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Tree guide
Eight common trees in Alder County, what goes wrong with them and the best time to prune. Written by our arborists, not a marketing team.
8
species covered
3
risk levels
12
months of advice
All species · sorted by how often we see them
Specimen
Red oak
Quercus rubra
Height
60 to 75 ft
Growth
Medium
Prune in
Late winter
Watch for
Oak wilt, storm breakage, root compaction
Risk
Medium
Read the guide →
Specimen
White oak
Quercus alba
Height
60 to 80 ft
Growth
Slow
Prune in
Late winter
Watch for
Root damage from building work, oak wilt
Risk
Low
Read the guide →
Specimen
Silver maple
Acer saccharinum
Height
50 to 70 ft
Growth
Fast
Prune in
Late winter
Watch for
Weak branches, surface roots, storm splitting
Risk
High
Read the guide →
Specimen
Green ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Height
50 to 60 ft
Growth
Fast
Prune in
Winter
Watch for
Emerald ash borer, dieback
Risk
High
Read the guide →
Specimen
White pine
Pinus strobus
Height
80 to 100 ft
Growth
Fast
Prune in
Late summer
Watch for
Needle blight, wind throw, bark beetles
Risk
Medium
Read the guide →
Specimen
Black walnut
Juglans nigra
Height
70 to 90 ft
Growth
Medium
Prune in
Late winter
Watch for
Walnut wilt, heavy limbs, toxins that harm nearby plants
Risk
Medium
Read the guide →
Specimen
Eastern white cedar
Thuja occidentalis
Height
30 to 50 ft
Growth
Slow
Prune in
Early summer
Watch for
Deer browse, winter burn, bagworms
Risk
Low
Read the guide →
Specimen
Silver birch
Betula pendula
Height
40 to 50 ft
Growth
Fast
Prune in
Late summer
Watch for
Bronze birch borer, short lifespan
Risk
Medium
Read the guide →
02
Calendar
01
Winter
Best time to prune oaks, elms and most fruit trees. Bark beetles are asleep.
02
Spring
Leave oaks alone. Check for winter storm damage before leaves hide it.
03
Summer
Light thinning only. Watch for wilting leaves, a sign of disease.
04
Autumn
Plant new trees and book winter work early. Our calendar fills fast.
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