Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with trees

tall, cat-safe indoor plants?

sentient — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:40:34 -0800

Wanted: recommendations for tall, indoor, cat-safe plants/trees. Superior, NASA-approved air-filtering and oxygen-producing properties are a plus. I've looked the previous askme and have seen the ASPCA list of cat-safe plants, as well as a helpful post on Apartment Therapy (last comment the page), which has some good prospects. But perhaps there are some others.

I'm looking for an indoor floor plant that's more tree-like than bush/shrub like -- maybe five feet tall, or so. It can't be toxic to cats, and being exceptional in the air-filtering department would be nice. Any recommendations?

Name this plant/suggest similar ones

melissasaurus — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:00:24 -0800

What kind of tree/plant is this? Someone dug out and stole this little tree from in front of my building. I'd like to replace it with the same or something similar.

Any ideas on what it is?

Any ideas on other plants that don't take up too much space (probably about a 2ft radius for the plant), survive year-round in NYC, in partial shade, and are generally safe for dogs (i.e. no poisonous berries)?

Thanks!

Make my Olive Trees Fruitful !

southof40 — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:17:16 -0800

How can you encourage an Olive tree to fruit ? What can I do to encourage my previously barren Olive trees to produce fruit ?

I have an Olive tree in my garden. It's 7 years old and we have yet to see any olives.

I live in Wellington, New Zealand and the climate looks like this. (the seasons are back to front if you're a Northern Hemisphere person and so we're currently heading into Spring).

I know that some Olive trees require the company of others to pollinate but my neighbours have three and six Olive trees respectively and they don't get any fruit either. I'd really like to help all three houses produce some olives !

I also know that there are Olive trees in Wellington which produce Olives - these for instance - which are reasonably close to where I live - so it's not completely impossible.

I would love to hear from someone who knows how I could encourage the tree to produce fruit.

(I expect someone's going to ask me what variety of olive tree it is and I don't know that - would a photograph help ?)

Save our Squirrels

Zoyashka — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:52:31 -0800

How do we minimize the death and destruction of cute woodland creatures while have a couple of pine trees cut down? I've got a total of three pine trees in my backyard, two of which are looking rather sickly and I would like to have cut down.

I've also got a family of squirrels (more than one family?). Why they chose my backyard I have no idea--you'd think they'd get tired of my dog chasing them.

I'm not sure exactly which tree(s) they're living in as I've seen them in all three--they're pretty close together so I'm sure there's lots of aerobatic feats of limb jumping involved.

Anyhoo, they are awfully cute and I'd like to keep them alive and happy.

Teh Googles leads me to some sites I'd rather not visit again =)

We've also got a nice bird population in the warmer months that I'd like to keep happy too. Well, that is until the crows come along and throw their nests to the ground. Jerks.

QUERY: Is there a time of year that's better than others to cut down trees to minimize their discomfort (and avoid their deaths)? Are there any tricks I can use to try to lure them into the tree that's staying put?

Thanks much!

Can you help me identify a NW tree that's in my yard? Info, photos and ...

lois1950 — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:39:25 -0800

Stumped! Can you help me ID a tree in my yard? (In the Northwest)? Here's a 'before' photo of the tree, which was trimmed today and looks awesome but everyone I know, including a few arborists ID it differently.
Here's a close up of a branch and needles

Here's what I'm pretty sure it's not:
Cryptomeria japonica
Calocedrus decurrens (Incense Cedar)
Sequoia giganteum.

If it's a juniper, what kind of juniper???
The branches smell a little like pines.
The needles are soft and sharp when green and very prickly when brown and dead.
When you look head-on at a stem, the needles are arranged like organized little x's, not spiral.
The tree is <20'
I'm in the northwest.
It's an evergreen conifer and has very small cones.
Thank you!

Help my tree make it through the winter

drezdn — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:21:41 -0800

How can I help a tree that I'm growing in a container make it through the winter? I have a maple tree that I've raised from a seedling to a foot in height in a big plastic container (think cat litter bucket). I want it to make it through the unforgiving Wisconsin winter without killing it. With other plants, it looks like I could either insulate the container and leave it outside, or maybe put it in my garage.

If I were to move it to the garage, when should I do it? (After the leaves drop?)

If I were to leave it outside, how should I insulate the container?

Help me find avo trees!

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:24:19 -0800

Can you recommend any plant nurseries near Santa Cruz that sell avocado trees? Or almond trees?

Anon because it's going to be a gift...

Where do birch trees grow in Massachusetts?

davidriley — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:10:00 -0800

Where do white/paper birch trees grow in Massachusetts? They must have them in the Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, but I am looking for a spot in the woods.

How far does a tree need to be from the house?

fistynuts — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:20:31 -0800

How far does a tree need to be from the house? I'm planning on planting one of these. Canopy size is up to 6.4 metres, and from my research it seems the root ball is about the same size. How much further from the house does it need to be to ensure no root damage?

How to repurpose my childhood tree?

sciapod — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:25:02 -0800

A tree that I was sentimentally attached to has died. What long-lasting thing can make out of its wood? When I was in second grade, we planted locust seeds in Dixie cups as a class project. I planted mine just outside by bedroom window, and against all odds, it thrived for fifteen years before dying this past spring.

I am inexplicably broken up about losing this tree, which I'd watched grow from a seed with interest and pride. Because this tree was important to me as a child, I'd like to make something from its wood after we remove the tree from the yard. But what should I make?

I'm unsure how to estimate the amount of wood: though roughly two stories tall, the tree is fairly skinny --- perhaps a foot wide at its base. I have family members who are woodworkers, so skill level and tool availability are not a hurdle. Any suggestions you have would be welcome.

What kind of home can we find for a bunch of black walnut trees in Chicagoland?

bobbyno — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:35:52 -0800

We are in the process of selling off a piece of land for development. There are several nice, tall Black Walnut trees on the property (40 feet) and we would like to know if there is any place or person who might buy them in or around the Chicagoland area. Anybody have experience with similar tree sales? I searched and saw a similar post (fallen walnut tree) and the info was useful, I'd just like a little more. Specifically, what type of person or outfit would we contact to possible sell of these large trees? It seems like a waste to just trash the wood in the development of the land.

Any input would be appreciated. Thank you!

Why are these trees sick?

Toekneesan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:54:00 -0800

A lot of the Black Walnut trees in the area are dying. I can't quite figure out why. Common trait, most lost a lot of bark just before they died or just after. Some locals blamed a wet spring last year but I'm looking for something more specific. At least 10 trees last year, most over 10 years old, many older, have died within our little village of less than a city block. Central Pennsylvania. Any ideas?

Help! My boxwood trees are being nommed by mysterious entities

media_itoku — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:27:06 -0800

Chewing sounds coming from my boxwood trees... are these box elder larvae? What do I do? Last year there was a chewing sound coming from my boxwood trees in the springtime. It was only noticeable close-up, and it sounded a bit like rain falling or bubbles bursting in beer. There didn't seem to be any larvae or beetles that I could see, and the leaves did not get munched, but they did kind of curl in on themselves for the summer.

This year, same noise. Someone told me they were box elder beetles, but I can't find any. Any clues? What should I do about them?

What can I say... I love growing things!

Mastercheddaar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:57:54 -0800

Spring time gardening care filter. Need a little advice. With warming weather coming I thought it would be a good idea to prepare everything now. I have a green thumb and I pretty much can grow anything so general maintenance is a snap. The only problem is I need some help with the more complicated stuff.
I have planted the following: a Victory Garden! (many years running), Raspberry bushes (1 year old), Blueberry bushes(1 year old), 2 peach trees (2 years old), a nectarine tree( 3 years old), 2 cherry trees(2 years old), a buckeye tree(1 year old), a dogwood tree(1 year old), and lastly a fig tree(1 year old).

For the bushes: I have read on several different sites plenty of different pruning methods (cut the cranes, don't cut the canes, let them grow out, give them something to grow on, etc.) Which ones work? Which ones don't?

For the peach/nectarine: I had peach scab on them bad last year. What can I spray them with to prevent that this year?

For the Cherries: Japanese beetles nearly killed one of them last year. Any hints on how to prevent that from happening again? I heard an herb "Rue" helps keep them away. Anyone ever hear of that?

For the victory garden: I have done this for a while and have the regular veggies down pat. Any unique ones anyone can think of? I got a small patch of about 10-15 feet square I can use.

AND lastly I order some hop rhizomes to plant along my fence. Anyone have any hints for those as well?

Sorry for the huge question but any suggestions are welcome.

Name that tree species.

jackypaper — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:32:11 -0800

What are those stalwart little trees called that somehow grow atop the otherwise barren mesas in northern New Mexico? I just returned from my first visit to that region, driving north from Albuquerque to Farmington. What species of plants/bushes/foliage are growing up there? I'm nobody's dendrologist, nor a botanist, for that matter, so I thought I'd ask.

Large decorative plants that will survive in a container on a Seattle deck

matildaben — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:24:55 -0800

What plants are suitable for putting on our deck in Seattle? There's no yard/soil, so they must live in containers. The deck is quite large so I was thinking about large decorative plants like small trees or some form of bamboo. Climate-wise, we have the typical PNW weather of moist winters that only fall below freezing a few days out of the year. Also, we are completely ignorant of gardening and would rather have something that can survive with a minimum of attention.

Help needed winterizing trees!

Mastercheddaar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:06:05 -0800

Few questions on winterizing young trees and bushes. First off my climate zone is 4-5. Winters can get to slightly under zero. I have several fruit trees and berry bushes that are 1-2 years old. I searched online and I got several different ways of winterizing my trees. I guess my questions are:

What type of mulch should I use?

Should I rap the bottoms of the trees with something to protect them from the cold?

What type of fertilizer (if any) should I use?

Is there any type of anti-whatever I should spray them with now for the spring?

A tree doesn’t grow in San Francisco

dreamphone — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:03:33 -0800

Why are the San Francisco sidewalks so wide, and why are so few trees and strips of grass planted between the sidewalk and buildings? This question from a friend who lives in San Francisco, who noted that many of their residential sidewalks are quite wide, as in 15 feet wide, and run from the edge of the street to the buildings, unbroken by that little strip of grass and trees common in so many other cities.

Although I’m sure this isn’t the case everywhere in San Francisco, it is present enough to be noticed. Any idea why this might be the case?

make like a tree....

nihlton — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:22:06 -0800

so im absently toying with the idea of shuffling the deck a bit... tell me about skilled jobs in the field of botony/agriculture/tree care that do not absolutely require a formal (college) education. I love what I do and who I work with, im just wishing it wasn't so fast paced. ...thinking about pursuing a career which would play toward my interest and fascination with plants.

I currently make quite a bit and but would be happy making as much as 20-40% less if it meant i had time to myself and wasn't constantly stressed. Say - enough that after id worked up a bit of experience in the field i could comfortable support a small family.

how much do professional grafters make?

tree surgeons?

other skilled professions that deal with trees and plants?

Revamp of old question: Need help identifying 3 southeastern Minnesota trees.

LittleNami — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:10:20 -0800

Revamp of old question: Need help identifying 3 southeastern Minnesota trees. Ok, this is a repeat of a previous question I asked here because it got too old and no one who was helping me saw the upodate with pictures. Here is the same stuff over again:

Need help identifying 3 tree branches from the Southeastern Minnesota region.

I recently came back from the local zoo here in southern MN with some branches in tow for nature studies fun. However, in my research of what they were, 3 seemed to be giving me a little trouble. I have taken photos of the branches in their length and a closeup of each of their leaf clippings for examples.

The first I believe to be a Northern White Cedar and I just need a rousing yay to be sure I am correct on it.

Cedar
Cedar Closeup

The second is giving me some hard time, but I am pretty sure it is a spruce, just stuck on what kind exactly, like Black, Norway, White, Sitka, or Eastern.

Spruce
Spruce Closeup

The third is the crowning jewel of confusion. I am not sure if I accidentally grabbed a leaf from too low on this still young branch, but I am thinking I have it narrowed to a Maple tree, just not sure what kind. Some back details for you is that the tree itself was not large, maybe about 10 feet tall and acting as a decorative tree lining on the sidewalk to the zoo. None of the leaves on the rest of the tree were glossy/waxy looking, just rather plain green with a minor bit of shine. Leaves on the rest of the tree were soft and moving, not stiff, and none that I remember were any bigger than maybe a dollar bill.

Maple Wannabe
Maple Wannabe Closeup

As a note, I have contacted the zoo itself, but they don't offer me a lot of help. I am starting to wonder if I need to make a second trip to the zoo.

This is the new pictures that I updated with:

Ok, I have an update for everyone. Was able to get back to the zoo yesterday and took some photos of the trees themselves. Maybe now we can finish this one off

Need help identifying 3 tree branches from the Southeastern Minnesota region.

LittleNami — Sat, 24 May 2008 22:22:39 -0800

Need help identifying 3 tree branches from the Southeastern Minnesota region. I recently came back from the local zoo here in southern MN with some branches in tow for nature studies fun. However, in my research of what they were, 3 seemed to be giving me a little trouble. I have taken photos of the branches in their length and a closeup of each of their leaf clippings for examples.

The first I believe to be a Northern White Cedar and I just need a rousing yay to be sure I am correct on it.

Cedar
Cedar Closeup

The second is giving me some hard time, but I am pretty sure it is a spruce, just stuck on what kind exactly, like Black, Norway, White, Sitka, or Eastern.

Spruce
Spruce Closeup

The third is the crowning jewel of confusion. I am not sure if I accidentally grabbed a leaf from too low on this still young branch, but I am thinking I have it narrowed to a Maple tree, just not sure what kind. Some back details for you is that the tree itself was not large, maybe about 10 feet tall and acting as a decorative tree lining on the sidewalk to the zoo. None of the leaves on the rest of the tree were glossy/waxy looking, just rather plain green with a minor bit of shine. Leaves on the rest of the tree were soft and moving, not stiff, and none that I remember were any bigger than maybe a dollar bill.

Maple Wannabe
Maple Wannabe Closeup

As a note, I have contacted the zoo itself, but they don't offer me a lot of help. I am starting to wonder if I need to make a second trip to the zoo.

Moving a tree…. Or not.

silverstatue — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:49:51 -0800

I need to move a little tree, but I’m afraid I’ll end up killing it. Is it worth the risk? Here’s the story. About eleven years ago, my grandfather and I planted a little sapling next to his house. It was one of the last things we did before he passed away. That goofy little tree means a lot to me. I always think of my grandfather when I see it. Now, eleven years later, its grown too big for its place against the house. Its started to twist against the house and I’m worried. I think it needs to be moved ASAP.

Ok I’ve googled “moving a tree” and gotten directions (which pretty much amount to “Dig a hole. Dig up tree. Put in hole. Pray.”) I want to try it next weekend when I go back upstate to visit my family. However, my dad thinks that we’ll kill it if we try to move it. He thinks we should just leave it alone . FYI, its your basic little fir tree, about four feet tall.

So my question is, to move or not to move? I really don’t want to risk killing the tree, but I think it’ll die anyway if we leave it where it is. Help! I’m looking for anecdotes, suggestions, warnings, etc.

Lost

hadjiboy — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:32:52 -0800

What tree is this? These are the flowers which grow on it (they usually fall off every night and are strewn across the ground). Here's a close up of one of them. They have a nice and pleasant smell... something like Jasmine perhaps? Not sure, but if anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks a lot.

Trees in fields. Why?

proj08 — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 07:12:32 -0800

Why are there solitary trees in the middle of fields? I don't know what kind of crops these fields are growing. But it strikes me as a huge pain in the ass to have a tree situated right in the middle of the field. Imagine having to mow/harvest around it. There must be a reasonable explanation. Theories I've come up with:

a) The tree provides shade for the livestock. (not all fields have livestock though.)
b) The tree's roots keep the ground from getting washed away in the rain. (but one tree in the middle of a huge field is not going to make a difference, and besides, if this was the purpose, it would make more sense to have trees along the border of the field.)
c) The field is being rotated, meaning, it will be used for something else next season, and the tree will come in handy then (for what, I can't fathom.)

Help me find the original or a similar equivalent image

Null Pointer and the Exceptions — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 13:36:04 -0800

I'd like to know the source of this Tech Crunch Christmas Greeting image or barring that, a free or CC licensed equivalent. I'd ask them directly but Tech Crunch seems to be a popular place and my voice isn't being heard there.