ᐅ Which types of deciduous trees: rowan? – Any tips?

Created on: 3 Feb 2015 13:26
W
willWohnen
Hello,
which trees do you have in your garden that have become particularly dear to you, and which types annoy you?

For example, someone told me they have a foreign oak species and don’t know what to do with the leaves because they don’t compost well. I wouldn’t have thought of that.
Does hawthorn really smell unpleasant when it blooms?

I’m considering a rowan tree, but maybe someone can tell me if the berries drop over several months and make paths very dirty. Or do the birds eat all the berries before they can fall?

Is it more convenient if a tree loses all its leaves quickly within a few days (like a maple), or if it holds onto withered leaves throughout the winter (like an oak)?

So, I’m interested in all your experiences with trees.

Thanks and best regards
Y
ypg
3 Feb 2015 22:36
Well, you yourself mentioned that oak leaves are not compostable.
Also, I would consider a tree too large for a 650m² (7,000 sq ft) plot.

My maples only lost their leaves quite late, while the serviceberry seemed to lose them about a month earlier.

Himalayan birches and some willows are also attractive. However, I would still differentiate between solitary trees and groups of trees. For groups, mix in evergreen shrubs or cypresses.

Serviceberries drop fruit, cherry trees lose their leaves... but I wouldn’t find that problematic on a lawn or in the back garden.
B
Bauexperte
3 Feb 2015 22:43
Good evening Yvonne,
ypg schrieb:

Thanks for the oak information: I always avoided it because of the leaves not being compostable...
In my opinion, “not” compostable isn’t quite accurate; if I remember correctly, it just takes longer for oak leaves to fully decompose. I believe this is due to a higher acid content… but I’m not sure which acid exactly.

Best regards, Bauexperte
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willWohnen
3 Feb 2015 22:51
Oh, I thought the non-rotting oak leaves thing was only true for exotic oak species from other countries.

Yes, in the back garden I don’t mind if leaves fall at all. It doesn’t bother me anyway, but on the street side, I fear the anger of the tidy neighbors who see leaves as dirt and flower petals as mess.
Y
ypg
3 Feb 2015 22:58
willWohnen schrieb:
A foreign species of oak(?), and he didn’t know what to do with the leaves because they are not compostable
ypg schrieb:
Thanks for the oak info: for me, it was always taboo because of the non-compostable leaves...
Bauexperte schrieb:
“Not” compostable is, in my opinion, not correct; if I remember correctly, it just takes longer for oak leaves to fully decompose

Yes, but back then (as a child) I was told they were not compostable. Since the leaves are quite large anyway, I never looked it up. So the argument stands, as with willWohnen: only foreign species…
Although, saying they are not compostable is also wrong… My info was that they don’t rot on their own or something like that.

Now we’ll all have to look up the acidity.
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willWohnen
3 Feb 2015 23:29
Oh dear, what challenges await me as a composting beginner after all this research...
nathi4 Feb 2015 20:40
It is generally recommended to create a separate compost pile specifically for leaves, as they decompose differently than other garden waste.

By the way, oak trees also grow quite slowly; after ten years, a 10cm (5 inches) seedling has already become a substantial tree. It just doesn’t stop growing...