Since July of 2017, we’ve been assembling a list of trees found in Georgia, and it’s grown substantially since we debuted with the Sugar Maple!  As we settle into fall (one of the best times of year for new planting), we wanted to gather this veritable forest of features in one place for you.

Please note that not every tree here is a Georgia native, but we’ve taken care to ensure that they do well in our area. Here are some of the factors to consider when deciding what to plant.

Loveliness with Longevity

If you’re in it for the long-haul, the Southern Live Oak may be one of our region’s most signature and stately selections. Plan ahead when planting, as they command a great deal of space both above ground and below, and can take 70 years to reach their full circumference.

The Shagbark Hickory is another magnificent species that can also take a few decades to mature, but it’s extremely adaptive and requires little fuss. The American Sycamore could be a fantastic alternative if you’re looking for a hearty hardwood that will fill out much more quickly.

Providing A Fancy Flourish

When it comes to a brilliant shower of springtime blossoms, there’s a reason the South is decorated with the Flowering Dogwood. This popular tree is also lovely in nearly every season, with lush green leaves in summer, and red-tinted foliage in fall.

If you’re looking for a real showstopper, the Yoshino Cherry is not only gorgeous, but also tolerant of most soils, as long as you keep it well-watered. For a differently distinct aesthetic in your yard, the Paperbark Maple adds uniqueness in both texture and color.

Mixed with Fruits and Nuts

Looking for a tree that provides more than shade or showiness? The Butternut Tree yields uncommonly delicious nuts enjoyed by people and animals alike. (But consult with an expert before planting to choose the best location and transplant time in order to properly care for their rapidly developing root system.) If you’ve got room on your property to keep it away from vulnerable plants, the Eastern Black Walnut is another tree whose nuts will please both your family, and the squirrels.

Beyond the popular peaches and apples we see in our state, if a fruiting tree is what you want, consider the Persimmon! This tree comes in two varieties that produce fruits of quite different flavors, but both can punch up what’s in your pantry.

Evergreen Excellence

Going green can be practiced in your yard all year long with these beauties. The Leyland Cypress is often a popular choice for a Christmas tree look, while the Canadian Hemlock grows its own adorable little pinecone ornaments. If your land can get a bit waterlogged, the Spruce Pine will allow you to enjoy some bushy green boughs without getting bogged down.

There are many more fantastic trees to grow and enjoy in Georgia, and our expert arborists can help you select and care for the ones that suit you best. Browse through all of our Georgia Tree Know-It All features, and then call (404) 252-6448, or request a consultation with us online.

• American Holly
• American Hornbeam  
• American Sycamore
• Black Cherry
• Black Locust Tree
• Butternut
• Canadian Hemlock
• Chaste Tree
• Dahoon Tree
• Devilwood Tree
• Eastern Black Walnut
• Eastern Cottonwood
• Eastern Hemlock 
• Eastern Redbud
• Eastern White Pine
• Evergreen Tree
• Flowering Dogwood
• Grancy Greybeard
• Green Ash
• Hawthorn Tree
• Honey Locust
• Japanese Cryptomeria
• Japanese Maple
• Lacebark Elm
• Laurel Oak
• Leyland Cypress  
• Loblolly Pine
• Longleaf Pine
• Ogeechee Lime Tree 
• Paperbark Maple
• Persimmon 
• Possumhaw
• Sassafras Tree
• Shagbark Hickory
• Slash Pine
• Sourwood Tree
• Southern Live Oak
• Southern Magnolia
• Spruce Pine
• Sugar Maple 
• Sugarberry Tree
• Sweetbay Tree
• Tulip Magnolia 
• Two-Winged Silverbell
• Umbrella Magnolia
• White Ash
• Willow Oak
• Yaupon Holly Tree 
• Yellow Buckeye
• Yellow-Poplar Tree
• Yellowwood Tree
• Yoshino Cherry

Spring tends to be the time of year when most homeowners start thinking about their landscape. But if you’ve spotted a problem tree during the winter months, there’s no need to wait for warmer weather to take care of it. In fact, there are a few compelling reasons why winter is an ideal time for tree removal, as long as you plan strategically. Here’s what you should know.

Why Have a Tree Removed in Winter?

Dormant trees have several characteristics which could make them easier to remove. For one, foliage is less of an issue, so it’s easier for tree care professionals to assess the structure of the tree and make precise cuts. Bare limbs are also lighter and easier to manage, making tree removal more efficient this time of year. With fewer leaves to worry about, post-removal cleanup is also less of a hassle.

Another reason to chop a tree in winter is that most homeowners’ lawns and gardens aren’t in bloom, so you won’t have to worry about disturbing surrounding plant life during its peak season. Plus, you can use the winter months to plan out how you’ll use your revised lawn space when it comes time for spring planting, whether it’s expanding your gardens, planting a new tree, or simply laying sod to add more grassy area.

There are also some circumstances for which tree removal simply cannot wait. Though many factors go into the decision to have a tree removed, according to experts from the University of Maryland, the following criteria could be considered dangerous and call for prompt attention:

• Leaning
• Proximity to power lines
• Severe trunk damage
• Damage to 50% or more of the tree
• Hollow trunk
• Many dead branches
• Trunk rot, fungus, or other disease that cannot be remedied
• Root system damage

If any of these factors are noticed or develop during the winter months, it’s best to schedule your tree removal from a certified arborist right away to minimize the additional risks that could be caused by any winter weather.

When Should You Cut Your Tree Down in Colder Weather?

Most deciduous trees are dormant in Georgia from late fall through the end of winter, between the months of November and March. Deciduous trees drop their leaves in fall and include certain varieties of maple, dogwood, magnolia, ash, gum, willow, cyprus, sassafras, birch, and walnut.

When it comes to evergreen trees, such as Virginia Pine, Loblolly Pine, Eastern Hemlocks, and Atlantic White Cedars, winter is still a good time of year for removal. Although these trees don’t have a seasonal leaf drop like their deciduous siblings, they still tend to have flowering seasons in the spring. Therefore their branches may be lighter and visibility may be greater in the winter months, when blooms aren’t a concern.

Whether it’s warm or cold outside, Premier Tree Solutions is here for all of your tree maintenance needs. To plan your removal this winter, contact us online or by calling (404) 252-6448.

Rainforest preservation may be a popular concern that crops up on your feed from time to time, but the significant role rainforests play in promoting life for all of Earth’s species isn’t always fully appreciated. Here’s a closer look at what these magnificent ecosystems do for the planet.

Where Are Rainforests Located?

The largest rainforests are located in the Amazon River Basin in South America, the Congo River Basin in western Africa, and in Nicaragua, Australia, and areas of Southeast Asia. In general, these areas of complex biodiversity are located in areas close to the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. But other “temperate” rainforests exist across the globe — including one in Alaska.

What Do Rainforests Do?

Regulate the Climate

In general, trees remove carbon dioxide and store it in their leaves, stems, and roots during photosynthesis. Due to their extreme density of trees and plants, rainforests absorb tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide from the earth’s atmosphere. This is important, because excess carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping gas that contributes to warming of the planet and resulting climate change. According to NASA, “Human activities have raised the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide content by 50% in less than 200 years.”

Even the world’s largest rainforest in the Amazon has now potentially become a carbon producer, due to factors like wildfires purposely set to clear land for industry and agriculture. But research indicates natural climate solutions such as rainforest conservation and restoration could still provide up to a third of the global climate mitigation needed to reduce global warming.

Store Freshwater

Rainforests essentially act like a huge sponge, and are suspected to store more than half of the earth’s rainwater. But they also give that water back to us. All trees draw water from the ground to sustain themselves, and release excess back into the atmosphere. By this process, the vast number of rainforest trees actually create clouds, resulting in rain that falls all across the globe. Scientists have discovered that even rainfall in the U.S. Midwest is influenced by the Congo’s rainforests, and moisture that cycles through the Amazon can become rainfall in Texas.

Provide Habitat for Wildlife

Although rainforests cover just three percent of the earth’s surface, they contain more than half of the planet’s terrestrial species. They are home to a staggering 30 million species of animals and plants, and at least two-thirds of the entire species of all life on Earth. Many of these animals are endangered, including jaguars, giant otters, Amazon river dolphins, and hyacinth macaws. Preventing extinction is critical to keeping the ecosystems of the rainforest within balance.

Supply the Global Pharmaceutical Market

While more than 40,000 plants have been scientifically classified in the Amazon rainforest, many remain yet unknown. Of those that have been studied, several have important medicinal properties. For example, the Quechua people — an indigenous group living in Peru and Bolivia — discovered quinine in the bark of rainforest trees. Though you may think of quinine as just an extra ingredient in tonics for G&Ts, it’s actually a muscle relaxant and also the first medicine used to effectively treat malaria.

The rainforest is also home to vincristine and vinblastine, which are derived from flowers found in Madagascar. These anti-cancer drugs were first used to treat diabetes and were later found to help stop cancer cells from dividing.

With so many yet-undiscovered species in the world’s rainforests, who knows what other medical miracles we may continue to find?

While the trees that scatter our lawns don’t have the ability to grow wild like those in the rainforest, they still deserve careful tending. If your property needs tree maintenance, request a free assessment from us online or by calling (404) 252-6448.

We know trees are great for wildlife and improve your home property value in more ways than one. We also know that pollinators (especially bees) support Earth’s ecosystems in essential ways. But what’s behind the relationship between bees and trees (aside from the fact that they rhyme)? And how do trees beneficially impact our famously busy friends?

Trees Provide Food and Nutrients

Perhaps most importantly, the nutrients in the nectar and pollen of some trees’ flowers provide the food bees need, as well as the raw materials for making honey.

Though many people focus on planting flower gardens to attract these pollinators, trees provide an abundance of blossoms in one place. In fact, bees may be able to gather as much food from a single tree as they could from an entire field of wildflowers. Especially for those with minimal yard space, trees will have the honeycombs humming with five-flower reviews from all of your block’s bees.

If you want to set up a bountiful buffet for your neighborhood buzzers, here are some bee-friendly trees that you can consider:

• Red or Japanese Maples
• Fruit trees, including
  • Apples
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Cherries
  • Crabapples
• Crepe Myrtles
• Sourwood
• Summersweet
• Flowering Dogwood
• Southern Magnolia

Give Bees Shelter

When asked the question, “Where do bees live?” most of us may leap to answer, “Beehives, of course!” After all, that’s where Winnie the Pooh went looking for his honey. (And yes, bears really do love honey, though they feast on the rest of what’s inside the hives too.)

But in truth, over 70% of North American bees actually nest underground.

For those that live above ground however, trees are essential for shelter — particularly after the trees are dead. When birds go after insects that have burrowed into dead wood, the holes they create make perfect little shelters for cavity-nesting bees to lay their eggs. Many tunnel-nesting bees bore directly into the dead wood, which means you may consider leaving dead branches or logs alone, unless they become a safety hazard. Tree hollows also provide excellent homes for bee colonies, as their thick walls shield against extreme heat and cold.

But the trees in your yard can protect bees even if they aren’t living there. Strong winds can easily blow foraging bees far from home. Evergreen conifers like the Canadian Hemlock can provide an excellent windbreak, keeping your bees where they belong.

Besides directly providing housing or protection, trees help bee colonies stay healthy in another way. Sap and resin from trees supply important ingredients for propolis: a material bees make to secure, waterproof and sterilize the inside of the nest — shoring up the shelter to protect their eggs.

Bees are one of the most important pollinators when it comes to producing our food. In fact, one out of every three bites of food we eat is the result of pollination. For help maintaining your trees — or guidance on planting new ones — in order to support your neighborhood bee population, call (404) 252-6448 to speak to one of our experts. You can also schedule a consultation with us online.

Ample shade, healthy growth, and aesthetic appeal… There’s much to appreciate about the trees on your property, but what happens when one of your favorites is inconveniently placed? If you’ve found yourself in a tricky tree situation, you’re not alone. Lots of homeowners struggle with trees that were planted before they moved in, have started to encroach on critical structures, or are blocking space needed for a new project.

The smaller a tree’s size, the easier it is to move it, for many obvious reasons. A larger tree has less chance of successful recovery and survival if things are not done properly. If you have no choice but to move a mature tree, it may still be possible to do so effectively — though the task won’t be quick and easy. Here’s what to expect.

Choosing the Right Time

First, plan to have your tree moved when it’s dormant: before its growth cycle starts or after it ends. In general, most trees should be moved during the spring prior to growth or fall after the leaf drop, but some species have different windows. For example, deciduous trees should be moved in early spring prior to leaf development or after leaves turn in the fall. But evergreens shouldn’t be moved in the fall, as they may not become established in time before cooler weather rolls in. Instead, these green beauties should be transplanted in the late summer.

Root Pruning

Preparation for relocating a tree should begin several months prior with root pruning. In this process, the roots of the tree are trimmed approximately six months ahead of time. This fosters root development close to the tree, within the root ball that will be relocated.

Proper root pruning calls for specific tools and expertise. Pruning recommendations vary widely and may be based on factors such as the tree’s maturity, species, root sizes, soil type, and tree condition.

Digging Out

Digging the tree out isn’t as simple as it sounds and requires careful preparation. For starters, a north-facing branch should be marked so the tree can be replanted with the proper orientation. Its trunk should also be marked where it meets the soil line to ensure it’s inserted at the right depth.

How large a root ball will you need? “As a general rule of thumb, the root ball should be about 1 foot in diameter for every inch of trunk thickness,” Bob Vila advises. This means the bigger the tree, the larger its root ball should be. The digging process consists of creating a trench around the tree and then digging beneath to remove the soil.

Replanting

When selecting a new site for your tree, be sure to choose a location with sufficient room for growth, as well as the proper light, soil, and water conditions for the species. The space will need to accommodate a hole roughly three times as wide and just as deep as the root ball. Carefully place your tree in the new hole, and firmly pack the soil around the roots.

Aftercare

An uprooted tree is vulnerable to transplant shock, a condition that occurs due to root damage and a changing environment. Oftentimes, this issue can be prevented with persistent tree care. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged by watering enough to soak the soil around the root area, keeping it at that level in the month or two after.

You’ll also want to make sure the surrounding area is mulched to support moisture retention and prevent weed growth. Aim to mulch at least two feet beyond the trunk’s perimeter at a depth of two to three inches. While the first few months after a transplant are the most critical to keeping your tree healthy, you’ll also want to follow year-round tree care practices to help it thrive.

When you need help with a tree project large or small, contact the experts from Premier Tree Solutions. From tree removal to pruning, our team offers a wide range of services to keep your property safe and beautiful. To request an estimate, call (404) 252-6448 or connect with us online.