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lenaitch said:
Here's one for your @Northern Light. This tree is on a neighbouring property that is unoccupied (never finished/occupied for over 25 years - the pride of the neighbourhood).

Best I can figure, it is some kind of clone of a Norway Maple and a Crimson King Norway Maple variant. There are two main trunks, one for each 'colour'; the green side is larger and represents about 2/3 of the foliage.

Thoughts?

View attachment 321293View attachment 321294
Click to expand...

Weird, are you sure they are one tree?

I've never seen anything quite like that.

As opposed to two that shared a pot and were planted touching one another?

That can happen.

Otherwise, I assume this was a grafting attempt............and a rather peculiar one.

If you don't mind, I'll send the photo along to someone.
 
Northern Light said:
Weird, are you sure they are one tree?

I've never seen anything quite like that.

As opposed to two that shared a pot and were planted touching one another?

That can happen.

Otherwise, I assume this was a grafting attempt............and a rather peculiar one.

If you don't mind, I'll send the photo along to someone.
Click to expand...

I did check and, yes, one stump. The branches bifurcate very close to the ground, so the possibility that two saplings simply grew together seems reasonable. I have a hard time imagining a nursery doing that on purpose. If grown from seed, possibly, or an errant seed of one finding its way into the seedling pot of the other. I'm only assuming it was store-bought when the lot was first developed. The place has pretty much gone to heck but there seems to be remnants of an attempt at landscaping and there is what looks like an established Crimson on the next lot.

I'll take closer look at the base today when I'm not wrangling two dog leashes.

Our daughter's former place up north had a 'hybrid' in another direction. They had a small-ish tree (~20') that was white or red pine on the bottom but the top was, or looked like, tamarack. My guess is a seed became trapped in a crotch with enough organic debris to become established. Sadly, the top half died.
 
Here's a couple of photos of the base of the tree. IMG_1655.JPGIMG_1656.JPG

The slightly smaller trunk (left side on the left photo, right on the right) is the Crimson.
 
Last October I rescued an oak seedling from imminent landscaping at my MiL’s house in the Beach(es). She has three of those massive oaks you see down there. Over winter I covered it with a glass vase to keep the worst of winter at bay. Now I’m pleased to say it’s got six very large leaves. It was 25 cm tall when I planted it and hope I can get some growth this year. If I can live another 40 years to 90 I might see something, lol. But I like the idea of planting trees to be enjoyed by future generations.
 
This may interest some of us?


June 22: Wychwood Barns Park Virtual Tree Tour​

Join LEAF on June 22 at 7 p.m. for a virtual exploration of the trees in Wychwood Barns Park. The interactive presentation will highlight different native species found in the park and teach you how to identify them on your own. Learn interesting facts about trees and about common urban stresses so that you can help the trees in your own neighbourhood thrive. Event attendees may be eligible to receive free native shrubs (some conditions apply). Register and join us through Zoom to learn more
 
The first of a couple of posts from today's walk.

Looking both at successful tree plantings.............and .....ummm.....not so successful ones.

1st a good planting, overall: (the waterfront promenade)

1625452476313.png


* in another thread, the issue was raised of some trees struggling here; I documented that on today's walk and have some thoughts, but I'm currently circulating it with people who know more than I *

Still, over all, the promenade has done well.

_______________________________

This is an Oak Tree in an Allee alongside Sherbourne Common Park South............ it is doing wonderfully!

1625452609900.png


The allee, as a whole is also doing very well:

1625452643768.png


On the other hand...........the row of trees at the western edge of Sherbourne Common Park North, beside the Mosaic Condo development have almost entirely died (or will shortly)

1625452728701.png


I don't know the cause of the problem here, but I see no compelling reason for that much interlock around the trees. It will tend to limit water infiltration, and also serve to heat the soil and encourage compaction.

I would argue for removing the bricks in the sections containing trees, making sure soil is de-compacted, and layering fresh mulch before replanting, next spring.
 
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Two more fails to illustrate from my walk today.

One is on Queen's Quay, I want to take the time here to say how much better trees on Queen's Quay are doing than before, except for this one block, I can count the dead trees on one hand.

But........

The block from Bay to York, north side has a near 100% fail rate.

1625453013588.png



I can't say what the cause is, for certain. But given that these trees were planted at the same time as many others now alive, its unlikely to have been an issue w/the quality of the stock.

I'm very suspicious about the soil layers in these tree pits.

This is not my favourite pit design...............but many other trees on Queen's Quay are doing fine in a similar pit.

One tree dying in this block is a fluke, two, is bad luck.........three......is a systemic problem...........we're well past three here..........on try # 2

______________

I saw this......walking up Spadina, on the west side, between the Lakeshore and Bremner..........


1625453225360.png


Whatever the failings of the initial design...........the tree hasn't done bad to get to this size..................but look at this.............its literally being chocked by a concrete collar.

The soil around it also looks badly compacted....

A couple of trees up the street..............the tree health is not good............

1625453323033.png


Want to know what happens when you don't fix the problem while you have a chance?

Walk three trees north.........

1625453384605.png
 
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Northern Light said:
Two more fails to illustrate from my walk today.

One is on Queen's Quay, I want to take the time here to say how much better trees on Queen's Quay are doing than before, except for this one block, I can count the dead trees on one hand.

But........

The block from Bay to York, north side has a near 100% fail rate.

View attachment 332524


I can't say what the cause is, for certain. But given that these trees were planted at the same time as many others now alive, its unlikely to have been an issue w/the quality of the stock.

I'm very suspicious about the soil layers in these tree pits.

This is not my favourite pit design...............but many other trees on Queen's Quay are doing fine in a similar pit.

One tree dying in this block is a fluke, two, is bad luck.........three......is a systemic problem...........we're well past three here..........on try # 2

______________

I saw this......walking up Spadina, on the west side, between the Lakeshore and Bremner..........


View attachment 332525

Whatever the failings of the initial design...........the tree hasn't done bad to get to this size..................but look at this.............its literally being chocked by a concrete collar.

The soil around it also looks badly compacted....

A couple of trees up the street..............the tree health is not good............

View attachment 332526

Want to know what happens when you don't fix the problem while you have a chance?

Walk three trees north.........

View attachment 332527
Click to expand...
On the QQ Bay-York pic, how did they expect to have trees to grow to any level of maturity before they become an encroachment (or visual problem) to the road and/or sidewalk users. All urban right-of-way trees face environmental challenges but these are so close to the roadway.
 
lenaitch said:
On the QQ Bay-York pic, how did they expect to have trees to grow to any level of maturity before they become an encroachment (or visual problem) to the road and/or sidewalk users.
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If you look at the branch form on these trees, its v-shaped..........so the branches go 'up' more than 'out'.

I don't think the encroachment issues would be all that bad, in any event, that would be a nice problem to have, and one easily resolved by some pruning of lower branches.

lenaitch said:
All urban right-of-way trees face environmental challenges but these are so close to the roadway.
Click to expand...

They are, and salt may be a factor as a result, particularly with this pit design (no lip at all to reduce runoff).

That said, there are other trees (several dozen) planted in similar conditions on Queen's Quay, and most are alive and reasonably healthy.

So something is different in this block.
 
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Northern Light said:
If you look at the branch form on these trees, its v-shaped..........so the branches go 'up' more than 'out'.

I don't think the encroachment issues would be all that bad, in any event, that would be a nice problem to have, and one easily resolved by some pruning of lower branches.



They are, and salt may be a factor as a result, particularly with this pit design (no lip at all to reduce runoff).

That said, there are other trees (several dozen) planting in similar conditions on Queen's Quay, and most are alive and reasonably healthy.

So something is different in this block.
Click to expand...

I was thinking more when the lower trunks got to 8, 10,12" in diameter. Also, I'm wondering if heat plays a part. Depending on orientation, there could be a lot of reflected heat, both during direct sun as well as radiant from the surroundings even when in shade. The fact that any thrive, let alone survive, in some of these settings is quite remarkable and seems more in spite of human effort rather than because.
 
My Cabbagetown backyard is deemed too small for the city’s free tree program, so I want to buy a small oak tree. I had an oak seedling growing in my backyard that I‘d transplanted from my mother in law‘s Beach(es) house. I kept that thing alive under a glass vase all winter, and watched it grow to about 30 cm this summer. Only to have a skunk dig it up and eat the roots.

I‘d like to plant a larger oak tree, perhaps a metre tall or more. Where can I get one? Sheridan Nurseries is way too pricey.
 
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