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. Sugar Maples as a species are slower growing(thus stronger) than most Maples, have a nice oval “Tic-Tac-ish” shape when full grown and have reliably fantastic fall color. The Caddo, while not a specific variety but a group of un-named varieties native to Oklahoma, are slightly smaller (50 feet) and have a soft yellow-orange fall color. The Caddos are very tolerant of alkaline soils and are great for the rocky-limestone soil of Texas and southern Oklahoma. Named after Caddo County just west of Oklahoma City and found all over the State. They are responsible for much of the beauty of the Talimena Drive in eastern Oklahoma into Arkansas. With all maples, they prefer well drained soil so clay will need some amendment. Deep watering in the first few years will encourage a deeper more drought resistant root system. They can develop surface roots so beware when planting them near something, less frequent waterings will help mitigate this problem. If the nights are below freezing and the days are close to or above freezing, they can be tapped for their sugary sap. Because of this, they should not be pruned in winter or early spring as they will “bleed.” There is a variety, 'Legacy', that also does well in the south with a more varied fall color palate. Under no circumstance should Acer saccharum be confused with Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple). That 'i' in there make all the difference, from a sturdy tree with good fall color to a weak tree with anemic fall color. These trees are common and popular because of the fast growth and interesting bark but really only have a 20 year life span and are prone to storm damage.
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