GARDENING: What makes a tree, a tree? – Odessa American

Floyd is a horticulturist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. He can be reached at 498-4071 in Ector County or 686-4700 in Midland County or by email at Jeff.Floyd@ag.tamu.edu

Floyd is an Agri-Life Extension agent for Ector and Midland counties. To learn more, call the Ector County Extension office at 432-498-4072, or the Midland County Extension office at 432-686-4700, or email jeff.floyd@ag.tamu.edu.

Posted: Sunday, May 28, 2017 3:00 am

GARDENING: What makes a tree, a tree? By Jeff Floyd Odessa American

What is a tree and why is it so unique among plants?

On the surface, asking what a tree is appears to be a silly question but you might be surprised how often horticulturists argue about the precise definition of a tree. While most generally agree that trees are woody plants that live for many years, not all can agree whether multiple trunks should be called trees. Another point of contention is their height. Is there a minimum height necessary for classifying a plant as a tree?

Perhaps the most useful definition was offered by the late U.S. forest pathologist Alex Shigo who described trees as ....woody, long-lived, compartmentalizing perennials. Shigos definition of a tree embraces both single-trunk Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) sometimes towering more than three-hundred feet above the humid coastal forest floor of Northern California, and multi-trunk Havard oaks (Quercus havardii) which scarcely rise more than five feet above the parched Southwestern sands of Texas, New Mexico and, Arizona.

If we didnt use this more flexible standard, we wouldnt be able to call many small to medium sized multi-trunk species trees. For example, popular Texas landscape specimen such as crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) and Texas mountain laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum, syn. Sophora secundiflora) among others would otherwise be considered shrubs and in fact many horticulturists argue that these are shrubs. Botanists are a more precise bunch and usually argue less than horticulturists. They often set the minimum height for classifying a woody plant as a tree at sixteen feet.

If youre wondering whether that is a tree or shrub in your landscape, contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office at 498-4071 or email jeff.floyd@ag.tamu.edu and well bring along a botanist to argue the point. All youll need to do is sit back and enjoy the show.

Posted in Gardening on Sunday, May 28, 2017 3:00 am. | Tags: Texas A&m Agrilife Extension Office, Jeff Floyd, Pecans, Pruning, Prune, Soft Landscape Materials, Landscape, Gardening, Gardener, Food, Integra, Repeat Applications, West Texas

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GARDENING: What makes a tree, a tree? - Odessa American