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Unusual trees for a new park
Been thinking of some unusual trees to plant in a new local Park of about 10
acres that used to be my old allotment site. We already have lots of native trees and shrubs btw but they won't get tree preservation orders on them for a long time. (not that I'm suggesting the Council might eventually want to build on the land!) Here is my list so far.... Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Albizia julibrissin. Silk Tree. Small tree with spreading crown to 5-12 m tall. Pink puff ball flowers. Aralia elata 'Aureovariegata' Japanese Angelica Tree. To 5 m tall. Spiny. Aralia spinosa Devil's Walking-stick. 2 - 4 m Tall. Spiny. Aralia chinensis Chinese angelica tree. To 3.5 m tall. More frost tender. Catalpa bignonioides Indian Bean tree. To 25m tall eventually. Becoming common. Catalpa speciosa Northern Bean tree. To 15 - 20 m tall. Cercis chinesis Chinese redbud. To 12ft tall, flowers well. Clerodendrum trichotomum To 3 m tall. Autumn flowers and unusual fruit. Eucalyptus coccifera To 15 m tall quickly. Eucalyptus gunnii Cider Gum. To 30 m tall quickly. Eucalyptus pauciflora Snow Gum. To 20 m tall. Eucalyptus subcrenulata Tasmanian Alpine Yellow Gum. To 15 m tall. Ficus carica Fig. 3 - 9 m tall. Firmiana simplex Chinese Parasol tree. To 10 - 15 m tall. Idesia polycarpa To 12 m tall. Fragrant flowers. Itoa orientalis To 8 -12 m tall. Rare. (hardiness?) Kalopanax septemlobus Castor aralia. To 30 m tall. Flowers in autumn. Very hardy, tropical looking. Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain tree. To 15 m tall. Leitneria floridana Corkwood. To 2 - 6 m tall. Shruby. Likes damp ground. Liriodendron chinense and tulipifera Tulip tree. To 30 m + tall. Paulownia tomentosa Foxglove tree. To 10 - 25 m tall. Purple foxglove flowers in spring. Huge leaves. Please feel free to comment about hardiness etc, add more suggestions, pick the list to pieces. :-) -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK |
Unusual trees for a new park
In message , Bob Hobden
writes Been thinking of some unusual trees to plant in a new local Park of about 10 acres that used to be my old allotment site. We already have lots of native trees and shrubs btw but they won't get tree preservation orders on them for a long time. (not that I'm suggesting the Council might eventually want to build on the land!) Here is my list so far.... Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Albizia julibrissin. Silk Tree. Small tree with spreading crown to 5-12 m tall. Pink puff ball flowers. Aralia elata 'Aureovariegata' Japanese Angelica Tree. To 5 m tall. Spiny. Aralia spinosa Devil's Walking-stick. 2 - 4 m Tall. Spiny. Aralia chinensis Chinese angelica tree. To 3.5 m tall. More frost tender. Catalpa bignonioides Indian Bean tree. To 25m tall eventually. Becoming common. Catalpa speciosa Northern Bean tree. To 15 - 20 m tall. Cercis chinesis Chinese redbud. To 12ft tall, flowers well. Clerodendrum trichotomum To 3 m tall. Autumn flowers and unusual fruit. Eucalyptus coccifera To 15 m tall quickly. Eucalyptus gunnii Cider Gum. To 30 m tall quickly. Eucalyptus pauciflora Snow Gum. To 20 m tall. Eucalyptus subcrenulata Tasmanian Alpine Yellow Gum. To 15 m tall. Ficus carica Fig. 3 - 9 m tall. Firmiana simplex Chinese Parasol tree. To 10 - 15 m tall. Bean suggests that it is better suited to Cornwall than London, needing wall protection in London. The climate's warmed since Bean wrote, but I think that it will still need a sheltered location in most parts of the country. Idesia polycarpa To 12 m tall. Fragrant flowers. Itoa orientalis To 8 -12 m tall. Rare. (hardiness?) Kalopanax septemlobus Castor aralia. To 30 m tall. Flowers in autumn. Very hardy, tropical looking. Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain tree. To 15 m tall. Leitneria floridana Corkwood. To 2 - 6 m tall. Shruby. Likes damp ground. Liriodendron chinense and tulipifera Tulip tree. To 30 m + tall. The latter probably doesn't count as unusual; it's a fairly common specimen tree. There's a variegated form. Paulownia tomentosa Foxglove tree. To 10 - 25 m tall. Purple foxglove flowers in spring. Huge leaves. Can be coppiced as a foliage plant. If you don't coppice it the leaves are less huge. Please feel free to comment about hardiness etc, add more suggestions, pick the list to pieces. :-) Castanopsis cuspidata. Sort of intermediate between an oak and a sweet chestnut. Entelea arborescens (New Zealand Mulberry). Not very hardy. Illicium floridanum (Star Anise). Lomatia sp. Phymosia rosea. Deep purple somewhat Abutilon like flowers (but actually more closely related to mallows). I've only seen one specimen, grown on a south facing terrace (and mislabelled as Malvaviscus arboreus, which I doubt would be hardy). Wollemia nobilis. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote ((SNIP)) Lomatia sp. Thought they were flies :-) Phymosia rosea. Deep purple somewhat Abutilon like flowers (but actually more closely related to mallows). I've only seen one specimen, grown on a south facing terrace (and mislabelled as Malvaviscus arboreus, which I doubt would be hardy). Wollemia nobilis. Thanks Stewart. I had thought about a Wollemi Pine but they are expensive for their size. However that puts me on another tack, how about ancient, prehistoric tree species like the Wollemi? Suggestions please... -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK |
Unusual trees for a new park
In message , Bob Hobden
writes "Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote ((SNIP)) Lomatia sp. Thought they were flies :-) Quite a few generic names are reused between plants and animals. For example, Modiola, Napaea, ... Phymosia rosea. Deep purple somewhat Abutilon like flowers (but actually more closely related to mallows). I've only seen one specimen, grown on a south facing terrace (and mislabelled as Malvaviscus arboreus, which I doubt would be hardy). Wollemia nobilis. Thanks Stewart. I had thought about a Wollemi Pine but they are expensive for their size. However that puts me on another tack, how about ancient, prehistoric tree species like the Wollemi? Suggestions please... Lots of plant genera have long fossil records. For example limes (Tilia, not Citrus) are about 60 million years old. However some plants often considered under this category are Gingko biloba Araucaria araucana (any other hardy Araucaria would be more unusual) Metasequoia glyptostroboides -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... Been thinking of some unusual trees to plant in a new local Park of about 10 acres that used to be my old allotment site. We already have lots of native trees and shrubs btw but they won't get tree preservation orders on them for a long time. (not that I'm suggesting the Council might eventually want to build on the land!) Here is my list so far.... Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Albizia julibrissin. Silk Tree. Small tree with spreading crown to 5-12 m tall. Pink puff ball flowers. Aralia elata 'Aureovariegata' Japanese Angelica Tree. To 5 m tall. Spiny. Aralia spinosa Devil's Walking-stick. 2 - 4 m Tall. Spiny. Aralia chinensis Chinese angelica tree. To 3.5 m tall. More frost tender. Catalpa bignonioides Indian Bean tree. To 25m tall eventually. Becoming common. Catalpa speciosa Northern Bean tree. To 15 - 20 m tall. Cercis chinesis Chinese redbud. To 12ft tall, flowers well. Clerodendrum trichotomum To 3 m tall. Autumn flowers and unusual fruit. Eucalyptus coccifera To 15 m tall quickly. Eucalyptus gunnii Cider Gum. To 30 m tall quickly. Eucalyptus pauciflora Snow Gum. To 20 m tall. Eucalyptus subcrenulata Tasmanian Alpine Yellow Gum. To 15 m tall. Ficus carica Fig. 3 - 9 m tall. Firmiana simplex Chinese Parasol tree. To 10 - 15 m tall. Idesia polycarpa To 12 m tall. Fragrant flowers. Itoa orientalis To 8 -12 m tall. Rare. (hardiness?) Kalopanax septemlobus Castor aralia. To 30 m tall. Flowers in autumn. Very hardy, tropical looking. Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain tree. To 15 m tall. Leitneria floridana Corkwood. To 2 - 6 m tall. Shruby. Likes damp ground. Liriodendron chinense and tulipifera Tulip tree. To 30 m + tall. Paulownia tomentosa Foxglove tree. To 10 - 25 m tall. Purple foxglove flowers in spring. Huge leaves. Please feel free to comment about hardiness etc, add more suggestions, pick the list to pieces. :-) -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK Would a palm or three not break up the monotony of all that common stuff:-) |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article , "Bob Hobden" writes: | | I had thought about a Wollemi Pine but they are expensive for their size. | However that puts me on another tack, how about ancient, prehistoric tree | species like the Wollemi? | Suggestions please... A female gingko. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article , "Bob Hobden" writes: | | Albizia julibrissin. | | Silk Tree. Small tree with spreading crown to 5-12 m tall. Pink puff ball | flowers. Maybe. I have been trying for some years, and it dies back to the ground every winter, and so has never started to grow. | Cercis chinesis | Chinese redbud. To 12ft tall, flowers well. You could also try C. canadiensis. | Ficus carica | Fig. 3 - 9 m tall. Grrk. In the open, it will be a small shrub, if it thrives. As with some of the others, it's the lack of a summer that is its problem. You could also try Halesia monticola and Maclura aurantica. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... Been thinking of some unusual trees to plant in a new local Park of about 10 acres that used to be my old allotment site. We already have lots of native trees and shrubs btw but they won't get tree preservation orders on them for a long time. (not that I'm suggesting the Council might eventually want to build on the land!) Here is my list so far.... How big is this allotment? Sounds like it might be a bit crowded. |
Unusual trees for a new park
Hi Bob,
On Mon, 28 May 2007 18:56:23 +0100 "Bob Hobden" wrote: [] Albizia julibrissin. Silk Tree. Small tree with spreading crown to 5-12 m tall. Pink puff ball flowers. Does best on well drained (even sandy) soil. If soil is not sufficiently acidic the flowers will fade very quickly and be more white than pink. Cultivar 'Ombrella' is hardier. [] Cercis chinesis Chinese redbud. To 12ft tall, flowers well. Nice tree, and hardy. Can take full sun though most don't recommend it. [] Kalopanax septemlobus Castor aralia. To 30 m tall. Flowers in autumn. Very hardy, tropical looking. The var. maximowiczii with deeper cut lobes is more interesting. Not a fast grower. Avoid too windy a spot, the long petioles break and give an untidy look. Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain tree. To 15 m tall. I'm growing cultivar 'Coral Sun" which is very spectacular in spring. "September Gold" is supposed to be more reliable about flowering late. [] Liriodendron chinense and tulipifera Tulip tree. To 30 m + tall. Be prepared to wait a long time to see flowers... [] How about a Davidia involucrata (pocket handkerchief tree)? I've always wanted one of those. Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum, the weeping katsura tree. Cornus contraversa variegatum, the wedding cake tree. Don't forget the rowans and whitebeams: Sorbus aria 'lutescens' Sorbus huphensis 'Pink Pagoda' (November Pink) Sorbus 'Lombart's Golden Wonder' Sorbus vilmoranii Sorbus koehneana Also, great opportunity to plant some maples: Acer capidociccum ssp sinensis. Lovely copper young leaves and red samaras. Acer pseudoplatanus 'Simon Louis Freres' Pink and green young leaves give way to cream. Acer pectinatum ssp forrestii (cultivars Alice, sirene, sparkling): snakebark with pretty leaves, Alice is pink, sirene dark red. Acer griseum. Paper bark maple, very easy to grow and spectacular. Acer beurgerianum cultivars, fresh green with long lasting fall color. Acer tutcheri. Great copper color, very unique olive green leaves. And on it goes... HTH -E -- Emery Davis You can reply to ecom by removing the well known companies Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Nick Maclaren" wrote after "Bob Hobden" wrote: | | I had thought about a Wollemi Pine but they are expensive for their size. | However that puts me on another tack, how about ancient, prehistoric tree | species like the Wollemi? | Suggestions please... A female gingko. Finding one may be a problem? Interesting article in the Kew Magazine about their famous big Ginko near the Princess of Wales Conservatory, supposed to be a male (actually two joined together) but had fruit on one branch last year, turns out on investigation that a branch from a female was grafted on decades ago and forgotten about. So it's actually three trees joined together. -- Regards Bob H |
Unusual trees for a new park
"CWatters" wrote after... "Bob Hobden" wrote ... Been thinking of some unusual trees to plant in a new local Park of about 10 acres that used to be my old allotment site. We already have lots of native trees and shrubs btw but they won't get tree preservation orders on them for a long time. (not that I'm suggesting the Council might eventually want to build on the land!) Here is my list so far.... How big is this allotment? Sounds like it might be a bit crowded. About 10 acres. -- Regards Bob H |
Unusual trees for a new park
On Tue, 29 May 2007 11:13:01 +0100
"Bob Hobden" wrote: A female gingko. Finding one may be a problem? Cultivar 'King of Dongting' is (ironically enough) female. But maybe Nick was joking. Don't the fruits have a horrible smell or something? -E -- Emery Davis You can reply to ecom by removing the well known companies Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote Would a palm or three not break up the monotony of all that common stuff:-) :-) Good idea, not thought of palms, suggestions please. BTW, soil is about 3ft of good clay/silt over gravel. -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Nick Maclaren" wrote after .. "Bob Hobden" wrote | Albizia julibrissin. | | Silk Tree. Small tree with spreading crown to 5-12 m tall. Pink puff ball | flowers. Maybe. I have been trying for some years, and it dies back to the ground every winter, and so has never started to grow. I believe they need protection for a number of years until the trunk is thick enough to be frost hardy, certainly in a friends garden near Toulouse they grow well and he gets down to 13°C of frost each winter. I have a few I've grown from seed and one stayed out in it's pot as an experiment and is now growing away. | Cercis chinesis | Chinese redbud. To 12ft tall, flowers well. You could also try C. canadiensis. | Ficus carica | Fig. 3 - 9 m tall. Grrk. In the open, it will be a small shrub, if it thrives. As with some of the others, it's the lack of a summer that is its problem. That's what I thought, but I saw one near here (Datchet) the other day that is growing as a specimen tree and it was quite big. Was surrounded mostly by buildings though but exposed to wind from the River. Mind you, I don't know how old it is. You could also try Halesia monticola and Maclura aurantica. I'll take a look at those, thanks. -- Regards Bob H |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Emery Davis" wrote ... "Bob Hobden" wrote: A female gingko. Finding one may be a problem? Cultivar 'King of Dongting' is (ironically enough) female. But maybe Nick was joking. Don't the fruits have a horrible smell or something? I'm convinced there will be a dog poo problem so nobody will notice the Ginko. :-) -- Regards Bob H |
Unusual trees for a new park
On Tue, 29 May 2007 11:29:35 +0100
"Bob Hobden" wrote: "Emery Davis" wrote ... "Bob Hobden" wrote: A female gingko. Finding one may be a problem? Cultivar 'King of Dongting' is (ironically enough) female. But maybe Nick was joking. Don't the fruits have a horrible smell or something? I'm convinced there will be a dog poo problem so nobody will notice the Ginko. :-) Ah, that's all right, then. ;) -E -- Emery Davis You can reply to ecom by removing the well known companies Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com |
Unusual trees for a new park
In message , Emery Davis
writes On Tue, 29 May 2007 11:13:01 +0100 "Bob Hobden" wrote: A female gingko. Finding one may be a problem? Cultivar 'King of Dongting' is (ironically enough) female. But maybe Nick was joking. Don't the fruits have a horrible smell or something? -E That would make a female gingko an unusual tree because it the male that is usually planted. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
Quote:
Pinus koraiensis (Korean pine) very common in east Asia, the main source of pine nuts, but hardly ever seen in Britain, attractive interesting garded varieties exist Sciadopitys verticillata (Japanese Umbrella Pine) Quite unique appearance, being the only thing in its family, perfectly hardy, attractive interesting garden varieties also exist. Araucaria angustifolia (Parana Pine) Related to the common-as-muck monkey puzzle and very rare in cultivation in Britain, some say it is hardy enough here once established. Lomatia ferruginea - beautiful, rare in cultivation here and doing well at Wakehurst Embothrium coccineum - ditto Gevuina avellana - cutting it a bit finer in terms of hardiness, but again very beautiful flowers, usually in autumn Nothofagus dombeyi, a magnificent large tree, (but will take 600 years to reach full size) unusual in being a broadleaf evergreen with small leaves. Absolutely hardy. Nothofagus antarctica, a broadleaf deciduous tree with very small leaves giving an unusually open crown, like a birch but more so, beautiful shaped tree. Absolutely hardy. Eucalyptus perriniana, commonly grown in the cut flower industry but little seen as an ornamental, which is a shame because it is quite bizarre, unique in appearance, and perfectly hardy Banksia integrifolia, grows tree-sized, really weird flowers, perfectly hardy Prumnopitys andina (plum-fruited yew) an unusual monospecific yew-like conifer which is more closely related to the podocarps, becoming rare in nature, with an edible berry (dioecious), perfectly hardy Maytenus boaria, an unusual evergreen from South America, perfectly hardy, rare in cultivation here. Drimys winteri (Winter's bark), which gives its name to the Winteraceae, a southern hemisphere family of primitive trees and shrubs. An evergreen with an aromatic flower. Perfectly hardy (though would prefer to be in W Scotland) but not too common in cultivation. You will observe I have a particular taste for southern hemisphere trees. |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article ,
"Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. |
Unusual trees for a new park
In message
, John McMillan writes In article , "Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. If my memories of London are correct, you can see this in Hyde Park. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote Would a palm or three not break up the monotony of all that common stuff:-) :-) Good idea, not thought of palms, suggestions please. BTW, soil is about 3ft of good clay/silt over gravel. -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK The favourite for most locations which are wind free is Trachycarpus fortuneii. Butia capitata and Phoenix canariensis are the others that seem to be gaining in popularity. Cold is not a problem but wet waterlogged soil is the winter killer. These three sailed through last winter (what winter) and did not really stop growing. Have a look at the Palm centre just to get an idea of the sizes and prices :-( There are better deals from some of the other Palm importers. http://www.thepalmcentre.co.uk/ Some rather nice Butias at Akamba in Birmingham £600 per metre for a trunk about 3 metres high with a canopy of a further few metres. Just in case you need a few, remember to double that price to allow for transport and hole digging:-) Perhaps it's best to stick with Leylandii |
Unusual trees for a new park
"John McMillan" wrote "Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. Would love one thanks, but how to get it here? -- Regards Bob H (hobdens at btinternetdotcom) 17mls W. of London.UK |
Unusual trees for a new park
On 29 May, 22:44, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"John McMillan" wrote "Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. Would love one thanks, but how to get it here? -- Regards Bob H (hobdens at btinternetdotcom) 17mls W. of London.UK I see nobody's mentioned Dawn Redwood, not esp. rare or unusual but lovely tree at any time of the year, reasonably fast growing and there's the fascinating story to tell of it's rediscovery. |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Rod" wrote in message oups.com... On 29 May, 22:44, "Bob Hobden" wrote: "John McMillan" wrote "Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. Would love one thanks, but how to get it here? -- Regards Bob H (hobdens at btinternetdotcom) 17mls W. of London.UK I see nobody's mentioned Dawn Redwood, not esp. rare or unusual but lovely tree at any time of the year, reasonably fast growing and there's the fascinating story to tell of it's rediscovery. Sorry for piggybacking, but I've lost the original post. My suggestions would be for a Monkey Puzzle Trees (I know they aren't that rare, but I happen to like monkey puzzle trees and think there should be more of them) and japanese cherry trees (Prunus serrulata and varients) which are so gorgeous in spring. -- Rhiannon_s Due to it's large carbon footprint the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off. |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , John McMillan writes In article , "Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. If my memories of London are correct, you can see this in Hyde Park. You can certainly see it at Kew gardens, which are where, er, my three conkers came from. They all sprouted in march and are now 50cm high thugs. My own site is probably a bit small for such a species but I thought of growing one and coppicing it. You can do that for sweet chestnut can't you. |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article , John McMillan writes: | In article , | Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: | | Aesculus Indica? | http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html | | I have three seedlings if you'd like one. | | If my memories of London are correct, you can see this in Hyde Park. | | You can certainly see it at Kew gardens, which are where, er, my | three conkers came from. They all sprouted in march and are now 50cm | high thugs. My own site is probably a bit small for such a species | but I thought of growing one and coppicing it. You can do that for | sweet chestnut can't you. Sweet chestnut and horse chestnut have little in common. I doubt that the tree Aesculus would coppice well, as they tend to suffer from rot, but the shrubby ones might. I don't know. Sweet chestnut does coppice well, as you say. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Unusual trees for a new park
In message
, John McMillan writes In article , Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , John McMillan writes In article , "Bob Hobden" wrote: Aesculus pavia "Briotii". Red Buckeye (also var. flavescens, yellow flowered form) Small tree to 5 - 8m tall. Red Horse Chestnut type flowers. Aesculus Indica? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/02.html I have three seedlings if you'd like one. If my memories of London are correct, you can see this in Hyde Park. You can certainly see it at Kew gardens, which are where, er, my three conkers came from. They all sprouted in march and are now 50cm high thugs. My own site is probably a bit small for such a species but I thought of growing one and coppicing it. You can do that for sweet chestnut can't you. Sweet chestnut and horse chestnut are not particularly closely related, and drawing conclusions about one from the other is not safe. OTOH, many trees can be coppiced, and there is mention of coppiced horse chestnuts on the web. (Sweet chestnuts are particularly good for coppicing). [Sweet chestnuts belong to the group of catkin-bearing trees including beeches and oaks, and more distantly birches, alders, hazels, hornbeans, walnuts and wingnuts. Horse chestnuts' closest relatives, apart from an obscure Mexican genus, are maples, and more distantly golden rain tree, citrus, sumach, mahogany etc.] -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Rhiannon S" wrote after Rod wrote... I see nobody's mentioned Dawn Redwood, not esp. rare or unusual but lovely tree at any time of the year, reasonably fast growing and there's the fascinating story to tell of it's rediscovery. Sorry for piggybacking, but I've lost the original post. My suggestions would be for a Monkey Puzzle Trees (I know they aren't that rare, but I happen to like monkey puzzle trees and think there should be more of them) and japanese cherry trees (Prunus serrulata and varients) which are so gorgeous in spring. I think the Dawn Redwood was mentioned previously or at least I've got it on my list now thanks Rod. A few prehistoric trees would be rather useful for the local Scouts etc to help them get their badges. :-) The Monkey Puzzle Tree is a favourite of mine too, there is an excellent one just near the Orangery at Kew but I'm not so sure one would be a good idea in a public park these days, some little darling might prick themselves. :-( I'll put it to the Council though with most of your other suggestions. -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article , "Bob Hobden" writes: | | The Monkey Puzzle Tree is a favourite of mine too, there is an excellent one | just near the Orangery at Kew but I'm not so sure one would be a good idea | in a public park these days, some little darling might prick themselves. | :-( Oh, GOOD! For sheer viciousness, our native barberry (Berberis vulgaris) takes a lot of beating. It has spectacular yellow flowers in spring, and equally spectacular, edible red berries in autumn. Its leaves are edible, too. | I'll put it to the Council though with most of your other suggestions. Taxodium distichum is also good, as is Abies koreana (though a bit slow growing). Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "Bob Hobden" writes: | | The Monkey Puzzle Tree is a favourite of mine too, there is an excellent one | just near the Orangery at Kew but I'm not so sure one would be a good idea | in a public park these days, some little darling might prick themselves. | :-( Oh, GOOD! Isn't that how kids are supposed to learn? Do something stupid, feel pain. Do something really, really stupid like playing chicken with train, feel Charles Darwin's chainsaw of natural selection. -- Rhiannon_s Due to it's large carbon footprint the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.. |
Unusual trees for a new park
Nick Maclaren writes
In article , "Bob Hobden" writes: | | The Monkey Puzzle Tree is a favourite of mine too, Until this thread I thought I was the only urgler who liked them! |there is an excellent one | just near the Orangery at Kew but I'm not so sure one would be a good idea | in a public park these days, some little darling might prick themselves. | :-( Oh, GOOD! For sheer viciousness, our native barberry (Berberis vulgaris) takes a lot of beating. It has spectacular yellow flowers in spring, and equally spectacular, edible red berries in autumn. Its leaves are edible, too. Leeds have been planting Araucaria by the score :-) In amongst pampas grass which is probably more vicious. | I'll put it to the Council though with most of your other suggestions. Taxodium distichum is also good, Swamp cypress? Got one of those I grew from seed - very pretty at this age. Wish it would grow 'knees' but I don't think it will. as is Abies koreana (though a bit slow growing). But with cones when very young :-) -- Kay |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article , K writes: | | Leeds have been planting Araucaria by the score :-) | In amongst pampas grass which is probably more vicious. Much. Pampas grass is actually dangerous - not enough to get excited about, but enough to cause cuts that need surgery in an operating theatre. | | I'll put it to the Council though with most of your other suggestions. | | Taxodium distichum is also good, | | Swamp cypress? Got one of those I grew from seed - very pretty at this | age. Wish it would grow 'knees' but I don't think it will. Only when planted in a swamp. It doesn't need a swamp, but can handle one. | as is Abies koreana (though a bit | slow growing). | | But with cones when very young :-) From VERY young. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Unusual trees for a new park
Nick Maclaren writes
| | Taxodium distichum is also good, | | Swamp cypress? Got one of those I grew from seed - very pretty at this | age. Wish it would grow 'knees' but I don't think it will. Only when planted in a swamp. It's got knees in one of the botanic gardens in Lisbon. Much less swampy than my garden. Maybe there's hope yet ;-) -- Kay |
Quote:
If you do have them, please have several, not one. They are dioecious, and the pollen only travels a couple of hundred metres or so, so you are breaking their fundamental arboreal rights by keeping them in isolation. Also you can't sex them until they grow up, which takes decades, so you need a copse to be sure of having a mix of the sexes. The nuts, which are huge, are edible if cooked. Plant them reasonably spaced out. In 50 years, they will look daft unless they are at least 10m apart from each other. In the mean time, you can plant plenty of other smaller trees between them. In nature, they often grow in mixed forests with Nothofagus dombeyi. So there is a good reason to grow some N dombeyi along with them. The mixed forest of these two species on the upper slopes of Volcán Villarrica in Chile is a wonder to behold: the trees (of both species) are enormous (many with trunks a good 2m in diameter), far bigger than any seen in this country, and very many must be several centuries old. We are very lucky they got protected before they were logged. As they mature, there will no longer be any sharp bits lower down. You could put a livestock fence around them until they were established, though that would take some decades. |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Nick Maclaren" wrote | Taxodium distichum is also good, | | Swamp cypress? Got one of those I grew from seed - very pretty at this | age. Wish it would grow 'knees' but I don't think it will. Only when planted in a swamp. It doesn't need a swamp, but can handle one. The Council plan actually shows a boggy area so a Swamp Cypress would do nicely. They are also improving another local Park with walkways because it's always boggy with the slightest rain so it would be ideal at that site too. -- Regards Bob H 17mls W. of London.UK |
Unusual trees for a new park
"K" wrote in message ... Nick Maclaren writes In article , "Bob Hobden" writes: | | The Monkey Puzzle Tree is a favourite of mine too, Until this thread I thought I was the only urgler who liked them! |there is an excellent one | just near the Orangery at Kew but I'm not so sure one would be a good idea | in a public park these days, some little darling might prick themselves. | :-( Oh, GOOD! For sheer viciousness, our native barberry (Berberis vulgaris) takes a lot of beating. It has spectacular yellow flowers in spring, and equally spectacular, edible red berries in autumn. Its leaves are edible, too. Leeds have been planting Araucaria by the score :-) In amongst pampas grass which is probably more vicious. | I'll put it to the Council though with most of your other suggestions. Taxodium distichum is also good, Swamp cypress? Got one of those I grew from seed - very pretty at this age. Wish it would grow 'knees' but I don't think it will. as is Abies koreana (though a bit slow growing). But with cones when very young :-) -- Kay That's a cone when very young in my case, however after 10 years it now has four. Those Araucaria on the bit by the Armley gyratory are excellent . Planted very closely -perhaps that is supposed to limit the growth? Very Yob proof- I wonder if it is possible to do a hedge:-) |
Unusual trees for a new park
"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" writes
"K" wrote in message ... Abies koreana That's a cone when very young in my case, however after 10 years it now has four. Mine's never had fewer than 4, but it has missed out a year now and again. It might be the dwarf form - it's spent most of its life fighting a Daboecia Those Araucaria on the bit by the Armley gyratory are excellent . Planted very closely -perhaps that is supposed to limit the growth? Very Yob proof- I wonder if it is possible to do a hedge:-) :-) Have you seen the nice Araucaria in Otley, on the main road out to the W, planted about 18in from the house? -- Kay |
Unusual trees for a new park
"K" wrote in message ... "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" writes "K" wrote in message ... Abies koreana That's a cone when very young in my case, however after 10 years it now has four. Mine's never had fewer than 4, but it has missed out a year now and again. It might be the dwarf form - it's spent most of its life fighting a Daboecia Those Araucaria on the bit by the Armley gyratory are excellent . Planted very closely -perhaps that is supposed to limit the growth? Very Yob proof- I wonder if it is possible to do a hedge:-) :-) Have you seen the nice Araucaria in Otley, on the main road out to the W, planted about 18in from the house? -- Kay It makes me smile each time I see it. Another few years and those lower branches might drop off and give them and their neighbours a clear view for the first time in many decades. It must be a very loved and protected tree:-) There is a smaller (growing fast) example somewhere in Yeadon just near the Park;-) |
Unusual trees for a new park
In article , K writes: | "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" writes | | Abies koreana | | That's a cone when very young in my case, however after 10 years it now has | four. | | Mine's never had fewer than 4, but it has missed out a year now and | again. | It might be the dwarf form - it's spent most of its life fighting a | Daboecia Mine started within a few years - at under 2', and has continued ever since. It is now 15' or so. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Unusual trees for a new park
On 28 May, 18:56, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
Please feel free to comment about hardiness etc, add more suggestions, pick the list to pieces. :-) Just thought of the Parrotia persica (relative of the witch hazel). Reaches colour zenith in October in coppery and orange blaze. Passed 9m branches often spread horizontally so looks like an enormous brightly coloured umbrella. If only I had the room .... :o( |
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