"Why Did My Tree Die?" or Ten Good Reasons NOT to Plant a Tree

By Bob Beyfuss, Greene County Cornell Cooperative Extension
Used with permission

Did you ever wonder what happens to most of the trees that are planted each year on Arbor Day? I do. I suspect that many of these trees either die quickly or, in many cases, die later on and require removal at someone's expense. I think it is important to keep in mind that Arbor Day was started as a result of the efforts of Sterling Morton who was from Nebraska. If you have ever been to Nebraska, you know that there are very few "real" trees. Here in the Northeast, trees grow anywhere a vacant spot of earth occurs. So, at the risk of my reputation I propose the following ten good reasons for not planting a tree:

1. Do not plant a tree if it will grow into overhead power lines. This seems obvious. But, take a drive around your community the week after Arbor Day, and see for yourself.

2. Do not plant a salt sensitive tree, such as sugar maple, along a road where it will be subject to annual bouts of salt torture. Why plant a tree to see it suffer every year?

3. Do not plant a tree where the roots will invade and destroy your (or a neighbor's) septic system or sewer lines, that is, unless you own a company that sells tools to remove these roots.

4. Do not plant a potentially big tree in a tiny yard. The first tree I ever planted was when I was in fifth grade. I planted a willow tree in a tiny, city backyard. When, some twenty years later, I next saw the owner of the house where I planted that tree, she told me that she had just spent $800 to I have that tree removed. The woman never forgave me.

5. Do not plant a tree that will most likely be killed or seriously deformed by insects or diseases. The list of trees that fall into this category seems to get bigger each day. Places such as SUNY campus in Albany now have dozens of sick Austrian pines. Lots of Elm Streets all over America now feature no trees at all.

6. Do not plant a fruit tree where the fruit will create major problems. A mulberry tree planted near your deck to provide food for the birds will permanently stain your deck, shoes, and most of the inside of your house. A black walnut tree will produce gooey nuts that also create indelible stains. A large fruit crabapple is not much better.

7. Do not plant a tree that requires constant maintenance, unless you plan to perform the maintenance. Macintosh apple trees and most other fruit trees need to be sprayed and pruned often in order to get good quality fruit. If you are strongly opposed to the use of pesticides, it is not a good idea to plant a tree that has been bred to need pesticide sprays.

8. Do not plant a tree only because someone received a grant, unless the grant provides for the care after planting. How many trees that have been planted with tax dollars never have their guy wires removed? How many tax dollars are spent removing these trees?

9. Do not plant a tree that is intended to make you rich. Each year many thousands of potential Christmas trees are planted with good intentions. Less than one third of them are ever sold. Very, very few black walnut trees end up as furniture or cabinets.

10. Finally, do not plant a tree that will present a hazard in the future. The two trees that border your driveway may block your view of oncoming traffic. A tree bordering the parking lot will dent somebody's bumper. The Lombardy poplar will fall on somebody’s garage in 10 years.