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DESCRIPTION OF TREES 



MAPLES There are six maples which grow naturally in Texas, only 

 two of them being desirable shade trees, however. These are the silver 

 maple and the sugar maple. Another species, the ash-leaved maple, or 

 box elder, has been successfully introduced in some parts of the state. 



SUGAR MAPLE (Acer saccharum)Th]s is a hardy tree with a 

 compact oval crown; native in East Texas. It is an excellent tree in 

 good noil with plenty of moisture, but will not do well under city con- 

 ditions. In suburban situations and on lawns it has a distinct value, 



SILVER MAPLE OR SOFT MAPLE (Acer saccharinum)^ fast 

 growing tree with leaves dark green above and silvery beneath. The 

 tree is rather short-lived with brittle branches. It is difficult to keep 

 silver maple trained properly, and, furthermore, it is often injured by 

 scales and borers. 



BOX ELDER (Acer negundo) A tree similar in most characteris- 

 tics to silver maple. The leaves are not silvery on the under side. The 

 same advantages and drawbacks which apply to silver maple are also 

 applicable to box elder. 



TREE OF HEAVEN OR PARADISE TREE (Ailanthus glandu- 

 losd) An Asiatic tree introduced to this country many years ago. It 

 is a very rapid grower in its youth but soon becomes straggly and un- 

 kempt. The leaves are compound and frond-like. Male and female 

 flowers are borne on separate trees. While the seeds of the female plants 

 are a nuisance they are less objectionable than the disagreeable odor of 

 the staminate flowers. Its habit of sending up root suckers makes the 

 tree of heaven rather undesirable, but under severe city conditions where 

 smoke, dust and insufficient root space make it impossible to plant other 

 trees the tree of heaven will survive and do fairlv well. 



HARDY CATALPA (Catalpa speciosa) There are two catalpas 

 native in the central states. However, common catalpa is a very un- 

 satisfactory shade tree. It may be distinguished from hardy catalpa by 

 the narrow pointed tuft of hair on the ends of the seeds, whereas hardy 

 catalpa has a broad tuft. Catalpa is moderately fast growing and 

 short-lived, quickly developing an uneven crown with bare branches 

 crowned by bunches of large heart-shaped leaves. 



PAPER MULBERRY (Broussonnetia papyrifera) A small Asiatic- 

 tree with cordate or three to five lobed leaves, hairy beneath. This tree 

 is rather short-lived and inclined to be bushy, having a round head. It 

 is liable to frost injury but is able to stand severe drouth and soil 

 alkalinitv. 

 fc 



HACKBERRY (Celtis occidentalis)The hackberry is a medium- 

 sized drouth-resistant tree with an oblong open crown. In Eastern 

 Texas it is severely attacked by borers and leaf gall insects. The hack- 

 berry is short-lived except under favorable soil and moisture conditions,, 

 and accordingly other trees should be given preference in general. It 

 reaches its best development as a street tree in Central Texas. 



