In the Garden: Northern & Central Midwest This tree split
because of a poor branch angle. So many areas of the country
have seen severe storm damage this season, including my town. As
I drove around after our last wind storm, I looked more closely
at trees that were damaged. A few interesting characteristics
emerged. First of all, trees that lost major limbs were mostly
what arborists commonly call "trash trees". I dislike that term
since I feel that there is worth and dignity in all trees, but
there are a few species that are more prone to problems than
others. Slow-Growing is Best Generally, trees that grow quickly
tend to have weaker stems and branches than slower-growing
trees. Lignin is the material that gives woody plants their
structure, and the more lignin laid down in the cell walls means
a sturdier plant. Growing slowly means plenty of time for lignin
to be acquired. Fence Row Trees Not the Best We all know how
often silver maples, Siberian elms, willows, and green ash trees
pop up in fence rows and