in spring, because there is more mistletoe foliage than tree.
Once the parasite gets a grip, it weakens the wood, exacerbating the
breakage tendencies.

But the rare hackberry that doesn't grow in the middle of a fenceline
and gets moderate amounts of attention in the form of maintenance can
make a nice little tree, IMO. And, like Victoria said, it's a native
source of wildlife food. I didn't mean to condemn the species.

keith

For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html

On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 08:17:21 -0600, Rusty Mase wrote:

On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 15:29:23 GMT, animaux wrote:

The Chinese tallow far out junks anything native.

As well as Chinaberry. The Ligustrums and even Nandina can be
problems. King Ranch Bluestem is my most hated weed, though.

I acquired a new weed about 4 years ago called Malta Star-thistle
(Centaurea melitensis per Enquist) which is hard to control around my
place. It is now pretty common in my neighborhood and it was not here
at all 5 years ago.

Rusty Mase

It's funny how that happens. The noxious weeds take so well when they are
exotic, but the native materials cost a fortune at a garden center! I am
digging out the N.domestica which came with the house and replacing them with
dwarf loropetalum, barberry and Texas sage bushes for contrast. I dislike rows
of things.

Xref: 127.0.0.1 austin.gardening:20129

Does anybody happen to have a picture of a mature hackberry tree? I have
this mystery tree in my backyard that tends to 'prune itself' rather
regularly and I haven't been able to find anything like it on the web.
Don't have a camera, or I'd put up a pic of it.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

txbelle

"Babberney" wrote in message
news:65F4392C99DB5A9E.3EAAE84D510AC2E6.EA7F7749D47 ...
Regarding my earlier challenge, in the ligustrum post above, the
biggest weed in TX would be the Hackberry tree in my friend's world
view.

k
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please
visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit
http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html

http://biology.smsu.edu/Herbarium/Tr...cidentalis.jpg
http://web.utk.edu/~fwf/dendro/hacbar.jpg

"txbelle" wrote in message ...
Does anybody happen to have a picture of a mature hackberry tree?