Ginko???

18 years ago

I'm looking to plant a tree on the southeast side of my house where eventually it will give shade. I've considered a couple different types but am leaning towards a Ginko since I owned another property previously that had a Ginko and I loved it. That same property also had a Sweetgum which had beautiful fall foiliage but made a mess otherwise with those golfball size medieval mace looking seed balls. For that reason I don't want a Sweetgum....but I am considering a Sourgum. It seems to have the nice fall foliage color properties of the Sweetgum but without the bloody mace balls....Any thoughts on the Sourgum?

I'm also looking to minimize the pain of fall leaf cleanup. Another aspect I liked about the Ginko was the delicate yellow leaves that dropped. As I remember they were easily cleaned up. The oak trees I have now on my property make for a fall cleanup nightmare.

The tree will be planted approximately 30' from the side of my house.

I'm by no means a tree expert and am wide open to advise, as well as alternate recommendations, by those here far more knowledgable on the subject than I.

Thank you.

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Comments (4)

ikea_gw
18 years ago
Unless you are ready to deal with the ginkgo nuts in the fall, make sure you plant a male tree. The nuts fall on the ground and they smell really bad after a while. But the nuts are treasured in many asian culture for eating and medicinal use. Ginkgo is a beautiful tree!
bob__in__ma
Original Author
18 years ago
Yes thank you for responding. I understand I'll need to go for a male tree. The one I had at my other property was male because it bared no fruits....just those beautiful vibrant yellow leaves in the fall.

Anybody know anything about the Sourgum (Nyssa sylvatica)?
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noki
18 years ago
Nothing wrong with a Sourgum. Gingko may not get big enough to shade your house from 30' in your lifetime. Not to say you should not get one, as they are fine trees. As for the seeds, my dog likes to eat them, not sure if she likes the squishy "fruit" part but it doesn't seem to deter her.

Dawn Redwood or Bald Cypress are nice decidous trees that don't seem hard to clean up after.
Pamchesbay
18 years ago
I would definitely go with Nyssa sylvatica (also called tupelo and black gum). It is a lovely tree that doesn't have a bad season. The leaves are smooth and glossy. The form of young trees is lovely with horizontal limbs and reflective gray bark. The tree has great fall color over a long period of time. The leaves are often shades of deep orange to deep red. In my area, the tupelos or black gum trees are one of the last trees to lose leaves - they usually hold leaves until early December.

I checked my native tree books - tupelo or black gum ranges from Ontario to southern Maine, through the eastern U.S. to FL, west to Texas so it should be happy in southeast Mass. It prefers acidic soil but adapts to many soil types and climate extremes. It tolerates upland and lowland sites so is very adaptable.

The tree has a taproot which makes it more difficult to move. You are advised to find a young container grown tree. You may have difficulty finding it locally. I've ordered young trees from Shooting Star nursery in KY. (link below) If you to to Dave's Garden at http://davesgarden.com/ I'm sure you will find other nurseries that have this tree. Depending on your climate, fall or early spring is the best time to plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shooting Star Nursery