Trees We Do Not Like

,

There are trees we do not like.
These are trees to take a hike.
One is called the Bradford Pear.
Please don’t plant it anywhere. -RA

Trees the dancin' tree.jpg

[sent via an e-mail, she’s a real beauty!]

The other day I added some quotes from past lectures including a quote about the nasty Bradford Pear. I then received a comment from Bill over at the Giant Duck Institute, about the Bradford pear and one of Bill’s favorite’s the Norway Maple, which got me to thinking.

What are the nasty trees that no one wants or should have in the landscape? So far we got 3, because I’m adding the good ‘ole sugar maple. So, so far:

  • Pyrus c. ‘Bradford’ the Bradford pear
  • Acer saccharinum L. the Sugar Silver(0000ps! my bad) Maple-is my pick, though I also have no love for the B. pear.
  • Acer platanoides L. the Norway maple-Bill from the Giant Duck Institute.

So let’s hear it! What are your picks and why. Just click on the comments link and add your choice. When we get up to 10 . . . if we get to 10 I’ll put up a page. That way they’ll be posted.

Here’s the Squidoo page where the list resides.

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Addendum on November 8th, 2007

This has become the number one post on this blog, my guess you are here because of a search engine hit on trees. here are a few more post that might interest you.

  • This post talks about voting for the worst tree, and a link to the Squidoo page where the link is.
  • “The Seven-Son Flower”(SSF), or Heptacodium miconiodes.
  • Talking about the World of Arborculture.
  • Looking to help an organization with reforestation, contact Trees for the Future, this post will fill you in on the organization.

254 responses to “Trees We Do Not Like”

  1. **Non native trees**
    Most trees I’m not fond of were brought here from somewhere very far away. Here, they become invasive and so degrade the local & regional vegetation types both urban and rural. Now before you all start screaming “Elitist” you might first consider a world with only one tree, Ailanthus altissima, & only one ground cover, Kudzu.

    Like

  2. Greetings!

    I simply love the image of the “dancing tree” on your page. I would like to put the image on my web page with acknowledgment of the artist of course. Please send to me the contact info.

    Great Blessings,

    Brenda

    If you post the image on your website you would need to post a link to this website, and acknowledge you found it here. Thanks and good luck with your site.

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  3. hi there, i am really curious about that Bradford Pear tree.. the one you have a picture of.. so, im curious.. is this tree been photoshoped or modified? cus its pretty amazing if its not! .. but still an amazing job if it is..
    please if you have the time, e mail me and let me know.. and is this its name? a Bradford Pear?

    harlajean@gmail.com

    harla

    Bradford Pear; no, I don’t think so. I believe it is some sort of Locust cultivar, it is not photoshopped, but it is one hell of a pruning project.

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  4. Its wonderous! I have a tree in my backyard that looks like someone doing a hand stand. Things like this in nature just take my breathe away.

    Good for you to be so fortunate, I’d like to see a picture of that tree. Thanks for stopping by and commenting on the blog. Stop again anytime.

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  5. On the top on my list would be the mimosa, aka silktree, Julibrissum albizzia. They are messy, spread all over, weak-wood, so prone to splitting, regrow from the roots even when you cut them down, and worst of all, my grandparents planted them all over the place in the 1950’s.
    I would also add golden rain tree, eastern redbud, hackberry, silver maple, and red cedar, all of which spread way too easily.

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  6. wow, but doesn’t it look like a woman in a lovely ballet pose?

    sorry but i tihnk it’s just a little bit of lovely!

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  7. it’s lovelyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yup it looks like a women’s body. right???????? he he hee heeeeeeeee. it’s really wonderful. i mean superb!!!!!!

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  8. wow!!!! could only say wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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  9. i don’t know the name
    – grows big trunks, about 3 ft diameter
    – not too tall, just a little over 20 ft
    – large (as large as a hand), heart-shaped leaves that get sick easily (bumpy cyst-like), favorite of insects
    – wood is very brittle, give-take 5 years then the bark becomes flaky, and the wood crumbly.

    i think it comes cheap here because subdivision developers use it to line side walks. unfortunately, its a real hazard. the tree limbs fall off easily when the tree grows old.

    if you could give me names, i’ll research them and find the one i am posting about.

    Sorry it’s not ringing a bell, I thought it might have been Sycamore until you mentioned lining sidewalks.

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  10. What a riot! That’ll teach you to ask for opinions! I’ll keep mine to myself, and hope that some of these comments were meant to be humorous, otherwise, I’ buying my first gun for self protection. My best buddy is a botanist, doing studies for years on invasive exotic plants. He says that the true Bradford pear is practically sterile (we’ll let it’s inherent problems mentioned elsewhere be sufficient).

    However, the cultivars, Cleveland select, et al, are not sterile and are invading our natural areas. Watch for them when they start blooming this spring, and when they turn color in fall. They are easy to spot when you’re driving. These lovely dudes are THORNY, fast growing, and fertile (kudzu anyone?) My friend tells me that the Nashville area is having quite a party with them, and there is a savanna in Arkansas (or Alabama, you know, down south, starts with A) that has become impenetrable with the thorny bugger. Yeah, I know, trees are people, too.

    Pears, I have never liked them, and seem to find more ways to like them less and less. Go to the Squidoo page and vote ’em down. Or add the tree if it isn’t there.

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  11. Could the mighty redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) be the worst tree ever? See:
    http://tinyurl.com/37m3hb

    Thanks for commenting, and the link-it was a good read!

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  12. I am amazed at how much hatred is written on this site about trees. Living breathing elements of our earth that provide us with oxygen.

    I was seeking to find a beautiful tree for a business card to do thai yoga massage. It has been described as a mythical tree that burns yet does not die in the flames? Looks like a weeping will in shape however has branches and leaves that point up and out.

    Any suggestions on beautiful trees. I love the Japanese cherry blossom.

    If you can help that would be great.

    Namaste,
    Karima

    Cherry blossom is good, the Gingko leaf is another good choice for logo work-and the
    Gingko has much significance. I believe there are certain types of pines whose resin helps protect them in fire situations.

    The Sassafras leaf is another that would make a good logo, and it’s really underused. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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  13. Farter McFarter Avatar
    Farter McFarter

    Hey Stupid Thats Not a Bradford Pear its a mimosa Doo Doo Head.

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  14. I understand how some trees can be a PITA, (cherries; they are beyond messy) but the one pictured above is absolutely beautiful. It looks like a sculpted ballet dancer.

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  15. doesnt the shape of this tree remind you of a dancer though?
    thats why i clicked it on google

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  16. […] Source SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “The Green Picture: A Tree Of Natural Grace”, url: “http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=2965” }); […]

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  17. I am so sorry to see some of my favorites on the hate list. I love Mimosa!

    Annie, the comment(s) have taken on a life of their own-folks sure have strong opinions about their likes and dislikes when it comes to trees.

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  18. I’m not really an authority of any kind on trees, at all… I know the kinds I like, but probably not by name. I’m always interested in learning about them, but I never can seem to find the time to study the different types.

    However, I do have one question: what kind of tree is the one shown in this post? The dancing tree? It’s fantastically beautiful, though I’m sure it’s one of those magical flukes that happen. Sort of like seeing Elvis in a potato-chip format.

    🙂

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  19. i dont like th mesquite tree
    they grow everywhere in my area and drive me crazy
    though they make quite good wood for smoking and burning.

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  20. The picture in this article makes me think of a
    “Wood Nymph”.

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  21. wow it’s really beautiful, it looks like a dancing lady.

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  22. I will definitely agree, most hated tree is Black Walnut!! You cannot plant anything within 50 feet of them, at least. They are everywhere in my yard, every flower bed and sometimes randomly growing in the grass. Once the new trees reach a height of 6 inches you cannot pull them out, they have such a horrific root system. We have two 80 year old trees in our yard and in the fall, we rake at least 2 wheel barrels of nuts.

    You will not be the last person to mention this tree. But I love walnuts, and walnut can make some really beautiful furniture. So I’m hoping they stick around-just not in your yard.

    Thanks for posting. Did you vote, ot post this tree on the Squidoo site?

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  23. “ASPLUNDH”
    these are trees planted under power lines that when they start to mature, guys in orange trucks from New Jersey come and cut the heck out the tops of the trees to clear the power lines, resulting in weird shaped trees.
    Interesting “wood nymph” got my attention.
    apple trees can be high maintenance, but the deer like the apples.

    Like

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