Had a Large Maple Cut Down, a Couple Questions...

[GG Allin]

So this tree started causing trouble a few years ago resulting is a couple insurance claims. As much as I did not want to cut it down, it had to be done. I kept a section of stump for my sister. She's a teacher and wants it for a project. I counted 83 or so rings, puts it at about as old as the house.

I'm curious, why is the inner section of the tree darker than the outer?

What can I plant to replace it that will grow fast? No more Maples, no Locust trees either. Too many of those around here. I absolutely cannot stand the way the yard looks without that tree.

Also, they messed up my driveway grinding out the stump.

[1990C4S]

New growth is called sapwood (I think). Walnut is the same, light on the outside and then, with age, goes dark.

Just like old people in Florida.

Why not plant a Japanese maple? They grow veryyyy slowly.

[SCadaddle]

Dark stuff looks like bar oil from the chain saw to me.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

Dark stuff looks like bar oil from the chain saw to me.

Definitely not oil, similar pattern on both sides.

[wdfifteen]

Did you check the crown of the tree? Maples are known for getting water inside from a broken main branch and rotting from the inside out. I've had a couple do that. One was three feet across and 60 feet up to the first branch - magnificent looking tree. It came down in a big wind and looked just like that inside. The dark wood was soft near the base and spongy nearer the top.

[MBAtarga]

Lighter shaded growth (newer) is sapwood - darker older (inner) wood is heartwood. Staining of those sections seen can be caused by minerals in the soil that are drawn up into the tree with water. Example - Iron can cause red stains.

[Danimal16]

Now take a few of those logs and plug them with mushroom plugs of your choice!
In about a year, yummy lion's main mushrooms.

[Crowbob]

That tree was dying. Unless you've done it already, the remaining hole is a combination of groundup wood and dirt and must be replaced with mostly soil. Otherwise whatever you plant will struggle and be unstable.

Any fast-growing tree you replace it with will be short-lived. Do not plant ash or elm. They will die, eventually.

Ask a local landscaper what to plant. A landscaper or landscape architect will recommend something that will survive in your climate and conditions. My advice, being a novice, would be to plant an ornamental crabapple.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

That tree was dying. Unless you've done it already, the remaining hole is a combination of groundup wood and dirt and must be replaced with mostly soil. Otherwise whatever you plant will struggle and be unstable.

Any fast-growing tree you replace it with will be short-lived. Do not plant ash or elm. They will die, eventually.

Ask a local landscaper what to plant. A landscaper or landscape architect will recommend something that will survive in your climate and conditions. My advice, being a novice, would be to plant an ornamental crabapple.

Why would any fast growing tree be short lived? Did you mean unless the soil is replaced?

Don't want a Crabapple, at least not in this location. Too small, will provide little to no shade.


I just visited a nursery near where I work and they have three Locust trees that are probably already 30 feet tall. I know Locusts grow fast, I've planted a few from seeds here and at my former house two doors down. The two I planted in 1999 are huge now. In my first post I said no Maples or Locusts, but considering the size of the ones available, it seems like the way to go.

Another consideration is a Linden Tree.

Available Locust:

[creaturecat]

pretty hard to beat a well chosen japanese maple.

[sammyg2]

One of my favorites:

[stevej37]

Replace with a tulip poplar tree. Fast and easy to grow, disease resistant, colorful in the fall.
They also grow in a near perfect shape with large leafs.

[Crowbob]

Short-lived is 30 years or so. I'd go with a Norway maple. By locust, I hope you mean thornless Honey Locust. Regular locust trees have thorns on prodigious suckers that fall off right where you step with bare feet, get really spindly and are a mess when their branches crack but don't fall off. Black locust produce seed pods that look like huge pea pods and are also a mess. Most locusts need full sun to grow fast.

Lindens (aka basswood) grow fast, get huge and like to drop huge branches on to the roofs of garages or houses and smaller branches everywhere. Also without your due diligence in prevention, generate multiple stems. I just had one removed that had a chest high trunk diameter of 40".

[winders]

Norway Maple is an invasive species. Do not plant it! Use a Red Maple or even a Sugar Maple instead of a Norway Maple.

[Crowbob]

Where is this tree going anyway? What part of the country, I mean.

[stevej37]

His location says ORD...so I'm guessing Illinois?

[Crowbob]

I ask because Norways are not invasive up here in subarctic northern Michigan.

[winders]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Replace with a tulip poplar tree. Fast and easy to grow, disease resistant, colorful in the fall.
They also grow in a near perfect shape with large leafs.

These are long lived trees. Several examples that George Washington planted at Mount Vernon are still alive and well.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by stevej37

His location says ORD...so I'm guessing Illinois?

Yes, just north of O'Hare.

I've seen the name Tulip Poplar come up. I need to figure out exactly what those are and see if I can find any around here.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

One of my favorites:

Nice! I plant a LOT of Queen Palms on my projects! Best bang for your buck for instant shade and instant tropical feel.


Wonder how they would do in ORD?