From weeping cherry trees to hickory trees, to fiddle leaf fig trees, if you’re looking for how to take care of trees and bushes, then you’ve come to the right place! Try reading our articles on trimming arborvitae or trimming boxwood. Or learn about the beauty of Jacaranda trees.
Bushes and trees aren’t necessarily always the showstopper of a property, but they are necessary to provide a grounding element to allow for other plants to really pop out.
We all know what a tree looks like – A thick, woody trunk with many smaller branches that stem out of it. As plants with tall heights and long lifespans, they are essential to adding a vertical element to your yard. Because of the bark that surrounds them as a protective layer and thick roots that anchor it strongly into the ground, they can stand up to the elements that provide a constancy that many other plants cannot provide. Many trees also have flowers that can add a pop of color to your property.
Bushes and shrubs, on the other hand, help provide structure to your yard. Like trees, they also are woody-stemmed plants, but they are different because of their multiple stems and also shorter heights. There is no formal definition to differentiate a shrub versus a tree, but typically they are shorter than about 15 feet.
Using both trees and bushes on a property is important for good design. Keep browsing below to see our different guides about taking care of and maintaining them. Also make sure to check out the rest of our articles.
The massive sycamore tree may reach 100 feet tall or more, with a trunk measuring more than seven feet in diameter. Their distinctive bark is usually white or light gray and their large leaves are light green. Surprisingly strong, even young specimens are able to withstand high winds and deep snow.
More popular in large yards, tall stately cedar trees make excellent windbreaks. Plants may grow up to 200 feet tall, depending upon their variety and range in color from dark green to more bluish hues. All varieties are coniferous evergreens that keep color all year.
A type of fig tree, Banyan ficus is a mystical, awe-inspiring plant. They grow when their seeds lands on other trees, sending down roots that smother the host. Over time they can spread to encompass vast areas.
Palm trees are known for their distinctive look — a single trunk with fan-shaped or feather-shaped evergreen leaves. Native to tropical areas they grow best in warm climates (zones 8 and above) and prefer loose, sandy soil. Plant them in spots where they get full sun and keep the soil moist.
Olive trees prefer full sun and warmth, thriving in USDA growing zones 9-11. They grow at a moderate rate to reach 30 to 50 feet in height. Olive species are drought tolerant, tolerate slightly alkaline soil, and are not suited for growing in the shade.
Easily identified by their thin, papery bark in white, yellow, or gray, birch trees are frequently found in colder climates of the Northern hemisphere. With a shallow root system, they prefer moist soil and afternoon shade. They have a tendency to colonize open areas and offer stunning color displays when foliage turns in the fall.
With a rich history and large, stately shape, cottonwood trees are a fast-growing native of the United States. Growing 6 feet a year in zones 2 through 9, they reach over 100 feet tall and almost as wide. Female trees disperse a white cottony covering from their seeds as they ripen in the summer, giving the tree its common name.