Get to know Georgia’s beautiful array of trees and how you can take care of your own! Each month, we feature some of the most popular trees in the state. This month, we are showcasing the Callaway Crabapple. Learn all about the Callaway Crabapple!
Trees aren’t just bark-clad beauties.
The benefits of trees range from shading your home from the sun and protecting your privacy to providing the needed infrastructure for a tree swing.
Some trees are extra special, because these trees also feed us with the fruits of their arboreal labors.
Atlanta Metro winters are unkind to citrus trees, and the weather says a hard no to avocados. Cherry trees are popular for their spring blossoms, however many popular species and cultivars are short-lived in the metro Atlanta environment.
The good news? Several fruit trees do quite well on the Georgia Piedmont.
Asian Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia). Asian pear trees thrive throughout the state and are delicious eating too. Please don’t plant a Bradford pear tree though. An ornamental import, it is cross-pollinating with and weakening hardier species. Ask us to tell you more about it if you’re ready for a rant.
Peach (Prunus persica). Show some State of Georgia fruit pride with a peach tree or three. Originally native to northwest China, peach trees thrive in Georgia. You’ll make magical summer memories biting into ripe peaches on hot summer days.
Apple (Malus domestica). Many of the better known North American varieties don’t do well in southern Georgia, but here in Metro Atlanta they grow just fine. The UGA Extension recommends varieties such as Ginger Gold, Gala, and Granny Smith.
American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). Branch out to some of the less common fruits, such as the American persimmon with its bright orange-red fruits. (You’ll need at least two, one male and one female, if you want them to fruit.)
Almond (Prunus dulcis). Show off at your next trivia night when you’re the one who knows that almonds are not nuts. They’re actually fruits closely related to the peach, and they grow well in similar conditions.
Speaking of nuts though, if you’re looking for trees that provide healthy treats, don’t stop at fruit trees. Nut trees are the original high-protein choice.
Pick a pecan (Carya illinoinensis). Georgia may promote itself as the Peach State and benefit from the peach emoji’s popularity, but agricultural numbers tell a different story.
Measured by crop value, we really ought to be the Pecan State. The numbers aren’t even close.
According to an article in Growing America, “Pecans now account for nearly half of the value of Georgia’s fruit and nut crop, while peaches are only 6.8 percent.”
Pecan trees do well throughout most of Georgia, with the exception of the North Georgia mountains. The UGA Extension suggests several excellent cultivars for home and backyard orchards, from Elliot and Excel to Gloria Grande and Gafford. They also offer some excellent advice on initial care of new pecan tree plantings.
Choose a chestnut (Castanea spp.). The story of the American chestnut’s (Castanea dentata) demise is one of the great tragedies in North American ecology. There is still some hope of reintroducing it, genetically engineered to be resistant to the blight that wiped it out.
Until then, the Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) does well in most of Georgia, producing delicious nuts that you can roast on an open fire. (You can roast them in your oven too.)
Black walnut for the win (Juglans nigra). Black walnut trees are prized most for the beautiful hardwood lumber they provide, but they also produce tasty nuts. Their husks and hard shells are tough to crack, but the meat inside is worth the work.
Going nuts trying to decide what fruit or nut trees to plant? We love talking about trees and would be happy to help you choose or beautify and prune your existing trees for maximum curb appeal. Reach out to us online or give us a call at 404.252.6448.
Whoever said money doesn’t grow on trees never learned about the value of curb appeal. And trees are very appealing to those gawkers at the curb!
OK, yes, we may obsess a little more than most about the beauty of trees, but several studies back us up.
A study in Portland by the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service (PDF) found that a tree in front of a house added an average $7,130 to the sale price. And houses with trees along their streets sold nearly two days faster.
Trees even helped out the neighbors of the families who planted them! Homes within a 100-foot radius of a tree saw their sale prices go up too. (Trees are the neighborly thing to do.)
In a separate study, economist Kathleen Wolf at the University of Washington concluded that “larger trees in yards and as street trees can add from 3% to 15% to home values.”
The Arbor Day Foundation also lists many additional benefits to planting and caring for trees around your home.
As with many things in life, maturity is worth a lot.
Even if you’re not planning to sell your home anytime soon, trees are a smart investment in your home’s value. When well chosen and placed on your property, trees will literally grow in value every year.
You’ll be able to enjoy your trees for as long as you live in your home, then fetch a higher price when you’re ready to sell. (The next family to enjoy your home’s shade, privacy, fruits, and colors will be grateful.)
As the old saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
Some trees do more for your home’s sale value than others.
Dense conifers provide privacy. Deciduous trees offer vibrant autumn colors. Flowering trees explode in bright blossoms. Fruiting trees drip with summer sweetness.
Looks do matter when you’re planting trees to enhance curb appeal. Just as you would with interior design choices, give thought to which trees potential buyers might prefer.
You’re also better off choosing trees that thrive in metro Atlanta, as recommended by Trees Atlanta. They’ll require less care and maintenance, and they’ll grow more robustly too.
Some of the eye-catching trees we like best for enhancing curb appeal in Georgia include…
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) for its bright red buds in early spring.
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), a classic beauty of the South.
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), and several other species of magnolia too. Their oversized blossoms and lemony scent make a dramatic statement.
Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), a gorgeous, drought resistant conifer.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), another Southern classic that provides summer nectar for bees. (They’ll thank you by keeping your plants pollinated.)
Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), which gets its name from the vibrant red autumn leaves that often stay on the tree deep into winter.
Baldy Cyprus (Taxodium distichum), an eye-catching cyprus with its feathery textures, it does well in urban environments.
Fruit trees can also add a sweet treat for the eyes and taste buds too! Check out our recent post for suggestions on which fruit trees will be most a-peeling. (We’ll show ourselves out now.)
What trees will grow well and look beautiful around your home? We’d love to help you decide! Reach out to us online or give us a call at 404.252.6448.
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8525 Serenbe Rd, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
