Selection And Use Of Trees
by Dr. Robert Black, Consumer Horticultural Specialist

If you have ever run into a tree that seemed to have jumped into your path you may have wondered what that tree was doing there. Trees can give a home, street, or commercial site individuality, beauty, and a restful quality as well as a feeling of permanence and stability.

Trees are also important in the environment and can help combat environmental pollution. They trap and filter ash, dust, and pollen, remove carbon dioxide while adding oxygen, reduce noise pollution, lower summer temperatures, reduce soil erosion, hide harsh, unsightly scenery and beautify the landscape.

Trees are classified into several types depending on how they are used in the landscape. Proper selection and use of trees is important since they form the dominant part of the landscape.

Shade trees are grown for their moderate to dense foliage. They should be able to withstand strong winds, be relatively free from insects and disease, and have no messy fruits or flowers. Trees that lose their leaves each year, deciduous, should be used where shade is wanted during the warm summer but not the cool winter. Evergreen trees are useful where shade is desired year-round.

Framing trees are used to soften corners and roof lines of the home and to form patterns against the sky. They should not be so massive or spectacular that they draw attention away from the home.

Street trees are commonly used between sidewalks and streets, along boulevards, and in parks. They must not have messy fruits or flowers, low branches, or maintenance problems. Although large trees are often first thought of smaller trees may also be used.

Specimen and accent trees are used for striking effects produced by their flowers, foliage, fruit, or by their contrast or location in the landscape. Any tree, with proper use and placement, can be used as a specimen tree but more often it is a tree with showy flowers, foliage or fruit.

Patio trees can be evergreen or deciduous and should be selected primarily for their small size and for creating interesting trunk, branch, and leaf shade patterns on the patio. They should not have messy flowers or fruits that may fall on the people using the patio, or stain the patio. Deciduous trees will let the sunlight in to warm the patio during the winter while evergreen trees will shade a warm patio throughout the year.

Seaside trees are those recommended for areas that get salt spray, high winds or for very sandy, high salt level soils. They are useful for windbreaks and planting along the coast.

The tree you select should not only fit the site but also your personal preference. In Florida the number and variety of trees is so fantastic it is not always simple to make a choice but it can be fun making the decision and watching your tree grow to fit the site and landscape.