What are the differences between Ginkgo, Laburnum, Little Leaf Linden and Pioneer Elm. What is the best tree as a street tree? Where can I see these after they have been planted?
Ginkgo – make sure you get a male tree as the female tree stinks like rancid butter as it gets older. It grows to 50 – 80 feet tall from Zones 4 – 9. Ginkgo is one of the best known shade trees. It is open and airy when young, but becomes very dense when older,
Laburnum (Golden Chaintree) is a short lived tree. It likes fairly cool conditions and tolerates a variety of soils. It grows 15 – 20 feet tall and seeds produced from this tree are poisonous, so keep this in mind if you have young children or pets around.
Little Leaf Linden — Tilia cordite is a cool climate shade tree It’s tolerant to harsh soils, is densely branched and foliaged and makes a ideal tree. It tolerates driers soil then most trees. Japanese beetle plague this tree and aphids and sooty mold can also be serious problems. It grows 60 – 70 feet tall and 30 – 45 ‘ wide and turns golden yellow in the fall. (In the fall, its leaves often enter the house every time you open the door)
Pioneer Elm – Ulmus ‘Pioneer’ is a tree bred in the USA to be free from Dutch Elm Disease. It is fast-growing with a dense full head and prefers full sun. It can reach 40 – 50 feet in height and may be 45 – 50 feet wide. It has an aggressive root system that can break sidewalks and pipes.
Call the City at 311 for a list of other city trees. The City may also provide addresses of where they have planted some of these trees.