Ok, I am being told that was in fact wrong...Oklahoma and the North East apparently have wildly different climates. There are just some varieties that are good for Oklahoma.
I realize late winter is not really the time to be thinking about Fall but I am. Fall in the north east, to be exact. Just about anyone should be able to conjure up an image of the New Hampshire-ish region in fall. Trees turning to oranges, reds and yellows. The tree most common there is the Maple. Dozens of species and hundreds of varieties exist all over the nation. Many do not do well with our oppressive heat and frequent mini droughts; while others suffer because of fast growth weakening them in our various storms. Other Maples will be covered later, but for the Sadly Under-used Oklahoma Series, I would like to talk about the Sugar Maple. Which brings me back to the New Hampshire/Vermont-ish area. The very tree responsible for Maple Syrup and much of the North East's Fall color. Now, Oklahoma and New Hampshire have very similar climates, soils and growing conditions, so, the Sugar Maple is GREAT for Oklahoma. End of story,see you next week...
Ok, I am being told that was in fact wrong...Oklahoma and the North East apparently have wildly different climates. There are just some varieties that are good for Oklahoma.
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Continuing our series on trees best suited to dealing with Oklahoma's ...interesting... climate, I bring you the Black Gum. Those of you familiar with Van Morrison will know Tupelo Honey, not only one of the greatest albums of all time but a honey made from bees that pollinate trees in the Nyssa genus.
Early Spring really is one of the best times to get started on your landscapes. Trees and shrubs get a huge benefit from being planted this time of year because of their dormancy cycle. For the same reason bare root roses typically do better than their potted counterparts, trees and shrubs usually do not have the stress and shock symptoms when planted in the colder months. Therefor, for the next few weeks, we will cover some of the better trees and shrubs for central Oklahoma. At the end of this series, we will have a post on the best ways to plant these plants to ensure the best success. To start this series on Oklahoma-able trees and shrubs, we will cover the state tree, the Oklahoma Redbud (Cercis canadensis texensis 'Oklahoma'). Most of us have seen them, some of us like them, so I will be brief with the description. They are fast growing to 25-ish feet, and have a open rounded shape with mostly horizontal branching. Photo courtesy Monrovia Below: Easter Redbud (Top) Oklahoma Redbud (Bottom) This is where is is so important to read tags. Most Redbuds sold are not truly Oklahoma Redbuds. An Eastern Redbud has light green leaves and pale pink flowers, while the Texas Redbuds, of which the Oklahoma is a variety, have thicker darker and glossy leaves and the Oklahoma alone has dark and rich pink flowers. The Texas Redbuds are also more adapted to the heavy alkaline soils here in the plains. Other Eastern Redbuds will need extensive soil amending and close watch on the water. Especially when freshly planted. No matter what species or variety is chosen, better than average drainage and watering will be needed. They are not a low maintenance tree; stay tuned for our message on how to make just about any tree low maintenance. Besides site requirements, the only thing to look out for is too many trunks. Too many splits stunts growth, weakens the tree and invites water and insect infiltration that can split the tree. Aside from our state tree there are plenty of good varieties:
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