I think we all can agree that our TREE FOR A TREE® program is an awesome idea for replacing the trees that we remove, but as I set in the office watching nature happen outside my window, I started thinking of other reasons to plant trees. Trees provide countless benefits to our environment as well as providing food and shelter for a number of living organisms. Anytime that I am walking through a property I cannot help but notice the birds enjoying all that the trees are providing for them. I decided to write about planting trees that provide shelter and food for birds throughout the year.
Understanding Conifers
Understanding conifers should begin with a few simple definitions to clarify and classify. A conifer is a plant that bears its seeds in cones. When we hear the word cone, we likely think of pine and spruce trees, two types of coniferous trees that are widely found throughout Central Ohio and beyond. Their cones are obvious when they fall and scatter on the ground surrounding the tree. But did you know that yews (Taxus) and junipers are also conifers?
Humid Air: Tough for Plants and People
Fear no Weevil (With Fall Systemic Insecticide)
As we prepare for another season of Fall Tree Wellness, another important insect pest to take note of is the White Pine Weevil. White Pine Weevil is a damaging pest to a broad range of conifers, including White, Scotch, Red and Austrian pine as well as Colorado blue, Norway, and Serbian spruce. Douglas-fir can also be attacked.
✅Serbian Spruce
General Info
- Latin Name - Picea omorika
- Native Range - Southeastern Europe
- Growth Rate - Slow to Medium
- Mature Height - 50–60’
- Mature Spread - 20–25’
Arborist Thoughts
- One of the most adaptable spruces and one of the most graceful and beautiful evergreen trees in general.
- An excellent evergreen tree for urban areas because of its narrower growth habit, unlike Norway spruce and White pine that can become quite wide and unruly at maturity.
- Less susceptible to insect infestation and needle cast diseases than other spruce.
- Should be considered as an alternative to using White spruce or Blue spruce in the landscape.