Trees: Branching Out

However, these days, most landscape trees sold by retailers have perfectly straight trunks and the reason is simple, that's what most nursery owners and landscape designers want, so that's what most growers produce and deliver.

Bark texture is another characteristic that can greatly enhance the over all look of a tree. Textures can range from smooth as in the case of this Japanese maple, or Acer palmatum (figure E) to deeply fissured as seen on this red oak (figure F) to coarse such as this hackberry (figure G), and don't forget about exfoliating bark, which is particularly pronounced on the river birch (figure H).

The same is true of these Japanese maples that flank the entrance to James' house (figure K). They begin branching only a foot above the ground and as a result, give the trees tremendous visual strength. Finally, have a look at the Yaupon holly, or Ilex vomitoria (figure L). It too, branches low to the ground and that trait combined with the ruggedness of its bark texture give it a fascinating uniqueness (figure M).

The tree characteristic that James considers to be the most important is its branching pattern high in the canopy, something best appreciated by lying on your back and looking up. "The patterns created by the branches in the canopies of trees can evoke real emotional responses in much the same way that clouds can. And those patterns may be somewhat symmetrical or they may be anything but. I'm especially fond of curious, haphazard shapes and patterns."

"So next time you go shopping for a tree, take time to consider all its attributes, not just the obvious ones," James suggests, "and use your imagination to predict how that tree will ultimately look in a decade or so. If you do that, chances are good you'll wind up picking the perfect tree."