Tall trees that resist wind and ice damage

23 tall-growing native trees that resist wind and ice damage

Updated, 3/6/10.

All of these trees can reach 75-100 feet in height or more when mature. All are native trees of North America with moderate to good resistance to damage by wind and ice.

Trees marked with an asterisk below should be considered moderately resistant. A general rule to remember is that strong evergreens are not as resistant to wind and ice damage as strong deciduous trees. Because of their foliage, they tend to catch more winter wind, snow, and ice. (That's why evergreen trees are often planted in windbreaks.)

1. Acer nigrum -- Black maple
2. Acer saccharum -- Sugar maple*
3. Carya cordiformis -- Bitternut hickory
4. Carya glabra -- Pignut hickory
5. Carya illinoensis -- Pecan
6. Carya ovata -- Shagbark hickory
7. Carya tomentosa -- Mockernut hickory
8. Fagus grandifolia -- American beech
9. Gymnocladus dioicus -- Kentucky coffeetree
10. Juglans nigra -- Eastern black walnut
11. Liquidambar styraciflua -- American Sweetgum
12. Magnolia acuminata -- Cucumbertree magnolia
13. Picea pungens -- Colorado spruce
14. Pinus ponderosa -- Ponderosa pine*
15. Pinus resinosa -- Red pine*
16. Platanus occidentalis -- Sycamore, American planetree*
17. Quercus alba -- White oak
18. Quercus bicolor -- Swamp white oak
19. Quercus borealis -- Northern red oak
20. Quercus macrocarpa -- Bur oak*
21. Quercus velutina -- Black oak
22. Taxodium distichum -- Common baldcypress
23. Tsuga canadensis -- Canada hemlock*

Remember -- if the weather is bad enough, any tree can lose branches, snap its trunk, or even lose its grip and fall over. You should use good judgment about keeping your home safe. It's not wise to have big trees next to your house, no matter what kind of trees they are. 

For a (usually) safe distance between house and tree, allow half of the mature tree's spread (half of the diameter of its crown). If the mature tree will have a spread of 70 feet, it should be planted at least 35 feet from any buildings. This does mean that many suburban properties are too small for large trees.

If you want a guarantee that you will never have to cope with fallen branches or storm-damaged trees, simply remove all trees from your property. That should eliminate the problem.

Sources for the above list include:

Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America: A Planting Design Manual for Environmental Designers by Gary L. Hightshoe, published in 1988 by Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Ice Storm Damage to Urban Trees, an article in the appendix of Storms Over the Urban Forest, a publication of the USDA Forest Service. (This article's table, "Ice storm susceptibility of tree species commonly planted in urban areas" is reprinted in many reputable articles about ice damage susceptibility on the internet.)

Trees For Nebraska Ice Storm Recovery and Susceptibility of Trees to Ice Storm Damage in the Great Plains, published by the Nebraska Statewide Arboreum

Preventing Wind Damage to Trees

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A big tree brought down by a violent windstorm

Violent winds (up to 70 mph) swept through southern Kentucky on the afternoon and evening of January 29, 2008, leaving behind many broken trees and damaged structures. The above photo is a dramatic example of a tree that didn't survive the storm.

This tree is on city property (between the Municipal Building and the Police Department) near Little River in Hopkinsville, KY. I doubt if it was planted by the city. It is probably just a tree that happened to be growing there. I'd be very surprised if it's received any sort of special care or attention over the years.

It appears that the top of this tree broke in the wind, and as it fell, the heavy branches ripped off the branches below it. The tree is beyond salvage.

What can be done to reduce the chances of damage like this?

1. Choose wind-resistant, appropriately-sized species of trees.

2. As the tree grows, practice good pruning techniques. Eliminate the following as they occur:
-- one branch wherever the stem splits into a "Y" that has two equal branches directly across from each other
-- branches that cross over or rub against another branch
-- any side branch that is taller than the main stem of the tree
-- one branch wherever the crotch is weak (narrow).
-- dead or broken branches

3. Keep the crown of the tree symmetrical. Don't allow the tree to become lopsided.

4. Reduce the density of a large tree's crown so it has less wind-resistance (so the wind can blow through the tree.)

5. Keep the tree in good health by controlling insects and disease.

6. Avoid injury to the tree's trunk and roots.

7. Do not cut large branches back to stubs. New branches that shoot out from the stubs will be extremely vulnerable to weather damage due to their weak attachment.

A Reader Asks for Tree Identification

Mysterious trees on Oak Island

I've always said that one of the most interesting things about blogging is the comments, both on the blog and via e-mail. Here's one I received a few days ago.

Dear Genevieve,

I am studying a species of Oak which is non-native to Eastern Canada. To date, my colleagues and I have been unable to identify which species of Quercus it is. The last tree disappeared sometime in the late 1960's, so all that we have to work with is the pictures of these trees. Do you think that you could take a look and render an opinion for us?

Robert

I wrote back:

I will be glad to look, but please keep in mind that I am just an interested amateur, not a trained professional!


Robert sent the following image and a little more information about it:

Many thanks, Genevieve. These Oak trees were found on Oak Island, off of the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. They are not native to the region and are not found anywhere else, but on this island up to about 1969 or so, when the last ones disappeared. I suspect that they were planted there specifically by early visitors, perhaps between 1560 and 1670. They are unusual because of their broad canopies. Image attached. Thanks again and I surely hope that you recognize them!



I didn't recognize the trees, and I wrote back:

I am not able to identify them, I regret to say. Their shape is curious, not so much because of the broad canopy, but because of the apparent lack of foliage below the canopy. I wonder if that might have been a phenomenon caused by the stress of growing in an environment that wasn't its natural home?

If you'd like, I can post the image on the blog and see if anyone else has any comments.


Robert replied:

Many thanks for taking a look, Genevieve. I would be grateful to learn anything else about them, so a post on your blog would be great. We thought that we had a sample of the trees from a log found on the island. I sent a sample for analysis to the Center for Wood Analysis Research and it came back as a species of Maple. I suspect that we had the wrong stump, as the common belief was and is that they are a species of Oak...

Your insight regarding the environment is probably correct. The unusual shape of the canopy, etc. is likely the result of the North Atlantic seaboard environment, which is known to be harsh as a result of the Nor'easters, as well as perhaps the soil and other conditions. In any event, they apparently thrived there for a number of centuries and of course, is why Oak Island is so named. We believe that they were planted there specifically for timber used in the repair (careening) of ships, but this is just a theory. Hopefully, someone will recognize them from the image, so I will keep my fingers crossed!

Robert is a member of an Oak Island research group. If you're not familiar with the story of Oak Island, it is fascinating. The story was new to me, but my son was well-informed about the mysterious treasure hole and the many attempts that have been made to explore it, having read about it in his some of his "mysteries of the unexplained" books.

Readers, do you recognize the tall trees in the image above, or do you have any comments about them? If so, please post them, or let me know by e-mail. Thanks.

What are "santos bultos"?

Santos bultos: Wooden religious statues

Santo bulto and image of the Dolorosa
in the church, Trampos, New Mexico, 1943
Image source: Library of Congress

In the southwestern U.S. where a strong Hispanic influence is part of the history and culture, you might see a santo bulto in a special niche in a home or church. A santo bulto is a three-dimensional folk-art religious statue or carving. It may depict Christ, the Virgin, one of the saints, or perhaps a Biblical event, such as the Resurrection.

In the image above, the santo bulto stands in the background at left. Traditionally, the statue might be dressed in new clothing when a special petition was made or a special occasion in the church year was celebrated.

The history of these figurines is interwoven with the Catholic practice of using articles of devotion. Due to the isolation of the Spanish colonies in the Southwest, many religious artworks were produced locally rather than imported.

The woodcarvers used the wood they had at hand -- typically, cottonwood, aspen, or pine. As with the Hopi kachina dolls, the figurines were often carved from cottonwood root.

Cottonwood root was preferred because it was light in weight, lacked a center core, didn't split easily when dry, and was easy to carve. The preferred method was to carve the object from a single block, rather than joining several pieces.

The style of the carvings was loosely based upon religious art objects in local churches, but each santero developed his own style. Most of the works were unsigned, in respect and reverence for the Great Creator, so the identity of many santeros is unknown.

Whatever native wood was used, the completed santo bulto was sealed with gesso, a mixture of native gypsum and glue. Then it was painted as the santero desired.

The Northern New Mexico Virtual Archive contains a very interesting and informative history of the santos bultos and their carvers.

An interesting story about an elderly lady who took care of the santos bultos at a little village church can be read in the American Life Histories section of the Library of Congress.

Technorati tags: santos bultos

As the wind blows, so the tree grows

Clinging to the hillside

My brother lives in southern Kansas, west of Wichita, and every time I drive out to see him, I notice the slant of the trees. Because of the prevailing winds from the southwest (particularly during the growing season,) most of the trees lean to the northeast.

The tree in the photo above grows at the crest of a big hill at the extreme northern edge of the "Gyp Hills" (Gypsum Hills, also called the Red Hills.) At the foot of this hill just to the north, the the flat Chikaskia River valley begins.

Over the years that the tree has grown on the hilltop, the strong southwest wind has laid it over sideways, forcing it to grow to the northeast in a completely unnatural position.

I don't know how old this tree is, but I do know it's not growing very fast. During the eighteen years or so that I've been going out there, it hasn't changed much. It didn't look much bigger the last time I saw it than it did the first time. Perhaps it will die from old age before it becomes heavy enough to uproot itself.

When the tree's leaves are heavy with rain or when its branches are caked with snow and ice, the extra weight is surely a great strain on the roots of the tree.

I have to wonder why the tree seed ever took root on this windswept hilltop. It's possible that it found a little wet spot there. Some of the hills on my brother's ranch are "springy" -- that is, during wet years, trickles of water ooze out of them.

Having observed this tree for a while, I was amused at a suggestion I found recently in the Third Biennial Report of the Kansas Horticultural Society (published in 1896.) The author was discussing how to plant orchards in northwest Kansas. "Lean the trees slightly to the southwest," he advised.

Mighty Oaks in Hopkinsville, KY

Beautiful old trees, currently safe from development

These big, beautiful oaks grow at the edge of a small field within the city limits of Hopkinsville, KY. This photograph was taken from the Aldi's parking lot. The trees grow on a knoll, just above Little River.

I was worried about these trees six or eight years ago when someone bought the lot just to the north of them and constructed the building you can see at the left in the photo. Their roots were surely disrupted by the activity, but they have survived.

As it turns out, the gentleman who put up the building also bought the lot where the trees stand. He didn't want anyone else to buy it and cut the trees down. I'm glad that the oaks in the photo are protected for now by someone who appreciates them.

I have stopped and examined some of the other big oaks that grow in this field a little farther down the road, and I believe them to be Southern red oaks (Quercus falcata.) I've always thought that the oaks in the photo are probably Southern red oaks too, though I've never had a chance to look at them closely.

The field is for sale, so the future of the other big oaks that grow in it is uncertain. I don't think that Hopkinsville has a tree ordinance to protect trees like these. They are at the mercy of the landowner, though they enhance the quality of life of all who live in Hopkinsville.

Bur oak favored by Minnesota tree experts

Quercus macrocarpa, a favorite Minnesota tree

Cliff Johnson, a Master Gardener and writer from Minnesota, took an informal survey of some Minnesota horticulturists, nursery owners, arborists, etc., asking this question:

“Assume you have moved into a new home and yard with adequate space and sunlight, good drainage and okay soil. What one large tree and one small tree would you plant in your new yard, and why?" (Source)

I'm pleased that Johnson reports a unanimous vote for bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) as the favorite large tree. It's one of my favorite trees as well. We have about half a dozen bur oaks planted in our yard, that we grew from acorns gathered from my husband's childhood home. ("Sentimental" only begins to describe my husband's attachment to these trees.)

Johnson's panel of experts mentioned several other trees that are North American natives or cultivars thereof:

• Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)
• 'Shademaster' honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)
• 'Autumn Purple' white ash (Fraxinus americana)
• Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

One quality that the experts liked about several of these trees was their appearance in winter. Truly, that's important to consider if you live in an area where the trees are leafless for several months in cold weather. A tree with a rugged, interesting form is a joy to behold during the bleak months of winter -- especially when the tree's structure is highlighted by snow on its branches.

Quercus macrocarpa at the
Heard Natural Science Museum,
McKinney, TX. Photo by Flickr
user Bonita La Banane

Image: A handsome, mature bur oak on Holly Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Resource: Cliff Johnson, the Minnesota Master Gardener who wrote the article I've been discussing, has a great website, "Putting Down Roots" where you can read dozens of his gardening columns.

I came across this Johnson article at the Shakopee (MN) Valley News. I went to Johnson's website to try to locate the true source of the article. Half an hour later, I still can't say if the article came from there. I got caught up in reading other interesting things!

Related: Article about a bur oak in Plano, Texas. Bur oaks are native to areas with an amazing variety of growing conditions, from north to south in the eastern and central U.S.!