ABSTRACT

SHURTLEFF, M.C. 1979. Trees for a city environment. Grounds Maintenance 14(5): 66, 68, 71, 102, 104.

A city environment demands hardy trees. The ideal choices are disease-resistant, and cope well with soil compaction and variations in soil moisture. They must also withstand air pollution, extremes in weather and injuries from cars and lawn mowers. When selecting a tree, think of the space available and the size of the tree at maturity. A low-growing tree may eventually interfere with vehicular traffic. One with a compact root system will interfere less with sidewalks, sewers and utility lines. Other things to consider include soil drainage and water table level, pH, and exposure to wind and sun. An extensive list of suitable trees, begun in the April issue of Grounds Maintenance, continues in this issue with hackberry to mulberry. The final section, covering oak to Zelkova, will be presented in a future issue.