Oregonians love trees. From coast to desert, we're surrounded by them and they provide so much beauty and shade for our homes. So how do you care for them? How can you protect them from the elements? Well, there is an Oregonian Guide to Growing Trees that will help answer those questions!
The Best Flowering Trees to Grow in Oregon
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry Tree
Autumn Brilliance is a three-trunked tree that can be trained as either. With its white April blooms, blueberry-like fruit in June, and orange-red Fall color, the Autumn Brilliance's brilliance stands out all year long. A serviceberry cultivar that delivers year-round visual interest, the Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry lives up to its name. In spring it blossoms with flowers, in summer it produces abundant fruit, and in fall brilliant colors make this one of the best plants around.
Planting & Care
The first step to growing trees in Oregon is finding the best location. Sunlight should be plentiful, and the soil should drain well. Once you’ve found your perfect spot, dig a hole about twice the size of your tree’s root ball and place it inside when finished. For best results, water your tree weekly. If you’re not sure when to water, check a couple of inches below the topmost layer of soil. If it is dry in this area, it is time to water your tree. When a tree starts blooming, fertilize it by using a regular garden fertilizer once or twice yearly. For size purposes, prune lightly. To help encourage healthy roots, remove faded blooms and dead fruit to allow the tree time to focus on rooting before establishing a strong root structure.
Stella D'Oro Daylily Plant
As the name can imply, Daylilies are beautiful and lovely for a limited time only. Stella lives up to its name with beautiful blooms from early summer until late Fall. There are many reasons why Daylilies are so popular. Not only is it the first to bloom in the spring and one of the last to be finished up during summer, but it's also high-performing and easy to grow - which makes for an alluring plant. The Stella plant is one of the best performers and most adaptable trees that you can use in your yard. Whether at your front entrance in a pot or used as part of your landscape, the Stella will transform your yard from ordinary to extraordinary.
Planting & Care
Stella D'Oro trees thrive in full sun, so make sure the area you choose for planting has these conditions. Plant in a well-drained open area. First, dig a hole deep enough to accommodate your Stella's root ball. Then carefully lower Holly into the hole and backfill her roots with soil. Finally, water the area around your newly planted tree to settle its roots. To plant in a container, there's a fairly simple task. Just make sure you select an appropriately sized pot, add enough organic soil to reach the root ball, and choose plants with drainage holes if they don't already have them. Plant care is especially important for Daylilies, and watering should happen about once a week. If you're not sure when to water your plant, simply check surrounding soil for dryness 2 inches (or farther) down the dirt.
The Best Shade Trees in Oregon
October Glory Red Maple Tree
One of the best cultivars for red maple trees is October Glory. It requires just minimal attention, but it's one of the brightest reds available. It drops its leaves later in the autumn, so you have more time to enjoy the show. Oregon is the perfect place for a garden with October Glory Trees. These trees have vibrant red flowers that pop against the backdrop of green, and they grow effortlessly. Mowing is also no longer required!
Planting & Care
Plant October Glory Trees in well-drained soil and full sun, plant the roots ball into 3 times the width of the root ball deep. Keep weeds at bay with a thick layer of mulch and provide plenty of water after planting is complete. The October Glory Maple tree requires one and a half inches of water each week. This should be about unassisted watering once per week with an entire hose. Apply a slow-release fertilizer in a 10-10-10 formula twice every month during the growing season. Discontinue application when the tree is near its dormancy period.
Dura Heat River Birch
The Dura Heat River Birch is a fast-growing tree for cold and hot climates. In addition, this versatile tree can tolerate moist or soggy conditions that other trees cannot grow in. If you're looking for a tree that thrives in wet, flood-prone areas with dense soil, this is the one for you. These trees grow fast, which means they can be planted swiftly anywhere in the landscape. These trees are fairly compact and do well when planted near pollutants like cars and buildings.
Planting & Care
Birch Trees grow in nearly any area but prefer soil that is rich in nutrients. Choose a spot that will provide 6-8 hours of sunlight and dig your hole 3 times the width of the root ball. Plant the tree upright in the ground, then fill it back up with soil leaving enough space for root growth. If you're planting young trees, make sure they are staked so they don't fall over while growing taller. It's important to keep your tree watered once you've planted it, so initially soak the root system with a slow-release water hose for two hours. Be sure to use mulch around the base of the tree to help stabilize it. After a year, stakes can usually be removed. To see if your tree is sturdy enough: Shake its center - if it has no movement and lies flat on the ground, then it should be safe to remove any support wires from around its trunk. During the growing season, give your Birch deep waterings each week. You may need to increase these during periods of extreme heat or drought. Towards the end of August, reduce watering so your tree can enter its dormant period. Birches should be fertilized twice, once in the spring and again in the summer. In late spring and early summer, access the tree’s root system for growth with a product that targets acidified evergreens. Pure 10-10-10 fertilizer will do just fine when diluted to 10 percent of its original strength. Pruning is best performed in early autumn or late summer. To start, remove side shoots and suckers by using a sterilized pair of shears. Then decide which branches to remove and make sure you do not cut more than 25% of the tree canopy. Prune branches that are less than 2 inches thick close to the trunk.
The Best Fruit Trees in Oregon
Heritage Everbearing Raspberry Plant
A heritage everbearing raspberry plant is a new hybrid of the berry bush that produces larger and tastier berries. They also have stronger resistance to disease and drought than other varieties. In a single year, without harsh chemicals or excessive watering, they produce fruit while enabling your family to enjoy a fresh harvest all season long. Heritage Everbearing Raspberries are not only popular but also hardy and can handle a variety of climates. Even though the Heritage makes a great houseplant, it is not limited to planting in containers. This variety can be grown from Maine down to Texas and are cold hardy to -20 degrees. These trees also only need water for small intervals of time before they establish themselves and undergo drought tolerance.
Planting & Care
Find a location that offers full sun and evenly-drained soil. Make sure your tree has a large enough hole, place the Heritage, and backfill with soil. To plant in a container consider these options for size: you will need a pot with drainage holes that is at least as large as your Heritage's ship container. Fill it with organic soil and lay the heritage down. Make sure the roots are settled before adding water to help establish them. Raspberry plants need to be watered at least once a week. Before watering, check the soil's dryness by feeling around 2 inches of dirt and water when it feels dry. Apply compost with a small amount of balanced organic fertilizer, late in the winter. When the raspberries have finished fruiting for the season, cut back all of the sides by hand shoots manually.
Sweetheart Blueberry Bush
The Sweetheart Blueberry Bush delivers huge harvests of fist-sized blueberry clusters every year in late May or June and again in August, yielding an average harvest of 15 pounds per year. The Sweetheart Bush grows large and plump blueberries. It's the perfect hybrid for those who love both the Southern and Northern Highbush varieties because the fruit has a texture firm yet sweet enough to enjoy raw or cooked.
Planting & Care
When looking for a place to plant your blueberry bush, make sure that the site has full sun (6-8 hours per day) and good drainage. Blueberry bushes do best in moist soil, not swampy ground. Planting a bush that is about twice the size of the root ball takes some preparation. Dig a hole with your shovel at least five to six inches deep, and make sure it's not deeper than the container will allow. Leave 5-10 feet between holes when there are multiple bushes in need of planting. Place the Blueberry Bush in the hole, then cover it up with soil mixed with moss. The root system of blueberry bushes will need to be properly established before the roots get too deep. It is best to water weekly, but you may need to do it more often during extreme heat spells. Test the soil about two inches below the surface for dryness to manually, sides by to indicate when watering is needed. When planting a Blueberry bush, no fertilizer is required. However, fertilize it twice annually: once in the spring and again after harvest. Overgrown shrubs should be pared back and excessive branches thinned out to allow the bearing surface to grow. Branches that are dead, spindly, or too weak should also be removed annually during the dormant season. Blueberries are self-fertile. To avoid any confusion, you may want to plant three or more of the same variety so that they can be pollinated with each other by insects for fruits to form on them.
When is The Best Time to Plant Trees in Oregon
The best season to plant trees in Oregon is in the winter months, November to April. The best time of day is in the morning or late evening hours when daytime temperatures are cool and night-time temperatures have not yet dropped too much. Some trees are not recommended for planting during the fall season. If you want to plant a new tree this autumn, be sure it is a type that will do well in hot and dry conditions. Some of these include Alders, Alder hybrids, Dogwoods (woody shrubs), Katsura Trees (small evergreen broadleaf trees), and Paper Birch Trees.
Can You Plant All Season Long?
Growing trees all season long in Oregon can be tricky not just because of weather and soil conditions, but also the different seasons. You may want to plant your tree during a specific time frame or you might have space constraints that make planting certain times impossible.
What are The Best Trees to Plant in Each Season in Oregon
Springtime
Start with a few trees that grow in the spring, such as flowering cherry and crab apple for early blooms.
Summertime
Add some shade-tolerant evergreens like Douglas fir or cedar to provide summer shelter from the heat.
Fall time
Fall is also a great time of year to plant deciduous fruit trees, like persimmons and mulberries.
Wintertime
Choose a variety of evergreens to protect against winter weather such as fir, hemlock, and spruce.
What Trees Have The Least Invasive Roots in Oregon
The least invasive trees in Oregon are the Red Maple, White Spruce, and Douglas Fir trees. These trees are more like shrubs than trees, as they will not grow over a certain height. The Red Maple tree is an excellent choice for those who want to avoid invasive roots because their root system has less of an impact on the ground below them. The White Spruce and Douglas Fir have similar traits in this regard, with roots that spread out horizontally rather than downward into the earth. These two species are also well-known for being able to withstand severe wind and ice storms better than other types of trees.
