Photos: Daingerfield Island Summer Crew

The High School Summer Crew has been very busy learning about all that goes into tree care, from mulching to untangling water hoses. Last Thursday, the crew expanded their expertise even further during a pruning and tree care event at Dangerfield Island in Alexandria. National Park Service horticulturist Barry Stahl led the event, which was one of three professional development sessions the crew will attend this summer.

Horticulturist Barry Stahl briefs our crew on pruning trees at Dangerfield Island.

Before pruning, each student picked out a baby American elm from the nursery. The crew members labeled the trees so they can check their progress as they grow.

Young elms chosen and labeled by Summer Crew members.

For their first assignment, the crew pruned very young trees to make sure they grow properly.

Unsuccessful trees were uprooted and replaced with healthy specimens in the field.

At the American elm nursery, the trees remain in the greenhouse until they are three years old, when they are then planted in the outdoor field. Our high school summer crew helped prep the holes and plant the three-year-old trees in their designated spots.

Summer crew members work together to tie a young tree to its guiding stake.

See our 25 to Stay Alive tree watering guide for tips on how to keep your trees hydrated this summer.

View this entire photo set on Flickr.

Thank You, Meyers Institute for College Preparation Volunteers!

Casey Trees would like to thank students participating in the Meyers Institute for College Preparation (MICP) program, part of the Center For Multicultural Equality & Access (CMEA) at Georgetown University, for their help keeping D.C.’s trees green. This past Thursday, 35 volunteers - 32 teenagers with three adults - from MICP watered trees at Ellington Field in Burleith.

Using hoses attached to fire hydrants, the group watered and weeded 30 trees, most of which are on a steep hill. The trees touched Thursday were planted last fall at a Casey Trees-hosted Community Tree Planting. Take a look at photos from the previous season's event on Flickr.

If you would like to organize a group watering event, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Carol Herwig at cherwig@caseytrees.org.

Remember, trees need 25 gallons of water – approximately 1.5 inches of water per week – to grow strong and thrive. Take the 25 to Stay Alive Pledge today, and make sure to water your trees!

Friday Photo Feature - July 1, 2011

Filling up buckets to water trees at a recent tree care event at Michigan Park.
View more on Flickr or submit your own photos of trees.

Remember to water trees this summer. Many young trees can't make it in D.C.'s summer heat without regular watering. For tips on how to get water to your trees, check out our recent blog post on watering tips. Sign up for the 25 to Stay Alive Pledge online and receive a rain gauge to determine whether your trees are getting enough water.

Tree of the Month: Japanese Pagoda Tree

Spring has definitely passed! While you may associate the end of spring with the end of beautiful blossoms, there are still some sweet-smelling flowers to look forward to this summer. The Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica or Styphnolobium japonicum), our Tree of the Month for July, could hit its three-week bloom period any time from now until early September.

Photo Credit: geneva_wirth

Despite its name, the Japanese pagoda tree does not come from Japan. This ornamental tree is native to China, Korea and Vietnam. It usually grows 25 to 35 feet tall but can sometimes reach heights of up to 100 feet! Some identifying characteristics are its oval leaflets, gray-brown bark, and shiny green twigs. The tree’s compound leaves, which range from 6 to 10 inches in length, contain 7 to 17 ovate dark green leaflets. The bark is marked by wavy ridges. Keep your eyes and nose peeled for the Japanese pagoda's white fragrant flowers which are arranged in loose clusters.

Fun (for the most part) facts about the Japanese pagoda:

• During the Chou Dynasty in China, it was customary to plant the Japanese pagoda tree near the tombs of high officials. 
• Our Tree of the Month is a member of the pea family fabaceae. 
• The Japanese pagoda tree is also called the Chinese scholar tree and the honey tree.
• Sophora japonica 'Pendula', known as the weeping Japanese pagoda, is a cultivar of our Tree of the Month. The weeping Japanese pagoda rarely blooms. 

Photo Credit: Jane Starz.

Note the wavy bark of the Japanese pagoda tree. Photo credit: geneva_wirth.

Japanese pagoda trees can be found in various places around the District including on the Capitol grounds and at Dupont Circle, Lincoln Park and the National Cathedral. In 2006, Casey Trees named a Japanese pagoda tree in President’s Park near E Street the District’s champion pagoda tree. To find Japanese pagoda trees planted at Community Tree Planting events, search "Pagoda" on our interactive plantings map.

Suckers - One Born Every Minute?

Contributing Writer - Shawn Walker, Urban Forestry Instructor 

What are Suckers?

In the world of tree care, the term suckers refers to unwanted twigs that grow rapidly on abnormal parts of a tree. They typically grow as a result of a wound or stressor (e.g. drought, disease, insects, and root zone disruption) and can often be harmful to a tree’s health.

Sucker growing from pruned tree - adventitious growth.
Photo credit: Todd Watson, Texas A&M University, bugwood.org

A few facts about suckers:

• They often originate from the root zone or the base of the trunk, but can be found anywhere on the tree.
• The leaves that emerge from sucker growth are generally larger (much like shade leaves), exhibiting atypical characteristics.
• Tree pruning can contribute to the formation of suckers.
• Other specific terms that indicate various types of sucker growth include epicormic growth, adventitious growth and water sprouts.

Examples of sucker growth can be found throughout D.C.’s urban forest. The District's American elms often have sucker growth along the lateral stems in the tree’s crown, as a reaction to urban stress or pruning activity. If you live in central D.C., check out the stately willow oaks that line Rhode Island Avenue on the blocks just east of North Capitol Street and you may see a few with suckers in their crowns as well.

Sucker growth from emerald ash borer damage.
Photo credit: Michigan Department of Agriculture, bugwood.org

Should I remove them?

Yes - in most cases. Because of their rapid growth, suckers tap into the valuable food stores that keep trees healthy. Additionally, suckers can be hazardous both to pedestrians and to the strength of a tree’s structure.

Occasionally, suckers that develop along lateral branches of a tree’s crown can be advantageous. You can preserve some suckers to encourage the formation of new interior branches, as long as they are attached to the main stem and will not grow to eventually conflict with existing limbs.

As a general rule, the removal of suckers will benefit your tree. Winter is the safest time to remove unwanted suckers, as wounds are less likely to form and diseases and insects are inactive. But if sucker growth is clearly posing a hazard or is an obvious detriment to the overall health of the tree, the best time to prune is now. See our post on summer pruning for tips on how to prune a tree.

OK, let’s say it together: ‘So long, suckers!’

Summer Tree Care: Making Gardening and Lawn Care Safe for Trees

Summer is a time when lawn or garden maintenance can present dangers to your trees, often lurking in your own hands. While all trees are susceptible to trunk damage from lawnmowers, weed whackers or other garden-care tools, immature or newly planted trees are especially vulnerable. An injury to its trunk can prevent vital nutrients and water from reaching the tree, ultimately causing it to die. Luckily, this can be easily avoided by taking a few precautionary measures.

A weed-whacker claims another victim.

Placing a tree trunk protector around the base of your young trees is one of the cheapest and most simple safety measures. These plastic protectors shield your trees from bladed tools and expand as they mature with time and care.

Trees with trunk protectors and proper mulching planted at a Community Tree Planting event.

Spreading mulch at the base of your tree is another great way to avoid damage from a lawnmower or weed-whacker. Whenever mulching, we suggest following the “3-3-3 Rule” – spread three inches of mulch in a three-foot circle with a three-inch space around the trunk. Not only will the mulch protect your tree from getting weed-whacked, it also helps keep the soil moist and control weed growth at your tree’s trunk. Make sure to avoid volcano mulching at all cost. This improper mulching method will retain too much moisture around a tree’s base, causing bark decay or root girdling.

A well planned mulch island can greatly increase protection to your trees. Photo credit: colleen

A third option in tree safety is sculpting a mulch island – sectioning off a portion of your property for trees and other plants to be filled with mulch, without surrounding grass. While this safety precaution might be the most costly, it’s also an inviting, low maintenance alternative if you want less lawn to maintain and more protection for your trees.

For more tree care tips, check out the resources available on our website.

Our ad in the Cap Comm. News - a friendly reminder to water trees

Summer Crew Update #2: Why I Joined Summer Crew

Contributing Writer - Mitchell Holmes, Summer Crew Team Member

Mitchell Holmes carries water at a tree care event at Michigan Park in Ward 5.

I applied to work on Casey Trees' Summer Crew for three reasons.

First, I expected the work would be physically stimulating and keep me outdoors. I wanted work that would challenge my body and keep me moving. Working on the Summer Crew has proven to be just that. With all the bucket carrying, running hoses and traveling across the city, it has pushed me to my limits as I had hoped.

Second, I wanted to learn more about the environment. One of our initial training sessions involved learning how to correctly identify trees and about the physical, financial and social benefits they provide. Trees play an important role in our environment - much more than most people realize. Trees provide cooling shade, mitigate stormwater, provide oxygen and much more.

Summer Crew members learning tree identification from Casey Trees staff member Meg Johnson.

Lastly, I wanted to explore the city through different eyes. It is easy to not see beyond D.C.'s buildings and construction. Working for Casey Trees, I have come to notice how many trees are in the District and how much they contribute to my overall enjoyment of the nation's capital.