“Junk Trees” and the Native Understory

Photo: Closeup of the flowers of Devil’s Walking-stick, USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Eileen Ellsworth

Take a moment to stand in the scaly shoes of a migrating songbird along the Atlantic Flyway this fall. Passing through Virginia, you will still have a long way to go before reaching your southern wintering grounds. Imagine your relief when, after an entire night of flying, you find a stopover habitat to rest and refuel before the next leg of the journey. And what is your favorite food from the on-site offerings? Berries that grow on native trees and shrubs, all of which are wildlife powerhouses. Despite that, some of the best producers are labeled “junk trees” in today’s gardening and landscaping industries because they aren’t someone’s idea of what a yard tree should look like. 

To show how far afield we have drifted in our plant-think, consider the results of this 2022 study by the Center for Conservation Biology (CCB). Researchers working on the eastern shore of Virginia analyzed the nutritional content of several native plant berries to discover which ones provide the biggest energy boost for migrating birds. Next, they measured levels of berry removal from plants during the fall migration to determine which berries were most preferred. Considerable overlap existed between the most nutritious and the most popular native plant berries, as follows:

The most nutritious native tree berries, starting with the best, were

1. Sassafras

2. Bayberry

3. Virginia Creeper

4. Pokeweed

5. Devil’s Walking-stick

6. American Beautyberry

7. Hackberry

8. Wild grapes.

The most preferred native plant berries, starting with the most popular, were

1. Sassafras

2. Devil’s Walking-stick

3. Pokeweed

4. Virginia Creeper

5. American Beautyberry

6. Bayberry

7. Hackberry

8. American Holly.

These plants are not just profuse berry producers. They are classic native understory shrubs and trees that have been disappearing from our landscapes in modern times. White-tailed deer have over-browsed the understory. Non-native invasives outcompete the natives. Plant diseases proliferate as the climate warms. And humans persist in calling some native plants “junk” and discourage their purchase. It is a perfect storm of destructive pressures and wrong thinking. At least the thinking part is something we can reverse along with the behavior that flows from it.

Let us ditch the “junk tree” label and take a closer look at three rock star “treasure trees” included in the CCB study.

Sassafras: Sassafras berries were rated #1 in the study for both nutritional value and bird popularity. Who knew? Woodpeckers, mockingbirds, catbirds, flycatchers, phoebes, vireos, Wild Turkeys, and Yellow-throated Warblers all enjoy the feast. The tree also provides excellent support for squirrels, rabbits, and other mammals and hosts some very cool moth species such as the Imperial, Promethea, Cecropia, and Io moths as well as the remarkably handsome Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar.

Sassafras grows very fast and reaches heights of 30-60 feet in ideal conditions. You’ll need to plant more than one if you want berries, as only the female trees produce them. White-tailed deer relentlessly browse the tree, so some fencing is recommended for the first few years. Flower and berry production begins at ten years, and the abundant clusters of yellow flowers in April and May are simply spectacular. The fruit ripens in September, just in time for the fall migrations. The berry’s appearance has been likened to a blue-black egg sitting atop a bright red golf tee. Its leaves are just as unique. Three distinct leaf shapes - the mitten, the three-lobe, and the oval - all grow on the same tree and turn bright yellow, orange, and red in the fall.

Its wildlife value and unique features say it all.

Devil’s Walking-stick berries. Photo: GlacierNPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Devil’s walking-stick: The CCB study rated Devil’s Walking-stick berries as #5 for nutritional value and #2 in popularity. Cedar Waxwings, Wood Thrushes, White-throated Sparrows, Swainson's Thrush, American Robins, Gray Catbirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Dark-eyed Juncos, and various migrating warblers are all avid consumers.

The distinctive red berries of Devil’s Walking-stick. Photo: Margaret Fisher

Another fast grower, the tree/shrub reaches heights of 10-30 feet, making it ideal for yards and gardens where larger canopy trees can’t fit. It also reproduces quickly by suckering roots and often forms colonies in open fields, wood margins, and moist woods. You only need to purchase and plant one specimen to set fruit, and berries appear as early as year three or four.  

Devil’s Walking-stick is a native plant that looks positively exotic. Spot it once and you will never forget it. Prominent thorns grow along the trunk, stems, and leaf stalks (thus, the label “junk”). The thorns give the plant its name while also discouraging most deer browse. Small white or creamy white flowers appear in mid-to-late summer and form showy, fragrant canopies above the huge compound leaves, attracting many pollinators. When dark purple berries appear in the fall, they hang on stalks that have turned a vivid burgundy or lacy red.

This plant is just plain crazy beautiful.

American Beautyberry: We mention this even though it is native further south but not in northern Virginia, because we would like to warn people not to buy the wrong species by mistake, which happens commonly. The CCB study rates American beautyberry #6 for berry nutrition and #5 for bird popularity. While Sassafras and Devil’s Walking-stick rarely appear on landscaping plans, American Beautyberry is a frequent choice and never designated “junk” in anyone’s book.

In spring and summer, the plant looks ordinary with unremarkable leaves and inconspicuous flowers. Come the fall, however, the plant transforms itself as tight clusters of bright purple berries ripen along the entire length of the stem. Those berries last for weeks, but their taste improves as they age and ferment on the stems, making them a fan favorite for migrating birds. American Robins, mockingbirds, cardinals, towhees, thrashers, Gray Catbirds, and finches are known customers among 40 species relying on the tree for late season food.

American Beautyberry also grows fast to reach a mature size of up to about 8 feet. Deer eat it, so fencing is recommended until it is well established.

Here is the warning. When purchasing American Beautyberry, be aware that Asian cultivars are often sold under the name “Beautyberry” and can be confused with the straight native. Only purchase Callicarpa americana. Mislabeling is common even then. Devil's Walking-stick (Aralia spinosa) also has an invasive look-alike (Aralia elata).

When we label a native plant as “junk,” it is often because of thorns, poor-quality wood, or aggressive growth and spread. But the label also reflects our severed connection with nature. A “junk" tree or "brush" shrub may or may not please us, but it is a migrating bird’s vital food source, an uncommon moth’s host plant, and a native bee’s essential nectar source. For more suggestions, see the Plant NOVA Trees website.

One person’s junk has always been another’s treasure. Let’s value what matters. 

Does Your Tree Company Speak for the Trees? Getting Help from the Pros

Photo: Tree with “mulch volcano,” Sara Holtz

Cindy Speas

I am frequently asked “What service do you use for advice about the health of your trees?” I’m glad to get the question, because often the expertise needed for lawn and landscape care is not the same service needed to evaluate the health of trees, which is a whole science unto itself. My response is always that you need a good arborist, and not every tree service has one on staff. Some tree care companies do provide a free arborist consultation—but you still must analyze the wide range of recommendations you will get. One strategy would be to hire an independent arborist first, followed by free arborist consultations from reputable tree service companies.

How can you find a qualified professional to care for your trees? Go to PlantNOVATrees for information on choosing someone to work with. Call several services, ask if they have an ISA certified arborist on staff and what the fee is for a consultation (if any). Get recommendations from those you know whose trees are healthy and well-maintained. For more details read Virginia Cooperative Extension’s excellent publication on hiring an arborist.

You will be in a better position to evaluate the arborist’s advice if you know some of the best management practices in tree maintenance and care before you have a consultation. Here are some telltale recommendations that a good arborist would NEVER MAKE:

1. That you should top your tree (take off the ends of most or all of the branches)

2. That you should preventatively spray your tree canopy with herbicides to kill any bugs (“pests”) that might be there

3. That you should trim out all the dead wood that can be seen

4. That you should trim living branches in a way that leaves a part of the branch (spur) on the tree

5. That you should build up mulch in a “volcano” shape around the base of the tree trunk to hold in water or discourage pests

6. That you should frequently irrigate your trees using a sprinkler.

In fact:

Mulch volcano, Sara Holtz

1. You should NEVER top your trees—this will hasten their death.

2. You should ONLY use foliar herbicidal spray on your tree if there is clear evidence of a killer pest, and not just one that chews on the leaves a bit. A “preventative” spray will kill pollinators and the other beneficial insects that live in your trees and that attract songbirds to your yard. Spraying can also be harmful to overall tree and soil health.

3. You should ONLY remove dead wood that is hazardous to humans or property. Removing all the observed dead wood does not improve the health of any tree.

4. You should NEVER leave a branch spur (nor cut a branch flush to the trunk), because the tree cannot heal those wounds. Always remove branches right between the collar and the tree trunk so the wound can heal. It is preferable not to trim living branches if at all possible.

5. You should NEVER allow mulch to be “volcanoed” around the base of any tree—volcanoing encourages roots to grow above ground into the mulch and invites fungi and tree pests.

6. You should NEVER overwater your trees—if drought conditions suggest an occasional thorough watering, you should place a hose at various points around the root zone for a long, slow drink.

Ask the arborist for the science behind his or her recommendations—if you are told you have pests, ask how the arborist diagnosed that. If you are told the trees need fertilizing, ask how and why the arborist believes that is a good strategy. If the responses aren’t based on good scientific evidence, then you might not have the best arborist for your trees. If an answer doesn’t seem exactly right, is too costly, or requires a signed annual contract including all their recommendations before doing the work that you actually want, get a second or third arborist’s opinion. You’d do that for your health and that of your family, so why not also do that for the health of your trees?

Humans and Trees Share a Common Enemy: Stress!

Photo: Stressed tree, Sara Holtz

Elaine Kolish

Stressed tree, Sara Holtz

We all know that chronic stress affects our health and well-being, causing us to go into “fight or flight” mode. That, in turn, can lead to a variety of health effects ranging from depression to high blood pressure, which itself can increase our risk for stroke or heart attack. Ongoing stress also affects the health of trees. But unlike us, they have limited options for reducing their stress. They can use internally produced chemicals and scents to deter predators and warn other trees of threats, as well as help stressed neighbors by sharing water and nutrients through an underground fungal network. But they can’t pick up and move to avoid stressful conditions. We need to step in and alleviate tree stressors to the extent we can, particularly those caused by human activity. The good news is that caring for trees and spending time in nature can reduce our own stress. A win-win.

Although there are some stressors - such as early spring frosts, extreme heat, and heavy snow and ice - where we are mostly powerless to help, there are many others where we can make a difference. And it is important to do so, because trees can die from exposure to long-term stress, such as multi-year droughts, which can cause them to become more susceptible to insect pests or to diseases that kill them. Let’s look at some human-caused stressors - ones that we can control - and at environmental tree stressors such as drought, where we might be able to help.

Use the right plant in the right spot. Right off the bat, you will stress a tree if you plant it in the wrong spot. For example, a shade loving, understory tree such as Flowering Dogwood is going to be highly stressed if planted in full sun in dry soil. Consult plantnovatrees.org for help in choosing the right trees for your site.

Use proper planting and staking techniques. These include not planting the tree too deeply and not burying the trunk flare. Think about whether you need stakes and guy wires, because preventing a tree from swaying in the wind will weaken it. If you do use them, always remove them in a timely fashion and not later than a year after planting. When left on too long, stakes can girdle and kill a tree. For information on how to plant a tree properly, consult Fairfax CountyTree Basics.

Use proper mulching techniques. Mulch should be applied in a donut shape, not a volcano, and should not touch the tree. When piled high against the tree, mulch can cause decay and ultimately death. The mulch should not be more than two or three inches deep to allow the rain to penetrate. If for some reason you want to add more every year, you should remove the old mulch first.

Avoid competition for water. Trees and turf are not friends. Since both have shallow roots, they compete for water and nutrients, and turf wins the battle in the tree’s early life. Also, if there is grass under trees, we run the risk when mowing of damaging the bark, nicking shallow tree roots, or compacting the soil. Any of those will stress our trees. Mulch and/or dead leaves under trees is best, and the larger the ring, the better. A large turf-free ring also provides the opportunity for underplanting with native shrubs and ground-layer plants, creating a mini productive habitat for insects and wildlife.

Avoid everyday activities that can hurt trees. Chaining bikes or other items to trees can damage their bark, as does allowing car doors or bumpers to hit them. Repeatedly wounding their bark makes trees vulnerable to decay and disease. Parking under trees also causes soil compaction that can suffocate tree roots.

Use proper pruning methods. Don’t top trees! That is a sure way to weaken a tree, make it structurally less sound, and in the most extreme situations eventually kill it. It is useful to take out broken, diseased and dead branches. For example, a clean cut to remove a broken branch helps a tree recover from a wound better, and pruning out a dead branch keeps it from falling unexpectedly and damaging something or someone.  If you don’t know how to prune trees properly, hire a certified arborist to do so or consult one of the many how-to-prune books you can find at the library. A good reference book can show you how to prune trees so they are free from structural weakness and are as healthy and vigorous as possible.

Water during droughts. We may not think to water our native trees and shrubs, because a key characteristic of native plants is that once they are established, they no longer need to be watered. But, when there is a drought, even natives may need to be watered, and that is especially true if they have limited soil space from which to draw water, such as in a small tree box next to a street. Without sufficient water, trees will lose their fine absorbing roots and leaves and move to a dormant state. Years of drought and/or other stressors eventually can cause the tree to die.

Protect young trees from deer browse. Unfortunately, an overabundance of deer can stress and threaten the survival of our woodies. Consult Plant NOVA Natives for strategies to deal with deer.

Although human actions as well as environmental factors can stress trees, we can avoid causing harm and can take actions that keep trees healthy and vigorous. Trees provide us so many benefits, including a profound sense of well-being, that it is well worth it for all of us to do all we can to reduce tree stresses and promote tree health.

The Magic of Winter Trees: Making a Deeper Connection

Photo: Winter trees, Rusty Moran

Cindy Speas

Winter is a lovely time to get to know your trees better. Many folks spend some of the colder days of January and February planning their spring gardens, winter sowing, or putting in nursery orders for spring delivery of native plants. Dreams of warmer days are lovely, but if you have trees in your yard or if they are in a nearby park, winter might also be the time to learn how to appreciate and protect their incredible beauty.

Trees in winter, David Howell

When trees are bare of leaves, you can visualize more clearly their beautiful shapes, identify some species characteristics, and assess their health. There are several local organizations that provide educational winter hikes or webinars to examine and learn about our forests, including ASNV, Nature Forward, Virginia Native Plant Society, Potowmack Chapter,  Capital Nature, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy,  Prince William Conservation Alliance, and others.

If you haven’t taken a long walk or hike in the winter before, it’s time to bundle up and head out on the trail. Even if you aren’t an experienced birder, it’s often easier at this time of year to observe hawks, owls, or other raptors at work. You can spot smaller birds searching tree bark or leaf litter for insects and berries, and mammals looking for food also may appear in the distance. Native evergreens or the lovely marcescent (persistent) leaves on oaks and beeches provide beautiful color among the gray tree trunks. 

While you may not want to linger for contemplation, if you walk gently, there is a type of forest bathing you can experience surrounded by the still, silent trees in the chilly air. One of the loveliest things you can see in a winter forest is found by looking up to the sky. It is in this season that you can see how the tree canopy develops: the trees grow side-by-side leaving a path around each canopy’s branches so that sunlight may reach down to the forest floor. This is called canopy shyness. While more common in rain forests, you can sometimes see these fascinating patterns of sky and crown branching the same tree species, and they are spectacular.

If you love to undertake vigorous outdoor work in the winter, now is the time to protect your trees by starting to pull, dig, or hack and treat the invasives in your yard, or to volunteer for similar ongoing activities in your community. With the exception of a few native evergreens, almost all the large swaths of green you see in your neighborhood and along the roads are invasive, non-native plants: Wintergreen, Vinca, English Ivy, Privet, non-native Holly species, and Bamboo. You can find organizations with volunteer opportunities on the Plant NOVA Trees website. Invasive plants displace the tree seedlings that are essential for our future forests, and some of them directly kill the larger trees.

So, if you want to learn about trees, to more closely observe nature, to find quiet time for spiritual reflection, or to get rid of tree enemies, winter is a magical time to spend outside in the stillness and beauty of the forest.

After a Long Hot Summer, It’s Time to Plant Trees!

Photo: Sweetgum Tree, Nancy Vehrs

Cindy Speas, Chair, Fairfax County Tree Commission

Preserving trees and planting new native trees are major goals of the Plant NOVA Trees campaign. In April I wrote about how to plan for spring and fall tree planting seasons, in the summer about the dangers of non-native trees, and last month about celebrating October as Native Tree Month in Virginia. You likely already realize I’m going to write now about planting trees.

Autumn is a perfect time for trees to go in the ground. Instead of facing a long, hot summer, trees have time to get acclimated to their new space, and then they cheerfully spend the winter in a dormant state. Those who plant in the fall not only find the temperatures invigorating for physical labor, but can also look forward to budding and blooming in the spring, when the days get longer. It’s a win-win!

Sweetgum Tree, Nancy Vehrs

Christina Hester recently described in Casey Trees’ blog “The Leaflet” all the reasons newly planted trees do so well in cooler temperatures. In Fall is for Planting, she says cool weather means less stress on the trees and higher rates of survival. There’s more water available for their roots, because water evaporates more quickly when it’s hot. Cooler air also reduces the threat of damage from pests or disease. Of course, there’s the same chance of rain or drought as in spring and summer, so in all seasons, newly installed trees need watering to thrive. Details on the watering schedule, which depends on the size of the tree, can be found on the Plant Nova Trees website. In the fall, other deciduous trees in your yard can provide lovely, free mulch when they shed their leaves. All the newly planted seedlings or young trees can benefit from the soil around them being enhanced with leaves. If you use leaves for mulch, just remember to leave space around the tree trunk to reduce damage to the young sapling’s sensitive outer bark. 

Planting new, native trees is essential for our urban forest. Trees can be lost to development, disease, or invasive vines. Our urban forest needs other healthy trees of all sizes and ages coming along behind to take the place of dead or dying trees. Maintaining and preserving the saplings planted each season serves the goal of developing healthier ecosystems and a healthier planet.

Perhaps this autumn you might ask a child to help you—because every child that plants a tree is a part of that tree’s history, and the tree will surely find a place in that child’s heart. Searching for the right place to dig, gently spreading out a sapling’s roots in the ground, patting down the warm soil, smelling the earth after the first watering—this experience can turn a child into a plant and planet lover for life. And what we love can also become a part of an ethical journey towards caring for the whole earth that supports that one tree. 

Autumn is not just a great time to plant trees, but also to reflect on the bigger picture. Doug Tallamy, famous for his research on oak trees, has started a Homegrown National Park project. The effort “has no political, religious, cultural or geographic boundaries because everyone—every human being on this planet—needs diverse, highly productive ecosystems to survive.” And, I might add, also to thrive. Tallamy says planting native trees and plants in our own backyards will increase the biodiversity of North America, one plant at a time. Such a grand ecological vision can take root in the one act of a child helping you to plant a tree. 

Celebrate native trees in October!

Photo: Fall trees, Margaret Fisher

Cindy Speas
Chair, Fairfax County Tree Commission

Fall trees, Margaret Fisher

September may have given us a hot blast of 90-100-degree temperatures and little rain, but autumn is just around the corner, with its clear blue skies, sunny days and crisp temperatures! All of us will cheer the emerging fall color changes around us, with reds and golds and maroons permeating the tree canopy above and the shrubs and plants below. Many who have hibernated during the heat of the summer will come out to play, hike, and work in the yard—for it is now the best tree planting season of the year, lasting right through November or early December, frosty weather permitting.

This year, the entire month of October is Native Tree Month across Virginia! It is important to plant native trees, as well as other plants, because they are highly adapted to local soil and weather conditions, easy to maintain, and generally need less water and zero fertilizer to thrive. Local pollinators and other insects must have them for nutrition, so that they in turn can become food for birds and small animals. Critically, the food web is not supported by non-native plants. Sometimes you may see bees on a non-native plant or tree (think crape myrtle or butterfly bush), but the insect is getting only a quick sugar water drink, instead of the healthy, complex food it needs from the native plants it grew up with.

Why should we include shrubs and other smaller plants when October is a celebration of native trees? It’s because they partner to play a critical role in keeping our urban forest ecologically healthy. They work together like a family to provide a home and food for native insects, birds, and small animals. A healthy urban forest reduces stormwater run-off, lowers energy costs for residences and businesses, sequesters greenhouse gases in its wood, roots and surrounding soil, and improves the health of humans and other species by filtering airborne pollutants from nearby roads and industrial areas. For a summary of the ecological and other benefits of native landscaping, you’ll enjoy reading this article from the National Audubon Society. 

Many local plant nurseries are joining in this October celebration to highlight native trees, shrubs and understory plants, and some are offering discounts as well! The Plant Nova Trees website has information about where to buy natives nearby this October as well how to find tree walks and tree planting events. If you need details or reminders about how to plant a tree or woody shrub, download the Fairfax Tree Commission’s popular Tree Basics booklet. Planting is not too onerous a task when fall weather conditions are usually so cheerful. 

And finally, make sure the trees and woody stems you plant in October are counted! Go to this page to record your special efforts to enhance and expand our urban forest. 

Five Myths About Trees

Photo: Sara Holtz

Margaret Fisher

It’s no myth that trees hold a special place in our collective psyche. Trees play a prominent role in myths, often symbolizing life and rebirth. Unfortunately, some of today’s stories about them are just plain wrong.

What not to do, Sara Holtz

1. Trees need big piles of mulch. Or perhaps we should call this The Myth of the Angry Volcano Gods, who are appeased by stuffing trees down their maws. It’s hard to know how this harmful practice got started, but we are seeing it everywhere. Trees should be planted with the top of their roots level to the ground, just as in nature. Mulch should never be allowed to touch the trunk, as it causes bark rot. Shredded mulch can form a barrier to water when it mats down, so arborist wood chips are preferred – assuming mulch is needed at all – and no more than 2-4 inches deep. The Fairfax County Tree Basics booklet, which you can download for free, shows proper tree planting and care practices and is available in multiple languages.

2. Tree wounds need dressing. Trees cannot heal the way we do after they are cut, which is one reason why topping a tree is such a bad idea. A broken limb should be trimmed back to just beyond the branch cuff then left alone to try to close over, which, with luck, it may accomplish before fungi set in. Painting tar on the surface just encourages rot.

3. All leaning trees are dangerous. It is normal for trees to grow toward the light. They reinforce their wood to make themselves stable. If you are worried that a tree may become hazardous, you can get an opinion from a consulting arborist who is certified by the International Society of Arborists (ISA) and who has no financial interest in cutting it down.

4. Trees litter. Well, trees do create leaf “litter,” but that’s an unfriendly word to use to describe feeding the soil and providing habitat for fireflies and wintering grounds for butterflies. The best thing you can do for a tree and the ecosystem is leave the leaves underneath where they fall. If you are afraid that they will smother the grass, you can chop them up with a lawn mower so they at least add organic matter to the soil, a practice that is good for the trees and the grass (but hard on the critters).

5. One tree is as good as another. Not so! All trees can provide shade and capture stormwater, but only native trees support biodiversity. In fact, native trees are the very backbone of our local ecosystem, providing the majority of the leaves upon which our native caterpillars feed, which in turn provide the diet required by baby songbirds. In fact, not only do some non-native trees do nothing to feed the birds, they are actually invasive, taking over and destroying what is left of our remnant woods and starting to threaten our bigger forests as well. With few exceptions, there are native trees to serve any landscaping need. Find out all about them on the Plant NOVA Trees website.

Solar Panels vs. Trees – How to Choose?

Photo: Shade tree, Margaret Fisher

Margaret Fisher

Residents who are interested in installing solar panels often face a dilemma. Which is better for the environment, solar panels or shade trees? After all, climate change due to burning fossil fuels is threatening the very existence of trees, not to mention human beings, and the timeline for preventing catastrophic temperature rise is short. Before we get out the chainsaw, though, there are several other things to consider.

One of the main reasons to try to limit temperature rise is to prevent ecosystem collapse. The native trees in our yards are as much a part of that ecosystem as the ones in the Amazon, providing food, shelter and nesting places not only for birds and mammals but for a myriad of invertebrates that are a critical part of the web of life. If we do not even protect the environment where we live, we can hardly expect people in the Amazon to take more of an interest.

Sunny rooftops are an ideal place to put solar panels, because that real estate is already built upon, and because decentralizing the grid helps build resilience. The land use anticipated for solar farms and new transmission lines is so massive, and the willingness of companies to replace forests with them so counterproductive and disheartening, that the more we use our own rooftops, the better. 

But solar energy is neither the only way to reduce fossil fuel use nor the most efficient of the various options for homeowners. The first step should always be to reduce energy consumption, by weatherizing and taking other steps to reduce waste. For those ready to make a big investment, an alternative to consider is a heat pump or even a geothermal system for heating and air conditioning. As is true for solar panels, the cost of installation can be partially offset by a significant tax credit. Some utility companies, including Dominion, allow customers to choose a renewable energy option. “Renewable” is not always the same as “clean” (It can include burning chopped down trees, for example.), but much of the renewable electricity is generated by wind and solar farms. 

It will take considerable effort and broad participation for our community to meet its climate goals, but not everyone has to do everything themselves on their own property. Those with sunny roofs can contribute solar energy. Those with trees can take care of them.

Shade tree, Margaret Fisher

Trees themselves are what are known as a “natural climate solution.” They provide benefits that mitigate the effect of climate change. Trees improve the energy efficiency of houses. In the winter, they reduce heating costs by blocking the wind. In the summer, they reduce air conditioning costs, because roofs and walls in the shade are often twenty degrees cooler than those in the sun. In addition, trees improve air quality and sequester carbon dioxide. Their ability to capture stormwater is particularly important in flood-prone suburban and urban areas with their excess of impervious surfaces. The leaves of the trees capture much of the rain before it even reaches the ground. Once it does reach the ground, transpiration by canopy trees sucks thousands of gallons of water from the ground, thus enabling the soil to control flooding.

Try using the National Tree Benefit Calculator at the bottom of the Plant NOVA Natives web page to see what you save in monetary terms by preserving a few mature trees, strategically located around your property. For the birds and other critters that depend on them, the native trees are priceless.

Keeping our wooded areas beautiful

Photo: Healthy woods, Margaret Fisher

Margaret Fisher

If your community owns some wooded common land, or if you yourself own a wooded property, you may have noticed that the woods around here have been slowly changing, and not for the better. They may still look green, but the devil is in the details: much of that “green” is now made up of invasive, non-native plants that damage the ecosystem and bring down the trees. 

Margaret Fisher

Natural wooded areas are a beautiful and invaluable resource for any landowner or community. Unlike most material assets, they appreciate over time. They capture stormwater and keep our basements from flooding. They provide soundproofing and a visual barrier between properties as well as a place for us to walk and enjoy nature. They block the wind and lower heating costs in the winter. And, of course, they are the home to birds and other wondrous beings, who will need our help if their homes are not to disappear completely.

In the past, the woods managed themselves nicely. In present-day northern Virginia, at least some care is needed to keep the woods from degrading, turning an asset into an increasingly expensive problem. It is wise to make a forest management plan that looks ahead for twenty or twenty-five years. You can do this on your own, or you can call in a consultant to help you evaluate the situation and map out solutions to any problems. Professional assistance is available, as are volunteers from various programs including Tree Stewards, Master Naturalists, and Audubon-at-Home ambassadors.

The two biggest threats to our woods are invasive, non-native plants and browsing by deer. In many places, the deer have taken away everything except the mature trees and the invasive plants, not even leaving the seedlings that should be there to become the next generation of trees. Removing the invasives and protecting native plants from deer are the highest priority in most areas.

Some of our attempts to “improve” the woods may have the opposite effect. Woods do not need to be cleaned! The dead leaves and fallen trees are essential components of a healthy ecosystem. (Dumping extra leaves from your lawn damages that ecosystem, though.) Standing dead trees provide perches for birds of prey, nesting sites for songbirds, shelters for mammals, and food for thousands of species of insects. They are also becoming increasingly rare in our human-managed environment. Try to leave them standing, or, if they pose a hazard, just cut off the top and leave as much as you can standing.

For information about how to manage your woods, and how to help your community develop a long-term plan, see the Plant NOVA Trees website.

Plant NOVA Trees – One Year On

Photo: Peggychoucair via Pixabay

Margret Fisher

September marks the first anniversary of the launch of Plant NOVA Trees, a regionwide effort by over a hundred local organizations and thousands of individuals to promote native trees and shrubs in Northern Virginia. There is no regional tree planting agency that can do the job for us. Rather, it is up to each individual to look around to see how they can contribute, at home, at work, or on common land. Plant NOVA Trees connects people to the resources they need to do that.

There are many ways to participate. The simplest is to identify every appropriate site and plant young trees or shrubs there now, preferably canopy trees if there is room. They may not look like much the first couple years, but soon they will grow and provide shade and cooling for humans as well as shelter and food for our birds and butterflies. Information on how to choose and plant a native tree or shrub is available on the Plant NOVA Trees website. Fifty volunteers have visited local garden centers to hang thousands of tags on the native trees, making them easy to identify. (The same volunteers have been putting red stickers on all the native plants in those garden centers for several years.)

Each of our local jurisdictions and park services has tree planting plans for public lands. For example, the Prince William Soil and Conservation District has been working with 3rd and 4th graders to plant trees on school grounds. Kudos go especially to Purcellville, which planted 118,100 trees last year on former farmland that is owned by the town.

Members of local communities have also gotten together to plant trees in their common areas and to help residents plant on their own properties. So far, residents have self-reported 7,850 trees and shrubs on the Plant NOVA Trees website form. The Virginia Department of Forestry is collecting these figures as it works to meet its goal of 600,000 trees planted in Northern Virginia by 2025. This number is intended to help our region meet its obligation to protect the Chesapeake Bay, since runoff from roofs, roads and empty lawns is causing damage downstream, and trees are nature’s tool for capturing water. Those who appreciate our waterways should give careful thought to how they can contain stormwater on their own properties before it rushes off to erode our streams and dump sediment and pollutants into the Bay.

Despite all these efforts, Northern Virginia is gradually losing tree canopy. Multiple factors contribute to tree death. Some are hard to change on a local level, such as the stress on trees from climate change. Others are absolutely within our control, such as poor planting and mulching practices or the sacrifice of trees for more roads, buildings, and park amenities. Each native tree lost is one less home for birds and other wildlife as our local ecosystem suffers its death from a thousand cuts.

Invasive vines (as opposed to the beneficial native vines) pose another important threat to trees, and this has become one of the foci of the Plant NOVA Trees campaign. Volunteers for the new Tree Rescuers program spot trees that are at risk from English Ivy, Asian Wisteria, or other invasive non-native vines and drop off literature with the owners to alert them to the easily-mitigated problem. While they are at it, the volunteers count the trees at risk so we can get a more precise handle on where resources should be concentrated. So far, over two hundred volunteers have alerted 799 residents to 3,491 trees at risk in 4.2 square miles of residential properties. In addition, they have counted almost 22,000 trees at risk in 3.3 square miles of non-residential areas. The data collection is too preliminary to make an accurate extrapolation, but it would appear that the total number of trees in need of rescue in Northern Virginia’s 1,300 square miles may be in the millions.

There are numerous opportunities around Northern Virginia to help control these invasive vines by cutting them near the ground. Over 3500 trees have been reported as saved so far. Besides saving the trees on their own properties, volunteers can organize the work on common land within their communities or join the invasives management programs of the various park services, listed on the Plant NOVA Trees “Rescuing Trees” page. Residents and communities can obtain a permit to clip the vines on VDOT property. In general, though, the resources to control invasives on government-owned land and easements will need to come from the governments themselves (and ultimately from the taxpayers.) It is also critical that everyone stop planting invasive plants to begin with, not only the invasive vines but all the other invasive non-native landscaping plants such as Bradford Pears and Burning Bush that escape from our properties into natural areas.

Businesses have been helping with the regional tree campaign in several ways. Local garden centers are promoting native trees and shrubs in honor of Celebrate Native Trees Week (Sept 26-Oct 2). Landscaping companies are increasingly choosing native species, and a few have started to offer invasive plant removal services. Any company could educate its employees and customers and provide financial support to neighborhoods that need help with their open spaces. Those businesses that control property can plant and preserve native trees there, which in some places may mean tearing up concrete to make room.

So, what can you do to support the native tree campaign? Plant NOVA Trees is essentially an educational organization. The success of this initiative depends on the individual efforts of residents across the region. There is no shortage of ideas on how to get involved, whether where you live or work, or on a wider scale. Find these ideas on the Plant NOVA Trees website.

Plant NOVA Natives is the joint marketing campaign of a grand coalition of non-profit, governmental, and private groups, including ASNV, plus hundreds of individuals, all working to reverse the decline of native plants and wildlife in Northern Virginia. Our strategy is to encourage residents as well as public and commercial entities to install native plants as the first step toward creating wildlife habitat and functioning ecosystems on their own properties. All are welcome to participate in this collective action movement!

Plant NOVA Trees is a focused drive of the Plant NOVA Natives campaign to increase native tree canopy in Northern Virginia by encouraging residents and businesses to plant new trees and preserve the ones we already have. 

Be Nice to your Trees

Photo: Felix Mittermeier via Pixabay

Margaret Fisher

Temperature comparison, Margaret Fisher

On a recent day, driving out of the sun into a wooded community resulted in a temperature drop from 91 to 86 degrees. We all try to stay in the shade in hot weather, competing for the parking spaces under trees. What we may not realize is that tree-lined neighborhoods are cooler not just because of the shade but because the trees themselves act as air conditioners. The basic concept is that it takes energy to turn a liquid into a gas – we see that when boiling water. When a tree sucks up water through its roots and releases it as a gas through its leaves, a process known as transpiration, the energy that causes the water to evaporate is absorbed from the surroundings in the form of heat, and the result is a lower air temperature. This principle of physics also explains why sweating cools our bodies.

Newly planted trees are particularly vulnerable to high heat, so the most basic care needed from us is to provide enough water until they are well established. Seedlings establish quickly, but a landscaper-sized tree needs several years for its root to grow out of the planting hole into the surrounding soil. Our torrential summer storms can fool us into thinking we are getting enough rain, but many of them are brief and don’t even budge the rain gauge. A young tree with brown leaves is a very sad sight. At the same time, overwatering any plant can be worse than underwatering, by depriving the roots of oxygen, so we need to be careful to follow instructions in that regard and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Once a native tree gets established, though, little if any care may be required for the next twenty years or so. Our oaks and other native trees evolved here and are accustomed to the local soils and our variable temperatures and rainfall, although those 91-degree days are adding to the stress of living in an urban or suburban environment. Because older trees may start to develop issues, it is wise to have those that are near houses inspected every two years by an independent consulting arborist, meaning one who has no financial incentive to sell tree care services. They can recommend procedures that may prevent a tree from becoming hazardous. Even better, they may be able to provide reassurance, for instance, that a tree that is leaning a little may be quite stable, despite the dire warnings of a marketing rep from a tree company that is eager to keep its crew busy. Always use the services of arborists certified by the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture.)

When future residents are facing temperatures even higher than today’s, a five-degree lower temperature may make a life-or-death difference. Consider what hundred-degree weather does to the human body when a prolonged blackout shuts down everyone’s air conditioning. It pays to take good care of our trees. Find out how on the Plant NOVA Trees website.

Free trees for communities

Photo: Ann Hathaway

Margaret Fisher

As community associations around Northern Virginia ramp up their native tree planting efforts, they are looking around to find ways to make it affordable. Burke Centre resident Craig Willett has solved that problem for his neighbors: all they have to do is fill out a simple form to get a free tree. A member of Burke Centre Conservancy’s volunteer Open Space Committee, Craig has organized a system both for private property and for common land. On private land, residents pick up seedlings from Craig’s house and plant them themselves. On common land, the Trustees of the various clusters put in a request, and Craig and his colleagues will install trees or shrubs either to replace ones that have died or to reforest open areas. You can see him pictured here with fellow volunteer Mike Hathaway, in red.

Newly planted tree. Photo: Ann Hathaway

Trees grow slowly, and they also die slowly. Many neighborhoods around Northern Virginia have been losing their canopy coverage, bit by bit, so that once pleasantly shaded yards and streets where neighbors and children could gather are gradually becoming intolerable as our summer temperatures rise. Communities that wish to reverse this trend are most likely to succeed if they build a long-term routine for tree care and tree replacement into their master plans. Where there is no community association, residents will need to step forward to help each other make a plan.

Burke Centre Conservancy obtains its tree seedlings from Fairfax ReLeaf, a non-profit organization of volunteers who plant and preserve native trees on public and common lands in Northern Virginia. Individual landowners may also request seedlings from Fairfax ReLeaf. 

Any community in Fairfax County that owns open space may also apply for free trees from the Fairfax Tree Preservation and Planting Fund. It is not necessary to be a 501(c)3 organization to apply as long as the open space is commonly owned. This is a solid funding source for organizations that want to plant either seedlings or larger trees. The application process looks a little intimidating at first glance because of the long list of requirements, but in fact the required steps are all ones that any organization would take anyway when planting trees.

Programs for obtaining free native trees are also available to communities in Arlington and Falls Church. And although not free, there are numerous ways to obtain native trees for a very low price. For example, the Virginia Department of Forestry sells tree and shrub seedlings for $2.00 apiece for orders of ten or more. Our local native plant garden centers all sell medium-sized trees in containers at reasonable prices. Those trees may look a little small when first planted, but they will rapidly catch up to trees that were planted when larger, since older trees suffer more transplant shock. Two wholesalers of larger trees offer their trees at wholesale cost to people who are organizing community plantings. Links to all these programs can be found on the Plant NOVA Trees website.

Since 2018, Burke Centre Conservancy has planted over 600 bare root seedlings, which is in keeping with the nature-centered philosophy of this community with its extensive network of trails through the woods. More details about their process can be found on this web page.

Native Groundcovers and Trees: The perfect pairing!

Photo: Native groundcovers, Margaret Fisher

Plant NoVA Natives

Native groundcovers are becoming increasingly popular, for good reason: even if they have minimal time for gardening, people want to use native plants to support our local birds and butterflies. To avoid invasive non-native groundcovers such as English Ivy, Vinca, Yellow Archangel, and Japanese Pachysandra, they turn to native plants for the same landscaping benefits without the damage to our trees and the rest of the environment.

Equally popular among time-pressed residents are native trees, which are similarly easy to install and which have benefits that far exceed those of any other plants. Not only does the great mass of tree leaves and roots provide food and homes for birds, soak up stormwater, and cool the air, the insects that evolved with native plants are adapted to the chemical make-up of those plants and are able to co-exist peacefully with them. An American Beech tree, for example, is the host plant to 126 species of lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Hickory to 200 species, Black Cherry around 450 species, and native oaks over 500 species. (The numbers for non-native trees are in the single digits or even zero.)

Over 30 species of locally native plants make excellent groundcovers, with options available for any growing condition. Several are evergreen, and many have the bonus of a month or two of colorful flowers. Some form a tight mat on the ground, while others such as ferns and White Wood Aster provide a taller look. Native sedges provide even more options. Some sedges make a beautiful substitute for the invasive Liriope, some look more like a grass that never needs mowing, and still others sport spiky seed heads that add a touch of quirkiness to the garden. Our local conventional garden centers are starting to carry some of these plants, and many more can be found at native plant garden centers.

Encircling native trees with native groundcovers makes eminent sense. Turf grass does poorly under trees because of the limited light. Trees do not appreciate lawn chemicals, not to mention the risk of injury from lawnmowers and string trimmers. A harmful but common practice, especially in commercial areas, is to pile layer after layer of mulch in a “mulch volcano” around trees and spray it with herbicides to prevent grass and weed growth. Not only does this poison the soil, but mulch that is touching the trunk will rot the bark, and compacted mulch prevents rainwater from reaching the roots. Arborist wood chips, which allow the water to run through, are an improvement over shredded bark mulch if applied properly and can protect the tree as it gets established. But in the long run, why not use nature’s alternative to a toxic mulch bed, which is to allow the fallen leaves to remain in place and add a “green mulch” made up of native plants? The trees and the soil will thank you for it.

Do You Have Room for a Shade Tree?

Photo: Margaret Fisher

Plant NoVA Natives

Mt. Vernon Tulip Poplar, Margaret Fisher

If your yard sits in the blazing sun in the summer, it may have already occurred to you that a native shade tree would benefit you tremendously. But even if your yard is already graced by one or more mature trees, you should give some serious thought as to whether it is time to start the next generation. Trees in natural areas can live many hundreds of years, but urban and suburban conditions present stresses that may cause premature decline, a problem that can be seen in many of our older neighborhoods. If you wait until a tree dies, it will be a long time before a seedling can grow to full size. Very likely, the time to plant a replacement is now. 
There is an unfortunate tendency to replace tall canopy trees with short ornamentals. This does a disservice to the people who will come after us and who will have to contend with even hotter summers and more torrential downpours than we have now. The larger a tree’s canopy, the more benefits it provides in terms of cooling the environment and controlling stormwater, not to mention sequestering carbon, sheltering birds and other critters, and providing food for the caterpillars that are needed to feed baby birds (which only native trees support in noticeable quantities.)

Shorter native trees and shrubs are appropriate for many situations, such as under a power line or in a small yard. There are specific recommendations on the Plant NOVA Trees website about how far from obstacles to plant your trees and how large a soil area to allow. The roots of trees can overlap, though, so you can plant them as close as fifteen feet apart and within five feet of shrubs.

Trees produce shade, but most canopy trees cannot grow in the shade. (The understory is the space where shorter native trees such as Flowering Dogwood and Redbuds thrive.) It is easy to overestimate the available sun. The number of hours of direct sun per day should be measured when the nearby trees have already leafed out. Good choices for planting under existing shade trees include oaks, American Holly and Black Gum, which will grow slowly but steadily in those conditions then rapidly take off if the overstory lightens up in the future. Native oaks hold the place of honor as the most valuable of trees – the reasons for this are outlined in Doug Tallamy’s most recent book The Nature of Oaks – but any native tree provides major ecological benefits.

There is deep gratification to be had from planting and nurturing a little native tree, even if we ourselves may not be around later to sit under it. How fortunate that George Washington had the foresight to plant the pictured Tulip Poplar that thrives at Mount Vernon today! It is a simple act, easily accomplished. To find out how easily, see the Plant NOVA Trees website.

Why you should Report your Tree and Shrub Plantings

Photo: Allison Farrand

From plantnovatrees.org

Every tree counts! And counting every tree also helps show whether Northern Virginia is meeting its environmental goals. The Virginia Department of Forestry is counting planted trees to see if Virginia is meeting its stormwater goals to protect the bay, and the Department of Environmental Quality is asking Northern Virginia to plant 600,000 trees by 2025. 

​Since most available land in Northern Virginia is private property, we won’t meet the goal without planting thousands of new trees in our own neighborhoods. Help Plant NoVA Trees track our progress and build momentum by reporting your tree planting here. They are forwarding these reports to be added to the Virginia Department of Forestry's My Trees Count map, which is updated a couple times a year.

Arlington National Cemetery Treasures its Trees

Photo: Arlington National Cemetery Trees, courtesy of ANC employee

Reprinted with permission from Plant NoVA Natives

Arlington National Cemetery is a place to honor, remember, and explore. The beauty of the grounds and the comfort of its visitors is enhanced by close to 10,000 trees, some dating back to before the Civil War. The diverse collection of this Certified Level III Arboretum include many species native to Northern Virginia including the state co-champion Pin Oak, near the Memorial Amphitheater. (A champion tree is the largest representative of its particular species within a geographic area.)

Arlington National Cemetery is dotted with native trees such as Redbuds with their lavender flowers in spring, Black Gum with its bright red fall foliage, and American Hollies that shelter the birds. Oaks are the most common species, which reflects their predominance in the Eastern forest. 

Forester Greg Huse gives tours of the arboretum to visitors four times a year and points out the ecosystem services provided by mature trees. That Pin Oak, for example, not only supports the caterpillars that are the food for baby songbirds – a feature intrinsic to native plants but nearly absent in non-native ones – but also absorbs 1,400 pounds of atmospheric carbon and intercepts 23,000 gallons of storm water every year.

After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, a landscape architect firm designed the Kennedy memorial site, home of the Eternal Flame. The designers worked around a 200-year-old Post Oak, 60 inches in diameter, which later became known as the Arlington Oak. In 2012, this massive tree was blown down by Hurricane Irene and could not be rescued. By good fortune, though, its acorns had been collected by American Forests as part of their historically significant trees project. Three of those saplings were donated back to Arlington Cemetery and planted in the same plaza, where they are now ten to twelve feet tall and thriving. 

Trees are not the only native plants at the cemetery. Horticulturalist Kelly Wilson has been steadily adding a diversity of herbaceous and woody plants throughout the last decade, especially in the newer bio-retention areas (rain gardens). In these public areas, she designs with a small number of species to keep a neat-and-clean look, while in a staff parking area, she allows for more exuberance.  Favorite natives utilized are the purple-flowering Ironweed which attracts many pollinators. Monarch caterpillars have taken advantage of the Butterflyweed. River Birch with its beautiful peeling bark does very well in rain gardens. 

The 639 acres of Arlington National Cemetery, which is the resting place for 400,000 American servicemembers and family, are cared for by five permanent staff members who supervise the work of 90-100 contractors. The trees that grace this National Treasure are an essential feature, just as they are in any neighborhood where residents value the beauty and services they provide. 

To learn what you can do to plant and protect trees on your own property, visit www.plantnovatrees.org. To see some of the beauty in Arlington National Cemetery, click here. Many of the trees will still have their fall colors in November when Arlington National Cemetery hosts the Centennial Commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On November 9-10, a flower ceremony takes place where the American public will be able to place a flower at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On November 11, an Armed Forces full honors procession takes place as it did a hundred years ago on November 11, 1921. Find out more about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemoration at www.arlingtoncemetery.mil.

Invitation to Celebrate Trees!

Photo: Oak leaves, max1-2-3 via Pixabay

Fall is for planting trees. The lowering of temperatures and frequent rains makes it easier for trees to get established. Even after they drop their leaves, their roots continue to grow while the soil is warm, so they are able to survive, and thrive, by the time next summer’s heat and humidity and (often) drought roll around.

This fall is for celebrating trees as well as planting them. Plant NoVa Natives is launching a PLANT NOVA TREES campaign that will continue for five years, according to Margaret Fisher, PNN’s Outreach Coordinator.  

The new campaign aims to make it easy for homeowners to plant native trees in their yards, in hope that as many as 100,000 or 200,000 Northern Virginians will do so. PNN has partnered with 21 garden centers to put tags identifying native trees on their stock.  

The campaign is kicking off with a Celebration of Trees this fall. We hope you’ll join in, and celebrate trees by planting a tree in your own yard. Not sure which native tree species might be suitable? Request a visit here from an Audubon at Home Ambassador, who can advise on native trees and other plantings which are suitable for site conditions in your yard, and will attract and support wildlife. Or maybe you’d like to really go for it, and install a “mini-forest” in your yard—read Meghan Fellow’s excellent article here.  

“Mini-forest,” Meghan Fellows

Plant NoVa Trees aims to inspire tree preservation as well as tree planting. It’s not enough to plant young saplings while we continue to lose so many mature trees to development, invasive vines and insects, and disease. Plant NoVa Trees will soon begin to recruit volunteer Tree Rescuers, train them, and ask them to survey the trees in their neighborhoods to catalog trees in trouble. Property owners will be provided information about how to address any problems and care for their trees. Read about this upcoming effort and sign up to get trained and volunteer here.

This fall, organizations all over our region are invited to put on Celebration of Trees events, and 90 have already answered the call—find an event near you here.  Does your organization want to join in with its own Celebration of Trees event? Get ideas and sign up here. And, here are useful tips for organizing community tree plantings.   

Plant NOVA Trees Launched!

ASNV is proud to announce the launch of Plant NOVA Trees, a five year, collaborative effort with Plant NOVA Natives and other local conservation organizations to encourage residents and businesses across Northern Virginia to plant more native trees and preserve the ones we have already. Read more about this important initiative here.