If you own a home with a large yard, consider planting new trees. The advantages of having an array of trees in your yard are abundant. They reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air while producing oxygen and clean air, they provide homes for songbirds and other types of wildlife, they cool your home and yard by blocking sun and they warm your home by blocking harsh winds, and according to Management Information Services, mature trees can increase your property value by up to 20 percent! The beauty of it is, even if you don’t want to be digging in dirt, pulling weeds and watering gardens every other day, with trees, you plant and you’re done! Sure, they might need your watering assistance at first and during dry sprouts, but usually the rain will be adequate enough once the tree grows long roots. Therefore, planting trees is pretty much a win-win situation.
The type of tree you choose to grow in your yard will also decide the care it needs, the appearance it’ll display, the maturity level it’ll reach and more. Here are 10 standard types of trees to get you started on choosing the right tree for your yard:
• Maple trees come in huge variety of options, but they all grow fast and are tolerant in most soils. Eventually, the maples will grow 40 to 75 feet high and spread out 40 to 50 feet, making these ideal shade trees. They also spruce up your yard year-round with spring flower buds, lush summer leaves and bright fall colors.
• Oak trees are available in possibly more types than any other tree, but no matter what type you choose, the tree will grow tall and wide and will make an ideal shade tree. These long-lived trees tend to grow slowly, but that depends on the type you choose. Most grow 60 to 70 feet high and 60 to 70 feet wide. They too portray white flower buds in the spring and bright yellow colors in the fall.
• Dogwood trees are either small and rounded, looking more like a bush, or they are skinny and somewhat tall. They provide flowers and glossy-red fruit popular with birds, they grow in most soils, they portray deep fall colors and they only reach 10 to 25 feet in height and width. These trees work well in smaller yards.
• Crabapple trees radiate eye-catching beauty year-round with abundant clusters of spring flowers buds, and dark green, dense foliage with bright red berries in summer. Wildlife loves these trees, which prefer moist soils but will grow in dry soils. These trees grow six to 20 feet high and wide at a medium speed.
• Cherry trees not only provide abundant shade and colorful spring blossoms, but they also supply you with an abundance of ripe cherries to enjoy all summer long! These trees reach 12 to 35 feet high, and 12 to 25 feet wide. The type of cherries you will consume depends on the type of cherry tree you choose. These grow at a medium speed and in various types of soil.
• Apple trees also provide you with an abundance of ripe, juicy fruit in the early or late autumn months. These trees need plentiful sunshine and water, and they grow quickly. They grow from 10 to 25 feet high and wide, depending on the type you choose. When choosing a type, decide what kind of apple is your favorite!
• Cypress trees are ideal for the southern and western regions, because they are very tolerant to high heat and drought. The yearlong, soft gray-green foliage is ideal for stopping wind and erosion, and they can also be decorated at Christmas time because of their pyramidal, evergreen shape.
• Fir trees are also in the evergreen family, which are ideal trees for yearlong color since they never lose their foliage! These pyramid-shaped trees grow up to 100 feet high and 20 feet wide, depending on the type you choose. They portray silvery blue-green foliage and are tolerant to most soils and drought areas.
• Because pine trees come in so many varieties, you could definitely find one ideal for your location! These evergreen trees are more full and oval-shaped than other types of evergreen, and they grow up to 80 feet high and 40 feet wide, depending on the type you choose. These hardy trees will grow in almost any climate or soil.
• Spruce trees grow more quickly than other types of evergreens, and these pyramidal shaped trees show off long, graceful branches full of dark green needles year-round. They mature up to 75 feet high and 25 feet wide, making them great windbreakers. Spruces are also tolerant to most soils and locations.
For more assistance in choosing a tree that is right for your location, your type of soil and your size yard, visit the Arbor Day Foundation website. After you plant your new trees, on special occasions, you can snap photos next to the blossoming buds or the deep fall colors. In the winter, you can decorate your trees for the holidays. Every day, you can admire the seasonal changes and the increased wildlife from your window or from your outdoor patio. Enjoy!
Image source: tiseb