Which should I keep? Double-trunked tuliptree or leaning scarlet oak?

last year

last modified: last year

Hello from Jackson County, Western, North Carolina. My immediate area was mostly spared from the effects of hurricane Helene. I’m trying to distract myself for now from the awful images further east.

I have a question about two trees in the front yard of our new home under construction. One tree is a skinny double-trunked tulip poplar and the other is a skinny single trunk oak. It’s either a black or scarlet oak but I’m not sure. Definitely in the red oak family with thinner, pointed leaves. Both trees grew up in woods, but have been exposed as we had to do a lot of clearing down there. That’s why they’re skinny. Hopefully soil compaction isn’t a problem because I asked the clearing guy not to get too close.

These trees are only a few feet apart and I need to choose one over the other. They seem healthy but the oak is bent over. I think it just grew that way from something pushing against it many years ago. It is NOT leaning toward the house even though it may look like it in one of my photos. Neither tree is a threat to the house.

The tulip poplar is double trunked if that has any effect on longevity.

Would it be possible to straighten up the oak? I won’t keep it if it cannot be straightened up. Would the trees get fuller now that they are more exposed, or would they stay skinny?

See photos. Which tree would you keep, and why?

Thanks!

Featured Answer

bengz6westmd

last year

last modified: last year

I've certainly seen big tuliptrees w/2 or even more trunks (sometimes sprouts from a previous cutting). I'd suggest don't bother cutting -- leave 'em be. Trees close together can get along, brother's yard has black and rock chestnut oaks embracing.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

maackia
last year
Might a third option be to cut one of the Tulip Tree stems?
shantony39 thanked maackia
lisaam
last year
Tulip poplars frequently have double trunks. that should not count against it. from this vantage point it appears to be stronger than the oak.
shantony39 thanked lisaam
Related Professionals
Florence Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Owensboro Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Hartford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Marietta Landscape Contractors · Barnstable Landscape Contractors · Pittsburgh Landscape Contractors · Monroe Landscape Contractors · Lagrange Landscape Contractors · Southaven Home Additions · Plymouth Home Additions · Providence Home Additions · Phoenix Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Leominster Landscape Contractors · Brooklyn Landscape Contractors · Montgomery Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
last modified: last year
Seems like the oak should go
shantony39 thanked L Clark (zone 4 WY)
KR Nuttle
last year
last modified: last year
Since you are currently building the house, and have the two trees that could be taken down with a bow saw, I would wait a couple of years to see what happens. If you take one now, you have assumed that it is the most likely to be undamaged. If you are wrong and it dies, you will have no trees. If you wait and one dies you may still have the other. If after five years, you can take out the one that does not look like it belongs.. They both are good yard trees.
shantony39 thanked KR Nuttle
laceyvail 6A, WV
last year
If you can keep the oak, by all means do that. Oaks are keystone species, vital for a healthy ecosystem. I was going to provide a link, but there are so many--just google: Oaks, keystone species.
shantony39 thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
bengz6westmd
last year
I kinda like maackia's suggestion, just cut the trunk of the tuliptree that's closest to the oak. What you see is a common competitive forest situation w/trees close together, very skinny and tall. "Releasing" them from the competition that your land clearing has done will result in alot of new branches sprouting down low.
Sigrid
last year
I'd keep the tulip tree. They are native and have beautiful flowers. I think every front yard should have a beautiful flowering tree. The Tulip tree supports a wide range of native wildlife and is important to native ecosystems. The oak is, in my amateur opinion, unlikely to straighten up. I have a huge, leaning oak, which I presume was leaning since it was the age of yours.

My experience is that most deciduous trees will produce more branches at the bottom if they get more light down there. It probably won't happen quickly or ever be as full at the bottom as a tree you planted in that spot.
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
last year
Is anything angled where it will fall on your house or where you park a car?

If not, your choice.

I'd lean towards the Tulip tree. Especially if there are plenty of oaks in the area one won't make a difference.

Can you post a pic of where the two trunks meet on the tulip tree?
shantony39
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thank you for all the responses, and I will gladly take more advice.

Someone asked for a photo of the tulip poplar’s double trunk. Here’s the photo which also shows how close together the oak and tulip poplar are. Looks like 4 to 5 feet.