Cleaning Up The Tree Planting List - May 2021

Earlier this month, I posted some photos about our first Japanese Maple tree - a Tamukeyama Maple - and mentioned that it was the 54th tree that I've planted over the five growing/planting seasons we've been in Downers Grove.  I also mentioned that I wasn't sure my math was totally right.  We had have some trees die that I don't think I've posted updates on.  This post is my attempt to get current with the situation we have as of May 2021.

First, I CAN say that I've planted 54 trees.

2017: 9 trees
2018: 17 trees
2019: 9 trees
2020: 17 trees
2021: 2 trees

I've also documented 12 trees that failed.

3 Planted in 2017: Chanticleer Pear, Dawn Redwood, Corkscrew Willow
3 Planted in 2018: Weeping Cedar, Fraser Fir, Canadian Hemlock
4 Planted in 2019: Three of the six Canadian Hemlocks, Dappled Willow
2 Planted in 2020: Lombardy Popular, Horstman Recursive Larch.

That would mean that we have 42 trees alive and well.  But, there are even more that have died that I haven't documented yet.  This post cleans up all those.

First, there was a Crimson King Maple that we planted back by the fence in 2017.  It has died.

Second, there were the troubled trees that we planted for Earth Day in 2018.  They all have died.  

3 of them:  Earth Day Chanticleer Pear and Earth Day Red Valley Sun Maple and Weeping Cherry Tree.

Here, below, is the stump of the Pear:

In 2019, we planted six small Hemlocks.  Three died.  Three remain to this day.  Here are a few of the rabbit-gnawed stumps:

In 2019, I also planted this Dwarf Alberta Spruce.  It is dead.  All that remains is the bottom 1/4 of one side.  

In 2020, I planted an eight-tree Belgian Fence.  Today, just five of those apple trees are alive - From right to left alive are: #1, 2, 5, 6, 7.  That means we lost:  #3 Honeycrisp, #4 Honeycrisp and #8 Golden Delicious.  

In 2020, I also planted a decapitated and regular weeping redbud.  The first one arrived damaged, so they sent a second one.  That second one - the seemingly healthy one - is dead.  The decapitated one?  Flowering.  

Knowing all of that, let's update the list of dead trees:

I mentioned that I had documented just 12 before.  Now...

4 Planted in 2017 (+1): Chanticleer Pear, Dawn Redwood, Corkscrew Willow, Crimson King Maple 
6 Planted in 2018 (+3) : Weeping Cedar, Fraser Fir, Canadian Hemlock, Earth Day Chanticleer Pear, Earth Day Red Valley Sun Maple and Weeping Cherry Tree
5 Planted in 2019 (+1):  Three of the six Canadian Hemlocks, Dappled Willow, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, 
6 Planted in 2020 (+4): Lombardy Popular, Horstman Recursive Larch, two Honeycrisp Apple and one Golden Delicious apple trees and a weeping Redbud

Takes my LOST list from 12 to 21.  

As of May 2021:  We've planted 54 trees.  And have had 21 lost.  33 remaining.  Far less than what I was saying just earlier this month (40-something still alive).

This SHOULD be an accurate reflection of the current state:

2017 (9 planted. 4 Dead. 5 of the original annual total alive now):
1. Flowering Pear in backyard on north side.
2. Flowering Pear in front yard by garage. (LOST and replaced)
3. Japanese flowering cherry
4 and 5: 2 Lindens that I espalier'd and placed by the south fence line near our kitchen windows.
6. A Dawn Redwood from Earth Day 2017 (LOST and replaced)
7. Nat's Saucer Magnolia in our front yard
8. A Corkscrew Willow all the way in the back (LOST)
9. A Crimson King Norway Maple near the trampoline

2018 (17 planted. 6 Dead):
10. Another flowering pear from Earth Day 2018
11. Red Maple Sun Valley tree from Earth Day 2018.
12. Weeping Cedar tree - our first evergreen.  (LOST)
13. The weeping flowering cherry tree that the Babe planted for Earth Day 2018.
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. These Frans Fontaine Hornbeams. 
22. A replacement Chanticleer Pear tree (3" caliper) out front by our garage
23. Our second evergreen - a short Fraser Fir Christmas Tree out by the trampoline. (LOST)
24. This Canadian Hemlock that is the first of nine that our landscape plan calls for in the backyard. (LOST)
25. Our replanted/replacement Dawn Redwood. Same spot as the first.
26. This teeny-tiny Bald Cypress that I planted in the front yard, in between our driveway and our neighbor to the north.

2019 (9 planted.  5 Dead):

27, 28, 29.  A set of three small Canadian Hemlock Trees in our far backyard. (Two Lost)

30, 31, 32.  This second set of three small Canadian Hemlocks along the north fence line. (One Lost)
33.  My new Weeping White Spruce that will only grow about 4' wide placed near the fence line alongside the espalier'd Lindens.
34.  A NEW Dwarf Alberta Spruce planted near the south fence line.  Our first "dwarf" tree.
35.  This new Hakuro Nishiki Willow (Dappled Willow) tree planted close to the flowering cherry on the southside.  LOST - October 2020.

2020 (So Far) (17 planted and 6 Dead):

36.  A small Chanticleer flowering pear on Earth Day 2020 outside our screened porch.

37.  A very thin Lombardy Poplar tree - columnar form - in the way back wood chip area.  LOST - July 2020.
38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45.  These apple trees in a Belgian Fence espalier.
46.  A small Northern Red Oak tree - our first Oak tree planted.
47.  A 'decapitated' Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud that I planted on a whim.
48.  A replacement (from the nursery) Lavender Twist Redbud planted close to the brother.
49.  A tall(ish) London Plane tree that suffered some transplant and frost shock, but seemed to recover. 

50.  Our second contorted tree - this one inspired by Disneyland Paris: a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick tree.

51.  Our third contorted tree - but one that checks A LOT of boxes.  Deciduous conifer.  Weeping.  Contorted.  Japanese.  Planted behind the front Maple - the Horstmann's Recursive Weeping Contorted Larch.  LOST - Aug 2020.

52.  Via the Morton Arboretum Plant Sale - a columnar tree from Japan - the Red Fox Katsura Tree that I planted as an understory tree to the dying Chanticleer Pear Tree next to our driveway. 

2021 (So Far) (2 planted and 2 alive):

53.  A tiny bareroot Shagbark Hickory from the Benet Academy Environmental Club planted in the backyard.   

54.  Our first Japanese Maple - a dwarf Tamukeyama Maple planted in the south backyard bed.