woody ornamentals

benefits of trees

reduce storm water runoff

reduce air, water and noise pollution

reduce energy costs and use associated with heat and cooling

protect roadways

provide valuable carbon storage and sequestration

increase life satisfaction

increase positive thoughts, emotions overall attention, memory, reflection and focus

can reduce stress and blood pressure

improves physical health in children, as well as classroom engagement, attention span, test scores in reading and math

reduced crime levels in neighborhoods with trees

cause increase sense of community

increased sales for businesses

woody plant definition

plants with secondary growth and woody tissue

includes trees, shrubs and several woody vines

growth occurs upwards and outwards through primary and secondary growth

trees

grow with at least one main trunk

typically grow over 15 feet tall

shrubs

have numerous branching stems

grow to less than 15 feet tall

vines

grow numerous long, thin flexible stems that require support to grow upright

primary growth

where cells divide at the tips of stems and roots, causing elongation

secondary growth

cells divide at the cambium, cells are pushed outwards and inwards, creating rings or layer of wood

misc growth in woody plant

most of the supportive, wood tissue occurs in the trunk of a woody plant - this provides structural support, stores extra energy reserves and protects the cambium with bark

cambium moves water and nutrients through the plant, especially between the roots and the tree canopy (this layer of cells is the only living tissue in the wood parts of these plants)

outer bark layer can be thin making the cambium susceptible to animal, mechanical or environmental damage

if only a portion of the cambium is compromised, the tree can grow reactionary wound wood around it

perennial, woody growth allows for persistent stems and branches to support leaves and stems in plant canopies

through the wrapping of wood, as the cambium grows, branches are securely attached to the trunk of the tree (this allows them to withstand high forces due to wind or snow loads)

branches do not move upward as the tree grows

roots anchor the tree, store sugars and absorb water and nutrients

most roots only grow within the top twelve to eighteen inches of soil since they need oxygen

roots are more likely to grow up to twice as wide as the tree is tall

plants can communicate with each other by sharing chemical signals and resources through roots (but can also share pathogens)

choosing the right woody plant

what do you want from this plant? (looks, shade, screening, food for people or wildlife, providing erosion control)

forms and growth habits (upright and skinny, sprawling and wide, or round and petite)

consider the final height of your plant

what are you willing to manage?

hardiness zone

winter issues

soil type

things to look for when buying a tree or shrub

full, healthy buds that are free of damage and not dried out

good branch distribution along the trunk (or branching from the base for a shrub)

no damaged or diseased branches

well formed dense root ball

planting bare root plants

tend to be less expensive and easier to ship

easier to plant because you can locate the root flare and avoid planting too deeply

easy to examine and you can remove any broken or dead roots prior to planting

more vulnerable if handled improperly

more sensitive to transplant shock and drying out (common to soak roots for 24 hours prior to planting)

sufficient watering after planting is crucial

typically have limited availability and selection

must be planted in early spring

planting balled and burlapped plants

roots are kept relatively intact

allows for trees to be out of soils for a longer time

used to transplant large, established trees or shrubs

wider selection is available

larger trees to choose from

can plant in spring, summer or fall

can be heavy and hard to move

planting can be expensive

hard to assess the health of the root system

hard to find the root flare for proper planting

may take longer for the plant to establish (especially if the field soil it came with is drastically different from the native soil)

make sure to remove the wire or twine at planting to allow the roots to grow into the native soil

planting container plants

most widely available and familiar nursery plants

wider selection

can be planted at any time during the growing season

tend to be cheaper

less likely to suffer transplant shock since the roots are already growing in the soil medium

can have problems with the roots (root grow around the pot and become circling roots)\

can be difficult to find the root flare

more likely to have been planted too deeply

timing of planting trees and shrubs

can be done anytime, but spring and fall are best (cooler temperatures and typical rainfall help reduce transplant stress and promote root growth)

be careful of planting in soil that is overly wet

when planting in fall make sure there is plenty of time for the roots to establish before winter and provide plenty of root insulation

if planting in summer, make sure you provide enough water

how to plant trees and shrubs

dig the holes so that the roots ball of your plant will fit, with roots stretched fully outwards

in compacted soil, dig your planting hole one to two feel wider than the size of your root ball

dig deep enough that the root ball can comfortably sit at or slightly above the proper planting level

the root flare (where the base of the tree transitions into root tissue) should be one inch above the soil

after planting, some trees may need support from stakes (and should only be used the first year or two after planting so that the tree can develop a strong and stable trunk). use only two stakes to stabilize

mulching trees

apply after planting

holds in soil moisture

keeps soil and roots cool in the summer

protects roots from compaction and damage

prevents soil from freezing and thawing

insulates roots so they can gradually move into dormancy for winter and gradually come out of dormancy in the spring

avoid piling mulch up and along the trunk of the tree because it can increase the potential for decay and pest issues; also promotes the growth of “adventitious roots” (roots that grow above the root flare and circle the tree - these roots eventually grow around the trunk and girdle the tree)

watering trees

newly planted trees will need roughly one to two inches of water per week

long, lower-volume watering sessions that allow the water to infiltrate more slowly are better for plants that short, frequent watering (encourages deep, stabilizing root growth)

check the soil at four to eight inches deep (if dry or slightly damp, increase your watering)

newly planted trees should not need fertilizer

winter care for young trees

water tree throughout fall to avoid winter browning

wrap the trunk with chicken wire or hardware cloth to prevent animal damage

protect the trunk at least one to two feet about the snow level

benefits of pruning

removes diseases, dead or damaged wood

encourages air and light to reach the inner branches, reducing humidity which can facilitate disease

controls the growth and appearance by influencing branch structure, encouraging blooms or creating an aesthetically pleasing plant

pruning young trees builds a strong branch structure that can withstand weather events

pruning misc

when making pruning cuts, you are directing the growth of the plant

work with the natural structure of the plant

most trees should be pruned in the late dormant season (cuts made in the late winter are less likely to dry out and will not attract disease and insect pests, also trees respond better to winter pruning since no active growth is occuring)

many shrubs should also be pruned in late winter

pruning tools

keep tools sharp and well maintained

likely need pruning shears

by pass pruning shears make better cuts than anvil pruning shears

lopping shears give you leverage to cut thicker stems and give you better reach

handsaws help remove even larger stems and branches

tri-cut and razor tooth saws are easy to use

pruning young trees how-tos

require special care in order to create a strong structure

if the tree is excurrent, choose a central leader and remove any competitors (leader should be straight, well-attached and strong, but may not be the biggest)

multiple leaders can cause weak branch attachments and overcrowding

next, choose which branches will be your main scaffolding branches (these will create the main structure of the tree)

look for evenly space branches along the height of the tree as well as directionally from the tree

you should maintain at least 50% of the tree’s mass in the canopy so that the tree can continue to grow

as the scaffold fills out, you can remove unnecessary branches

general pruning how tos

remove dead or diseased wood, crossing or rubbing branches, water sprouts(grow quickly upwards from the main branches and provide no structural benefit) and suckers

prevent branch attachment with included bark by ensuring that the branches you choose for both young and mature trees do not have narrow angles to the trunk or other branches

pruning best practices

don’t remove more than 25% of a medium aged tree and 10% of a mature tree

when controlling the shape or size of a tree primarily focus on thinning cuts (involves trimming a twig or branch down to the branch from which it grew)

do not make topping cuts

if you need to reduce the length of size of a branch and don’t want to cut it back to the base, then make a reduction cut (takes the remaining buds on the branch into account, select buds that will grow in the direction you wish, do not leave extra wood)

larger pruning cuts how tos

1. find the branch bark ridge where the bark of the collar and the trunk meet

2. next, find the branch collar - the swollen space where the branch and trunk tissue meet may not always be obvious but it’s important to leave it intact

3. when you remove large branches, perform a three-point cut (this prevents falling branches from tearing of bard and wood while be cut)

   1. first, make an upward cut several inches away from the final cut - this reduces the weight of the branch for the second cut, which should be through the whole branch

   2. after the bulk of the branch has been removed, return to make the final cut along the branch collar - when possible the final cut should be at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the growing branch and retain as much of the collar as possible

4. if the shape of the wound is circular, it is a good cut. an oval shaped cut indicates that the collar tissue has sustained damage (and encourages decay in the scaffold branch or tree trunk)

pruning shrubs

thinning cuts - good for thinning the canopy while maintaining the shape and structure or to remove poorly performing old wood; thinning means cutting the branches down to the base of the stem or branch

reduction cuts - made to branches along the stem to direct new growth, if not removed entirely; good for removing older wood to make space for new wood to grow; may take several years to make all the necessary cuts

shearing - only for hedges; removes new growth in order to maintain a particular shape; should be trimmed to allow sunlight to reach all parts of the canopy (so that the bottom of the hedge is wider than the top and shear throughout the season)

evergreen shrubs - prune with care to control their shape and size; not all evergreens will grow back like deciduous plants; yews, boxwood and hemlocks can be pruned back more drastically, junipers shouldn’t be heavily pruned, arborvitae are in the middle; timing of pruning is dependent on plant

woody plant maintenance

trees - supplemental watering should be provided if rainfall is not enough, to test - dig down into the top six to eight inches along the edge of the drip line to see if soil is dry. it’s best to be proactive since damage from drought may take several years to become apparent

shrubs - low volume, slow irrigation is better than short frequent watering (the whole root zone gets watered and roots are encourage to keep growing deeply where they have less competition from other plants and will have better stabilization)

woody plants often do not need fertilizer

other issues - compacted soil, poorly drained soil

winter damage - adequately water trees and shrubs through fall (reduces likelihood of evergreens experiencing winter burn); avoid pruning in fall;

avoid salt exposure if possible

install fencing to avoid animal damage

avoid pruning and fertilizing late in the growing season

decurrent tree

multiple leaders (maples, elms)

excurrent tree

has strong central leader (like evergreens)

MN trees

silver maple

sugar maple

freeman maple

Ohio buckeye

serviceberry

river birch

paper birch

American hormbeam

red oak

northern pin oak

Canada red cherry

northern catalpa

hackberry

eastern redbud

pagoda dogwood

ginkgo

thornless honeylocust

Kentucky coffeetree

black walnut

elm

littleleaf linden

American basswood

bur oak

bicolor oak

amur mackia

cucumber magnolia

crabapple

ironwood

Norway spruce

white spruce

eastern white pine

amur chokecherry

MN shrubs

black chokecherry

boxwood

tatarian dogwood

red osier dogwood

garden glow dogwood

smoketree

cotton candy smoketree

bush honeysuckly

forsythia

smooth hydrangea

panicle hydrangea

kalms St John’s wort

winterberry

juniper

mock orange

ninebark

cinquefoil

azalea

fragrant sumac

staghorm sumac

shrub roses

artic blue leaf willow

spiraea

lilac

yew

arborvitae

arrowwood viburnum

wayfairing tree

nannyberry viburnum

cranberry bush

weigela