Tree Species recommendations.

[Doofenshmirtz]

So after some trial and error, I realize that I need a tree species that is:

1. Fast growing;
2. Flood tolerant; and,
3. Not tasty to beavers.

Climate change, weather trend - whatever the cause, I now have a course on a flood plane that is getting flooding yearly when it used to be every three to four years. Soil is alluvial and very fertile. But now, even native varieties don't grow fast enough in one year to be able to survive because the get completely submerged for several weeks during the spring.

I'm in zone 8b. I have had limited success with sycamore, about 25%, and am currently trying paulownia (planted today), but am looking for other options.

 

[Monocacy]

A couple of quick searches yields results below. You can also protect trees from beavers with wire caging.

Beavers have a definite preference for the trees they like to eat. Preferred tree species include alder, aspen, apple, birch, cherry, cottonwood, poplar and willow. Aspen/poplar and cottonwood are their favorite. If the supply of their preferred trees is low they will harvest oaks and some maples. Conifers such as pines, hemlocks, etc. are their least favorite.

Trees, Shrubs, and Groundcovers Tolerant of Wet Sites

Trees and their USDA Hardiness Zone

Red maple, Acer rubrum 3-9
Silver maple, Acer saccharinum 3-9
European black alder, Alnus glutinosa 4-7
Downy serviceberry, Amelanchier arborea 4-9
River birch, Betula nigra 3-9
American hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana 3-9
Northern catalpa, Catalpa speciosa 4-8
Common hackberry, Celtis occidentalis 3-9
*Atlantic white cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides 4-8
Common persimmon, Diospyros virginiana 4-9
Green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica 3-9
Thornless honeylocust, Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis cultivars 4-9
*American holly, Ilex opaca 5-9
Sweet gum, Liquidambar styraciflua 5-9
Sweet bay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana 5-9
Dawn redwood, Metasequoia glyptostroboides 5-8
Black gum, Nyssa sylvatica 4-9
*Austrian pine, Pinus nigra 3-7
London plane tree, Platanus x acerifolia 5-8
Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis 4-9
Swamp white oak, Quercus bicolor 4-8
Pin oak, Quercus palustris 4-8
Willow oak, Quercus phellos 5-9
White willow, Salix alba 2-8
Hankow willow, Salix matsudana 5-7
Laurel willow, Salix pentandra 2-5
Bald cypress, Taxodium distichum 5-9
*American arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis 3-7
*Oriental arborvitae, Thuja orientalis 6-11
Lacebark elm, Ulmus parvifolia 5-9
Japanese zelkova, Zelkova serrata 5-8

 

[DavidSauls]

Very interesting about the beavers---I assumed they took down everything. Though in our battles with them they have tended toward softer wood (which generally goes along with faster-growing trees).

Tulip poplar is one that comes to mind---grows very fast, very tall and straight. I've seen some huge ones in low-lying, moist areas. But I'm not sure if they're tolerant of being submerged for long periods.

Cypresses are the gold standard of water-dwelling trees, of course. I've had two different experiences with their rate of growth. When we bought our property there were some that were 6-8' tall, along a tiny creek; we damned the creek to create a pond, flooding the area, and 15 years later some of them are 30-40' tall. On the other hand, I planted 4 of them about 7 years ago along the pond edge, about 1' sticks at the time; one has now reached 8-10', the others are still 6' or less.

I'd suggest poking around the surrounding lowlands and seeing what trees are growing in similar circumstance.

I'm surprised sycamores failed. Willows would be another thought (not just the weeping kind). Paulownias are nice but I doubt they'll survive the water.

 

[zontar]

I'm thinking common hackberry

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

A couple of quick searches yields results below. You can also protect trees from beavers with wire caging.

The fast-growing requirement really excludes a lot of species. Trees are going to need to put on 6-8 feet in height in the first year to even have a chance to survive on this property. One option is to plant trees that are already above that height, but this has proven problematic and expensive in the past. Most trees in pots are propagated from cuttings and simply don't do as well as trees grown from seed. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or schedule to reliably grow trees from seed and haven't had luck with large transplants either as I really don't have the equipment to do that properly.

As to wire caging, the beavers in this location will cut off trees at the level of the flood as high as 8 feet. I'd rather plant something they don't like.

 

[juju]

Bamboo

 

[DavidSauls]

You're kind of stuck. Few trees put on 6-8' in the first year. There's an adage among gardeners that "the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap". It takes a while to get going.

And, as you said, buying them as larger trees is an expensive gamble.

I will sidenote on the list Monocracy posted that black gums grow very fast---at least, one I planted once grew remarkably fast---but I doubt you'll find them in any nursery.

Which brings me back to cypresses, and wondering a bit how they get going. You find them growing where there's standing water; the seedlings must have been submerged at some point.

 

[Monocacy]

Silver maples grow crazy fast. But they aren't great trees - drop lots of branches, and tend to break in storms.

David is right about the "first year sleep" adage. Most trees that are worthwhile grow more slowly than silver maples. Moderately fast growing trees in ideal conditions might put on 1 to 3' per year when young and well-established. But it sounds like your conditions are less than ideal.

I am also curious how fast cypresses grow in your neck of the soon-to-be woods.

Good luck!

 

[Jukeshoe]

I was going to suggest some sort of maple, as they are reliably fast growers.

 

[Monocacy]

A disc golf course filled with red maples would be amazing in the fall.

 

[DavidSauls]

Maybe the solution is to be psychic and pick a drought year or two, in advance.

 

[Casey 1988]

I was thinking the Native Locust, has thorns on it that protect the plant. Not sure how that plant would do being submerged for 2 months of the year. I know it survives being buried in snow all winter during a winter that can last 5-6 months as a plant 3 feet high or higher.

 

[Tim_the_Enchanter]

I'm not sure where you're located, I'm in zone 8b as well, but the PNW is a unique environment so what grows well here may not fare as well in your area. Bald cypress, as mentioned, is a good choice--not particularly fast growing here, but they are a tough tree and can take abuse. Members of the poplar genus tend like wet soil and are fast growing--black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), white poplar (Populus alba), and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) to name a few. They also like to send out suckers, so they can really fill out an area once established--sort of a double edged sword though, depending on the maintenance aspect. The aforementioned tulip poplar is incidentally not actually a poplar, but it is a very solid choice. Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) is a favorite of mine and it does well in wet soil. Red maple, aka "swamp maple" is another good choice as its name implies. Red alder (Alnus rubra) likes wet conditions, but I'd advise against it--it's a relatively short lived tree and a lot of fairways get opened up as they secede. Plus, beavers seem to really like them. Willows are generally good choices too, they tend to grow fairly bushy though, depending on what you're looking for. Red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) also does well in wet conditions, but is kind of in the large shrub/small tree category, so may or may not be what you're after.

 

[InnocentCrook]

I love all this tree talk.

I planted a handful of small (1" or less trunk diameter, 2-3' in height) bald cypress last spring here in Northern Kentucky. They didn't do a whole lot last year but this year they've really filled out nicely and are starting to add some height. In the fall they do get a little bit of bronze-ish color before they drop their needles which is cool. 2 of the 5 or so I planted, I put in right on my pond's typical water-line where the base of the tree is submerged at least 1/2 the time. 1 of the 2 is doing awesome, the other isn't, but it was a bit rough going in to begin with.

I'm really itching to add a Dawn Redwood, some red maples (deer destroyed the one I planted 2 seasons ago), and more tulip poplars somewhere on my ridge top.

 

[roblee]

Cottonwood types (Populas sp) are candy to beavers but they fill all the other boxes. Any size tree can be cut in winter and "planted" into a post hole where the bottom extends into moist soil. I've had good success with 2-4" trunks as they are easily handled. This is a common riparian restoration method.Cage them as high as you can to discourage beavers. Beaver control may be necessary if your area allows. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office will help. I can get you a contact if wanted. Ditto some state Depts of Natural Resources.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

Maybe the solution is to be psychic and pick a drought year or two, in advance.

I've tried that and am hoping that the Paulownias will get the benefit of that for next year. But still, they probably won't make it.

One of the problems is that this particular property is now seeing longer and more frequent flooding that it has in the past and even young native species are dying due to complete submersion during the spring.

There are number of native varieties that would work but some are extremely slow growers. Persimmons do well, but put on about 1 foot or less per year (at least so far). Lacebark elm grows relatively fast and has some flood tolerance, but I would have to transplant these.

There just may be no way around trying to transplant larger trees to give some chance of surviving the flooding.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Buckthorn grows pretty fast..

 

[jakebake91]

Black locust grow like weeds, and in my area, grow right in our swamps. I'm far from an arborist, but I would think they'd handle flooding too.