Invasive
trees are large plants that take over forests, woodlands, prairies,
and waterfront locations. Invasive trees possess reproductive
qualities that enable them to crowd out other plants and inhibit the
growth of adjacent tree species. Schedule removal of these three
trees on your property to protect your Nashville-area landscape.
1.
Royal Paulownia or Princess Tree
The
princess tree is native to China, where the plant has been recognized
since the fourth century for its timber, medicinal value, and
ornamental appeal. The princess tree features large, showy flowers in
early spring that are colored pale purple to lavender. According to
the Tennessee State Government, Princess trees were first imported to
the U.S. in the 1830s.
The
princess tree has heart-shaped leaves that can spread to 20 inches
across. The tree grows rapidly. Paulownia root sprouts can grow up to
15 feet in one year. Princess trees are considered invasive plants in
Tennessee and should be removed whenever possible.
Facts
about royal paulownia or princess trees:
-
Latin
name: Paulownia
tomentosa
-
Height at
maturity: 60
feet
-
Seed dispersal: By
wind and water
-
Growing conditions:
Disturbed areas; bare soil; roadsides
Although
princess tree seeds only sprout when soil is sterile, the trees
tolerate acid soils and drought conditions very well once
established. Princess tree seeds and roots survive and sprout after
fires, construction activity, and road cuts. The princess tree chokes
out native vegetation along stream banks due to the tree's rapid
growth and prolific ability to produce seedlings.
2.
Mimosa or Silktree
At
first glance, a mimosa tree looks desirable with its frothy pink
blossoms and tropical, fern-like foliage. Mimosa's aesthetic
qualities stirred a French botanist to import the tree to Charleston,
South Carolina, in 1785
.
However, the mimosa tree is a true legume that produces hundreds of
six-inch-long bean pods per tree per year. Each of those pods holds
beans that will sprout in nearly any type of soil.
Mimosa
trees are often short-lived trees due to the numerous pests and
devastating fungi to which the trees are susceptible. Weakened mimosa
trees are more likely to split during strong storms, and the trees
cannot tolerate extreme cold.
Facts
about mimosa trees:
-
Latin name: Albizia
julibrissin
-
Height at maturity:
40 feet
-
Seed dispersal:
Animals and water movement
-
Growing conditions:
Various; prefers open and sunny; tolerates shade
After
you have a mimosa tree removed from your property, be on the lookout
for mimosa tree seedlings. Because the coating on mimosa seeds is
durable and thick, mimosa seeds can remain viable in soil for many
years. If left unchecked, mimosa trees form nearly impenetrable
thickets and choke out native trees via the mimosas' dense, spreading
tree-root systems.
3.
Tree of Heaven
Tree-of-heaven
is another plant that's a native of Asia. The tree-of-heaven was
introduced in the U.S. in the late 1700s and is now considered one of
the top invasive trees in states including Tennessee. A
tree-of-heaven seedling will become a tree that produces viable seeds
as early as three years after sprouting.
Tree-of-heaven
blooms with clusters of green or red-green flowers in late spring,
followed by the development of twisted, winged seed pods. Each tree
can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds per year.
Facts
about tree-of-heaven:
-
Latin
name: Ailanthus
altissima
-
Height at maturity:
80 feet
-
Seed dispersal:
Wind
-
Growing conditions:
Disturbed areas; roadsides
Tree-of-heaven
is a threat to native and desirable tree species in Tennessee because
the tree is an allelopathic plant. Allelopathic plants emit
growth-inhibiting chemicals that affect the soil all around them.
Tree-of-heaven emits the growth-checking chemicals via its tree
roots.
Tree-of-heaven's
wind-borne seeds disperse easily to surrounding soil. The
tree-of-heaven roots also send up many shoots that become full-grown
trees. Remove tree-of-heaven, mimosa, and princess trees to keep your
woodlands and landscaping healthy and diverse.
Schedule removal
of
your unwanted trees and shrubs in the Franklin and Nashville areas by
contacting Kaily’s Tree Service today. We offer individual
tree removal or complete land clearing to property owners throughout
the Nashville, Tennessee, region.
