damage

[vawildflower]

Oh My,

Last Sat, we had a tornado here in Va where that NEVER happens! I lost all of my shade trees and poor hosta are going to burn up in this hot summer sun. I am going to replace some of them...ex: Natchez crape myrtle...trident maple...

I would love some ideas for some faster growing understory trees.

I know it will take time, but I think it is my best bet!

By the way, the house is good...landscaping not so good. I faired much better then some of my neighbors.

thanks
wild

[largosmom]

Were you caught by that Gloucester storm? I am so sorry to hear that.

I planted three large white (Natchez?) Crepe Myrtles last spring and they grew a good 6-8 feet in one year and are already starting to shoot up this year. I had to use tree watering bags to keep them wet enough last summer though as they kept wilting in the heat if I didn't.

I had a regular redbud tree grow back from the roots of a forest pansy redbud after it was accidentally broken off when a tree crew took out two other trees, that grew to 10 feet tall last year from the roots, but not so much branching.

I think the Crepe Myrtles will create a little shade this year, better next year.

Can you put up some shade cloth for them for a year or two?

Laura

[jgh]

I have no advice for you - but my sympathy. Losing a tree is a very sad thing... losing lots of trees is a terrible thing - and scary! Hang in there!

[isadora]

I lost an elm that was shading part of a bed 4 years ago, and it limped along with burnt leaves for a while, but I planted a mimosa seedling that was 6 inches tall. Now it is nearly 15' in 4 yrs. Fast growing, lots of shade and nice smelling blooms, if they are not invasive your area. The new "chocolate" variety looks interesting.

[kaylyred]

So sorry to hear about your storm damage.

[thy]

So sorry

No ideas for fast threes, here I would plant salix and dig it up when the permant trees was growing.
Shade clothes or tall sunflowers may help youthe first years

[flowerchild59]

I have planted succsssfully under a red bud tree and it grows pretty quick for me.

[Linda P]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your trees, but very glad that it didn't hit your house.
We lost part of our barn to a tornado about 15 years ago, while we were sleeping in the house. It felt like the
house was trying to come apart, and I could feel it moving and groaning, but it stayed together.

I don't have any ideas about trees for you, but I can tell you that I've used sunflowers, as Pia suggested,
for hosta shade while my young trees were growing. I hope you can find a way to keep your hostas
from burning up...it's so disheartening to see that.

Linda P

[flowerchild59]

We are still cutting down trees that were damaged from the May storm nearly two years ago; we had several tornados that converged over so illinois in what was known as an inland hurricane. I think we had winds over 150 mph. We lost barns, part of our roof and about 40 mature trees, but no livestock or human life was lost at my farm. Things can be replaced, trees replanted. If your hostas fry a little for a couple of years, they will probably survice.
I like lob lollies for a quick growing pine. We have lots of walnut trees that we garden under and they are quick growing trees with deep tap roots that hostas really like.
I also like native trees like spice bush, kentucky coffee tree, and the such.
You could also plant castor beans or sunflowers for a little shade. Maybe a few pots of tall cannas would cast some shade too.