BE A GEORGIA TREE KNOW-IT-ALL: WILLOW OAK

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 Willow Oak (Quercus phellos). Learn all about the Willow Oak below!

Willow Oak June tree of the month

Fun and Harmless Ways to Decorate Your Trees

Trees are beautiful. From their shining green leaves to the stunning flowers or fruit they produce, there’s nothing as great as a tree to decorate your landscape. But, if you’re hoping to really make your yard pop, you can take the embellishing of your property a step further by sprucing up your trees with accessories.

Here are some of our favorite fun and harmless ways to decorate your trees. 

Bird Feeders 

Want to encourage the birds you see around your property to stay around? Hang a bird feeder from your tree! Depending on what species you have in your yard, you can get a variety of kinds that will feed all of your chirping friends. Don’t forget to all put out a hummingbird feeder to give some substance to the smaller species. 

Wind Chimes 

There’s nothing quite as calming as when a gentle breeze kicks up the leaves on your trees. What would make it even better is if you dangled some wind chimes from the branches. That way you’ll add some musical notes along with the gorgeous nature sounds. 

There are countless examples of wind chimes out there in all styles of art. If you love to craft, you can even make your own! A quick search will show many guides for how to build wind chimes, no matter what aesthetic you’re going for. 

Holiday Fun 

Of course, what would this list be if we didn’t talk about the best time of year to decorate trees: the holidays! Whether you’re stringing lights through the branches for Christmas or hanging a witch from the trunk during Halloween, we really encourage you to get creative, no matter the season. 

Don’t think you only have to decorate during the biggest holidays, either. Have fun during Memorial Day or St. Patrick’s Day too. 

Need help sprucing up your yard with beautiful trees? Our experts are here to help! If you’re interested in utilizing our expertise or want to hear more about fun and harmless ways to decorate your trees, feel free to reach out to us by clicking here or by giving us a call at 404-252-6448. 

How Weather Can Impact Your Tree Removal

When it comes to getting a tree removed, lots of planning and logistics are involved. That all starts with reaching out to a professional like Premier Tree Solutions to assess your tree and your property for removal. 

A less commonly understood step, is assessing weather conditions on the day you’ve selected to have a tree removed. Storms, rain, and even wind can impact the tree removal process, so this factor is an extremely important one! Learn more below about how weather can impact your tree removal. 

What Kind of Weather Do I Need for Tree Removal? 

Unfortunately, storms, high winds, and even light rain usually means the tree removal process will have to be rescheduled. In most instances, a tree cannot be taken away unless the weather is very calm and mild. That means little to no rain, no wind, and certainly no storms or snow. 

Why? The answer points back to the tree removal process itself and those who do the hard work. Tree removal itself can be a dangerous process. Depending on the tree, this can mean people are scaling great heights to cut down sections of it at a time. A person cannot do that safely in stormy, windy, or rainy conditions.

That means the best weather for the tree removal process is a sunny or overcast calm day. If you wake up on your tree removal day and see that outside, you’ll be good to go. If not, you might need to reschedule. Those who are doing the removal process will certainly be in touch to let you know if things need to be moved. 

Have further questions about how weather can impact your tree removal? Our experts are here to help! We’re proud to offer to the Atlanta area tree removal services

If you’re interested in utilizing our expertise, feel free to reach out to us by clicking here or by giving us a call at 404-252-6448. 

BE A GEORGIA TREE KNOW-IT-ALL: LOBLOLLY PINE

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 Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). Learn all about the Loblolly Pine below!

Weird Tree Tour: Trees SO Toxic You Can’t Even Stand Under Them

In Georgia, we’re used to seeing never-ending pine trees, gorgeous Cherry Blossoms, or the occasional exotic example of bamboo or Japanese Maple. But, when it comes to toxic and unusual trees, we don’t have too many that are natural to our soils to showcase.  

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there! There are countless species of trees across the world, each as unique and special as the one before. From actual tree skeletons in the Deadvlei desert to trees that can only grow over another type of tree, you think it up and it probably exists. 

To celebrate all that nature can create, we’re diving into our five favorite weirdest trees that actually exist. 

Baobab Tree, Adansonia

Picture of the avenue of the baobabs around sunset, Madagascar.

One of the most unique looking trees out there, the Baobab Tree can reach up to 98 feet tall with trunks that grow up to 36 feet in width. Needless to say, this tree gets huge. What makes it look even more interesting is that no branches stay low to the ground. The only branches and leaves you’ll find are at the very top. 

An interesting fact about this tree: some were hollowed out and used as holding prison cells in the past. Though this practice has since been abandoned, you will only find these trees in Madagascar, Africa, and Australia. 

Jaboticaba Tree, Plinia Cauliflora

Fruit. Exotic. Jabuticaba in the tree. Jaboticaba is the native Brazilian grape tree. Species Plinia cauliflora.

What makes this tree one of our favorite unusual species is that its fruit grows everywhere. Not just on its limbs or attached to leaves but also all over its bark. If you came across it in a forest, it would look like giant balls of black are attached to the trunk, almost like the tree itself is leaking grapes. We also think the white blossoms that come from the fruit are strange, since they are often described as hairy. 

Luckily, this fruit is not poisonous. Many people use the fruit to eat whole or to produce wine and juice. It’s native to Brazil and will create these strange fruits and flowers multiple times a year, if the conditions are right. 

Manchineel Tree, Hippomane Mancinella

A closeup of a piece of Manchineel Tree fruit (Hippomane mancinella), which is known as a Manchineel apple. The tree is also known as a Beach Apple, due to its fruit looking like an apple. The tree, and its parts contain strong toxins. Its white sap contains skin irritants, producing strong allergic dermatitis. Even small drops of rain running off of the tree onto a person can cause blistering of the skin. Smoke in the eyes from burning manchineel wood can cause blindness. The fruit may be fatal if eaten. Ingestion may produce severe gastroenteritis with bleeding, shock, and the potential for airway compromise due to edema. The Carib people used the sap of this tree to poison their arrows, and would tie captives to the trunk of the tree, ensuring a slow, and painful death. The Caribs were also known to poison the water supply of their enemies with the leaves. In 1521, The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León was wounded by an arrow that had been poisoned with Manchineel sap during a battle with the Calusa Native American people in Florida, and he died soon after in Havana, Cuba. In the 1956, movie, “Wind Across The Everglades,” a poacher named Cottonmouth (Burl Ives) had a victim tied to a manchineel tree, to be tortured to death by the milky sap. The Manchineel tree is listed as an endangered species in Florida.

When we mentioned in the title a tree so toxic you can’t stand under it, this is the tree we were referring to. 

Native to Central America, parts of South America, and southern areas of North America, this tree’s name is translated in Spanish to “the tree of death”. What makes it so bad? Everything that the tree produces is poisonous and can be fatal when ingested or even just touched. From the thick, milky sap that oozes out of every inch of this tree to the small, round fruit they produce, we aren’t kidding when we say that every single part of this tree is toxic. Even standing under the tree when it rains and dilutes the sap will not be safe. 

Yet, the tree is still vital to its environment, and many people use the bark for furniture, once it’s been cleaned and proven safe of course. 

Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree, Eucalyptus Deglupta

A stand of rainbow eucalyptus trees in a meadow on the island of Maui.

The prettiest out of the options we’ve chosen, the Rainbow Eucalyptus is a stunner of a tree. Why? It has rainbow bark! When the tree sheds its outer layer throughout the year, it reveals underneath bark that is red, blue, purple, and orange. 

As the bark ages, it produces these colors at different stages. The youngest bark will be green while the oldest will be brown. Because the bark within the tree grows at irregular intervals, when it sheds what’s remaining often looks like a kaleidoscope or a rainbow. 

This tree is native to the Philippines and is harvested in paper manufacturing. 

Sandbox Tree, Hura Crepitans

Hura crepitans is a perennial tree belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, native to the tropical forests of the Americas, including the Amazon Forest.

Considered one of the most dangerous trees in the world, this species can make literal explosions happen. It produces seeds that look like small pumpkins. However, once they harden and mature, they explode and shoot out more seeds, all in an effort to make more trees like it grow and spread. However, this explosion can cause speeds up to 150 miles per hour at distances of 60 feet. Needless to say, you don’t want to get in the way of those seeds. 

The tree’s appearance looks dangerous too. It’s up-to-130-feet-tall trunk is covered in cone-shaped spikes. On top of that, the sap the tree produces is also poisonous. 

Luckily, you won’t find any of these trees out in the wilds of Georgia. Still, you might want to save this knowledge in case you ever encounter a tree trivia question. If you have any more questions about the above weird species or want Premier Tree to assist you with your Georgia trees, reach out to us by clicking here or by giving us a call at 404-252-6448. 

What is Stump Grinding and Why You Might Need It

Trees fall. It happens all the time. Whether it’s an accident caused by a bad storm or an intentional choice made to upgrade the aesthetics of your yard. Either way, you’re usually left with a stump that needs to be addressed.

That’s where stump grinding comes in! This tool makes it easy to remove unwanted and unpleasant stumps from your yard, so you can reclaim that space for other plants or landscaping plans.

The experts at Premier Tree Solutions are explaining what stump grinding is and why you might need to use it below! 

What is Stump Grinding? 

A stump grinder tool, also called a stump cutter, is a self-propelled machine used to remove tree stumps. To do so, it has a rotating, high-speed cutting disk that chops away at the wood. The carbide teeth on the blade cuts the wood into small chips. 

The machines come in a variety of sizes, from as big as a lawn mower or as large as a truck, to cover all your stump removal needs. 

When Would You Need to Use Stump Grinding? 

If a tree has recently fallen or if you’ve cut a tree from its roots, then you’ve got an unwanted stump on your hands. As soon as the rest of the tree is removed, the stump will begin an extremely slow decaying process. It could be years before the stump will easily break apart to be removed. 

While you may be tempted to let nature do the hard work, leaving a stump to rot has many downsides. The biggest of those being:

  • The rotting wood can often attract many pests, including carpenter ants and termites. If the stump is close to your house, those bugs could end up transferring to your house and damaging it. 
  • Unless you like the look of rotting wood, stumps standing out in the middle of your yard aren’t appealing. If you have services like HOA, they might also require you to remove the stump. Or you risk a fine. 
  • Planning to plant a new tree near the stump? The roots of this tree will have a harder time spreading out if the stump is blocking them, stunting the growth of your new plant

How Premier Tree Solutions Can Help

Have a stump ruining your yard? Our experts are here to help! We’re proud to offer to the Atlanta area stump grinding and removal services. If you’re interested in utilizing our expertise, feel free to reach out to us by clicking here or by giving us a call at 404-252-6448. 

BE A GEORGIA TREE KNOW-IT-ALL: JAPANESE MAPLE

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 Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum). Learn all about the Japanese Maple below!

Infographic for Japanese Maple Tree

Make Up Your Mind! What Changing Weather Can Do To Your Trees

Fluctuating weather is a common occurrence in Georgia. One day it might feel like spring is right on the horizon, other days a chilly freeze comes back making you snuggle up on the couch. You might even notice how some trees start to blossom too early, say around February, when the warm weather comes out to tease them and their biological systems. But, when frost comes back to bite, what will happen to those gorgeous trees with flowers ready to bloom?

The experts at Premier Tree Solutions are taking a look at how changing weather can do to your trees. 

When Are Sudden Weather Changes Most Common?

Before we dive into the effects changing temperatures can have on our trees, let’s first take a look at when these weather patterns are most common. The answer to that is winter. So on top of having to worry about strong winds and bitter temperatures, you also have to worry about when spring comes in a bit too early, only to leave just as quickly as it comes. 

In fact, most often than not, the biggest threat of danger to our trees is the fluctuating weather. When the temperature drops suddenly, trees and plants can really suffer since they won’t have the proper time to prepare for cold weather. The amount of stress this piles onto our trees causes some damage, which we’re about to discuss now. 

What Changing Weather Can Do to Your Trees

Distorting Leaves 

If leaves have already begun to appear thanks to false warmer weather, they may end up being distorted by the time all of the cold temperatures finally leave. The frost causes the new leaves to burn, have holes, and look smaller or with less concrete shapes than they might usually have. 

The good news is that most of the time trees will grow out of the distortion and normal looking leaves will appear again with time. 

Frost Cracks

Most commonly found in the sides of trees that face the sun and therefore face the biggest jumps in temperature, these are long cracks in the trunks that appear thanks to changing temperatures. Why does this happen? When the weather suddenly drops, it causes the outer layer of the trunk to contract quicker than the layers deeper in the tree do. That’s why a crack may appear. 

Sunscald 

Similar to what was described above, sunscald is where bark is exposed to intense sun during changing temperatures reddens, toughens, and then eventually cracks. Most commonly this happens to trees that have little foliage to protect their trunk from strong sun, such as when trees blossom too early and then those flowers die due to a sudden drop in cold weather. 

Winterburn 

Most commonly seen on evergreens, winterburn looks like scorched and brown leaf tips. When these trees are exposed to warm sun and dropped temperatures in the night, their leaves dry out. This happens more frequently when the water in their roots aren’t able to reach the leaves, such as if they freeze over due to the fluctuating temperatures. 

Have any more questions about how changing weather can affect your trees? Premier Tree Solutions has been providing quality, professional tree services to the metro Atlanta and surrounding areas for more than ten years. Click here to contact us or give us a call at 404-252-6448. 

Bye-Bye Bugs: Pest-Resistant Trees

If you’ve lost a plant or a tree to pests, then you know just how frustrating microscopic bugs can be. They may be tiny, but they are mighty, especially when they eat through your beloved landscaping in no time at all. While trees are adapting and evolving to create new mechanisms to fight away the pests that bother them, often bugs change even faster, thwarting the tree’s attempts. 

Luckily, there are many types of plants, shrubs, and trees that already have naturally built armor to fend off pests. On top of that, scientists and botanists are working to breed new types of trees with genes that fend off these fiends.  

So, if you don’t want your heart broken by pesky bugs, keep reading below to learn your options for pest-resistant trees. 

Types of Pest-Resistant Trees

Bald Cypress

Known for being resistant to most tree problems, from pests to droughts, this tree has feather-like leaves that are green during the spring and summer but turn orange during the fall. They typically grow in southern swamps, though they do well in any environment, and can be more than 70 feet tall. 

Chinese Fringe Tree

Hoping to find a smaller tree that is also pest resistant? Look no further! Not only does this tree grow extremely fast to its max at about 25 feet, but it also is gorgeous and has white flowers during the spring that smell amazing. 

Chinese Pistache

This tree is fantastic if you have an area with full sun. They are on the smaller side, but can still grow anywhere from 25 to 35 feet tall. If they are placed in the shade, the shape of the tree tends to get misshapen. The good news is that they are pest resistant and have gorgeous orange fall leaves. 

Eastern Red Cedar

An extremely popular tree often found from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, this pine tree is known for its many practical uses, such as building fences, to its tall stature, sometimes growing over 60 feet tall. These beauties are usually free of any serious pest and disease problems, though they aren’t totally immune. 

Ginkgo 

A tree with fossils that date all the way back to 270 million years ago, the Ginkgo is one of the most popular deciduous trees out there. Not only does this tree have interesting leaves shaped like a fan, but they turn a gorgeous yellow color in the fall. A single tree can live to be 3,000 years and it also happens to be very pest resistant! 

Magnolia

Famous in the south, the magnolia is a deciduous tree with large, green leaves that blossoms gorgeous white or pink flowers in the spring. If you know you want this kind of pest-resistant tree for your yard, there are many different variants to pick from and even size differences to consider. It’s up to you! 

Rubber Tree

No, this isn’t a tree made of rubber. However, inside the leaves is milky white latex, once used to make rubber. This makes the plant harder for pests to chew on. Also a popular house plant, these trees can start off as small plants that fit in the corner of your living room but grow to be about 50 feet tall. They also come in many gorgeous variants, such as the ruby with shades of dark red on the leaves. 

These are just a small portion of the many available pest-resistant trees. Have any more questions about these kinds of trees and which would be best for your yard? Premier Tree Solutions has been providing quality, professional tree services to the metro Atlanta and surrounding areas for more than ten years. Click here to contact us or give us a call at 404-252-6448. 

BE A GEORGIA TREE KNOW-IT-ALL: HAWTHORN TREE

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 Hawthorn Tree (Genus Crataegus). Learn all about the Hawthorn Tree below!

Hawthorn Tree of the Month Infographic.