1. Oh, dear, this issue was supposed to talk about soil solarization,
bee-huggers & butterflies-petters, the newest bad-for-your-health
hazard (bromide), and those *@#*! ants that get in your pantry.
Somehow, our favorite topic stole the spotlight: trees, those
big lugs that shade our homes (and sometimes make holes in them).
Our plan on the hill is to keep tall trees away from the house.
Chop, saw, burn. Better safe than sorry.
We much prefer small, harmless landscape workhorses that some
people call “trash trees.” Such people often prefer foreign trees like
the crap myrtle (Lagerstroemia species). 1

3. supplement 16, My Yard
Wind Resistant Trees
Property owners should carefully examine their susceptibility to damage from trees, even if they
have never suffered losses from earlier storms or hurricanes. With careful tree selection and
maintenance, homeowners can enjoy many benefits from well-tended trees.
Site considerations: proximity: Tall or weak-branched trees should be pruned or removed if they
grow too close to structures. Know the approximate height, age, and
characteristics of any tree within "striking distance"; when choosing a tree for
shade or other reasons, consider those that grow no higher than 20 or 30;
plant trees at recommended distances from buildings and power lines
roots: Some large trees, such as deciduous oaks, have shallow root systems;
if high winds encounter a "wall" of leaves and limbs, they may topple such
trees, especially if soils have been saturated by heavy rains. Pruning dense
foliage helps by opening enough space in the canopy to allow strong winds
to pass through branches without severe damage.
Hire licensed arborists to remove or prune large trees.
situation: Stand-alone trees receive the full brunt of high winds; trees
protected by nearby cohorts (in the middle of woods or a thicket) may suffer
less damage, unless neighbors fall upon them
The following lists rate various trees' ability to withstand strong winds. The evaluations result from
comparisons of several university studies in Florida, Louisiana,, and other states with coastlines on
the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Great differences of opinion showed up in estimates of worthiness
of some trees, such as Sweet Gum, which ranged from excellent and poor. The three groupings
below" guesstimate" the average of consensus about the relative capacity of native trees to
survive falling over or breaking off trunks and branches. Obviously, individual tree health and other
factors may allow a low-rated tree to endure wind trauma better than one in a higher rank.
High Tolerance Medium Tolerance Low Tolerance
American Elm Some Oaks
Bald Cypress
Holly: (American Holly) (Water Oak)
Black Gum
(Dahoon Holly) Cottonwood
Ironwood
(Savannah Holly) Maple
Live Oak
American Hop Hornbeam Box Elder
Sabal Palm/Cabbage Palm
Black Locust Hickory/Pecan
Some Oaks:
Catalpa Red Cedar
(Cow Oak)
Cherry Laurel Pine
(Shumard Oak)
Green Ash (Longleaf Pine
Wax Myrtle
Hackberry most resistant)
Winged Elm
Some Oaks: (Cherrybark Oak) Tulip Poplar
(Nuttall Oak)
(Willow Oak)
Osage Orange
Pond Cypress
River Birch
Southern Magnolia
Sweet Bay Magnolia
Sycamore 3
Sweet Gum

4. Maypop Hill Nursery & Publications
Events: Sept. 29, 30; New Orleans Fall Garden Festival (City Park)
Oct. 6, 7; Hilltop Arboretum’s Plant Fest (Baton Rouge)
Oct. 27; Baton Rouge Book Festival (front of State Capitol building)
Betty and LJ Miley, proponents of native plants & sustainable land use
web: maypophill.com email: maypophill@wildblue.net