Spring Tree Panel —
Why Plant Ho-Hum Trees? Nina A. Koziol
When you know how a product works and
it works well, it can be hard to switch. It could be a special brand of tool, an appliance or a car. Why try something new when you have a proven product? That goes for plants, too. If you’ve been using river birch, red maple, spruces or honey locust as dependable choices, you’re not alone. But, there are many good reasons to try something different, even something better. Your projects will stand out from others, especially in residential subdivisions where these trees appear again and again. And, there’s the need for diversity in plantings. If a serious new insect pest or disease affects red maples and everyone on the block has one—well, you get the picture.
To provide some inspiration and encourage the use of broader plant palettes — especially in light of plant shortages for many of these often-used trees — we asked a panel of experts for their recommendations. Julie Janoski, plant clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Jim Matusik, owner of the Tree Connection, a wholesale nursery stock distribution company in Rochester, Michigan; Jeff Kramer, V.P. and ISA Certified Arborist at Kramer Tree Specialists in West Chicago; and Mike Cook of Cedar Path Nurseries in Barrington and Lockport, IL, all weighed in.
Ruby Falls redbud
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The Landscape Contractor May 2022
