More Trees

I talked a bit at the end of 2022 about our trees. Today we added two new trees to the side yard: a red maple (Acer rubrum) and a bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). The maple is an October Glory cultivator, which is supposed to have really nice red–orange foliage in the autumn. They were delivered and planted by Casey Trees (for free!) as part of a city program to help increase Hyattsville's tree canopy. Both trees are pretty substantial, 8 feet or taller, and we're looking forward to seeing them grow.

When the arborist came out in the autumn to consult on possible species and placement, I asked him about getting a sassafras (Sassafras albidum) and while Casey used to grow them apparently they didn't have much luck with them in an urban context so they didn't offer them. He did, however, identify a spot where I could put one if I could source one. That guy (a more affordable 4-foot tree) arrived in December and I got it into the ground then. I've been worried that it didn't make it through the winter, but the arborist who came to help plant the new trees took a look at it and said it looked like it was still alive, so I should keep watering and see what happens. 🤞🏻

The maple is in the foreground, the sassafras to the right, and the cypress in the back. Behind it, near the fence are three pawpaws (Asimina triloba), one of which was translated as a little seedling from a neighbor.

All three of the new trees are now protected with cages to help ward off nibbling deer (we don't get those too often, except for when the apples are out, but better safe than sorry) and they just need to get watered weekly (twice weekly come summer).

UPDATE

(April 23): The maple and bald cypress are looking good; the sassafras, however, is pretty sad. There's supposed to be a one-year warranty on the tree from the grower, but I have to wait until June to see if anything happens.