# The Doper Arboretum (or: your favorite tree?) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2007, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456 "2007-03-11T05:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/21 "2007-03-11T15:46:05Z")
I love poplar and aspen trees because they’re gorgeous in the fall once the leaves change. My neighbor across the street has a beautiful tree that has purple to mauve flowers in the spring. The flowers are very pretty on the tree, but a pain in the ass once they’ve shed because there are a lot of petals and they’re slimy when they’ve been mashed up. Anyone got a clue of what this tree could be? I live in Central Pennsylvania, if that helps. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/22 "2007-03-11T15:48:06Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] The [ginkgo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo). I dunno why they say the fruit from the female smells like rancid butter – dogshit is more like it. A gorgeous tree, though, and you’ve gotta love the whole “living fossil” element. [/QUOTE] Oh yeah. Down where I went to college, there were 3 big gingko trees. In the fall, the leaves turned the most beautiful gold. When the leaves fall off, it looks like the tree is standing in a spotlight. And their leaves are cool-looking. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/23 "2007-03-11T16:27:05Z")
I just love the bright peeling bark of the [Arbutus Tree.](http://images.google.ca/images?q=arbutus+tree&ndsp=20&svnum=10&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&start=0&sa=N) ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/24 "2007-03-11T17:04:44Z")
Trees! I love birches (or are they “silver birches”?) because I grew up with them, and they turn a nice yellow in the fall. Here in Victoria, I love [Garry Oak](http://www.ec.gc.ca/EnviroZine/images/CGOP-knarlyoak.jpg) and [Arbutus](http://www.naturediver.com/Market%20Photographs/Arbutus%20Trunk.JPG) . There are two arbutuses (one’s just a baby, and it grew a whole bunch last summer!) in the back yard, and a Garry or three on the wooded hill above. Nice trees, full of character. And in spring, there are lots of [ornamental cherry trees](http://www.lotusboy.com/dreamer/pink-cherry-blossom-trees-victoria-summer.jpg) and plum trees in shades of lilac, pink and white. My mum loved [Lombardy poplars](http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Tree%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/populus%20nigra.htm) and I like them now, too. So tall and elegant. The weeping willow, as mentioned, of course. I saw some lovely trees in England when I was there for a visit years ago, and though I can’t remember their names, I’ll just add “English trees” as a general like. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/25 "2007-03-11T17:11:56Z")
Gosh, it’s had to choose. My favorites include: 1. [Sugar maple](http://www.polizeros.com/pzarchive/radio/images/2005/10/11/tree-0324.jpg). 2. The gnarly [coast live oak](http://www.shimone.org/gallery/kennedygrove/PICT2364). 3. Weeping willow. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/26 "2007-03-11T17:22:48Z")
[QUOTE=Savannah] And in spring, there are lots of [ornamental cherry trees](http://www.lotusboy.com/dreamer/pink-cherry-blossom-trees-victoria-summer.jpg) [/quote] That’s on View, right? I was there taking photos of blossoms the other day 🙂 I love sugar maples, of course. Two which haven’t been mentioned are [Russian Olive](http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/imagefamily2.aspx?productid=Russian%20Olive) which, come to think of it, I haven’t seen since I moved West. Lovely, silvery leaves and in spring the blossoms have a gorgeous scent. Now I’m a West Coaster, I get to gaze upon a lot of [Japanese](http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/imagefamily2.aspx?productid=Japanese%20Red%20Maple) [Maples](http://tinyurl.com/2rxk7x). And ya gotta love the [Weeping Giant Sequoias](http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfy/24872442/in/photostream/) that look like lumbering, shaggy, dinosaurs. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/27 "2007-03-11T17:31:17Z")
My favorite tree? Number one: the larch. The larch. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/28 "2007-03-11T18:03:15Z")
Here’s four pictures of my favorite spring location. Its a double row corador of flowering crabs that go on for over a city block, but it’s on a public hunting ground. These are large old trees, so you understand what looks small is large. I hope you enjoy them. I printed out 5 for a series of wall pictures. I have a lot of pictures of these trees. [Link to pictures.](http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w130/Mighty_Mite/Flowering%20Crabs/?action=view¤t=ShortlengthofCrabs.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/29 "2007-03-11T18:26:14Z")
Nothing smells better than the [Sweet Olive](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_olive) ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/30 "2007-03-11T22:32:56Z")
The [American Sweetgum tree](http://www.freetrees.com/trees/treeGuide/TreeDetail.cfm?ID=129), _liquidambar styraciflua_, is astoundingly beautiful in url=“[http://www.uta.edu/publications/albums/Campus-LIfe/sweetgum.jpg](http://www.uta.edu/publications/albums/Campus-LIfe/sweetgum.jpg)”]fall foliage. I don’t know if it’s my favourite, but it’s certainly stunning. [Scarlet Oak](http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-13,GGLD:en&q=Scarlet%20Oak&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi) takes my breath away with its brilliant red in the fall and I’m lucky enough to have one just outside my window. I think that [Sugar Maple](http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&aq=Sugar%20Maple&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-13,GGLD:en&q=Sugar+Maple&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi) might win for pure nostalgia (I’m Canadian but didn’t grow up where Sugar Maples grow) - but I did grow up with [Paper Birch](http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/trees/betulapap.html), so it’s really a toss up. I’m a tree dork. Sorry. Edit: Oh man, the smell of a silver willow. Ahh, home. ---
**Author:** ![blackhobyah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blackhobyah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackhobyah)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/31 "2007-03-11T23:12:47Z")
[QUOTE=Sevastopol] I am arboreally fickle, however my latest love is [the wollemia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wollemia) [/QUOTE] We have a Wollemi Pine growing in the lawn behind the building in which I work. They are odd looking trees, I’m going to be interested to see how it goes at it gets bigger. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/32 "2007-03-12T00:07:10Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] The [pohutukawa.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%8Dhutukawa) [/QUOTE] Yes, it’s a lovely tree. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/33 "2007-03-12T00:18:44Z")
another vote for the weeping willow. two thumbs up. the most water loving tree ever! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/34 "2007-03-12T00:32:14Z")
I thought I was in a very small minority that liked weeping willows. I’m glad to see a higher percentage saying it’s tops. I always have a few rooted cuttings during the warm season to hand out if somebody wants one. All you need do is cut a second year growth branch, and trim off excessive leaves, not all. Keep it in clean water in partial shade, and it roots in a couple weeks. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/35 "2007-03-12T02:56:10Z")
I like various cherry trees. I like big old maples a bit too. An oak or a weeping willow will never find it’s way into my yard. Those trees look great on someone else’s property but they are far to messy for me. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456/36 "2007-03-12T04:19:32Z")
I know they make a horrible mess, but Cottonwoods make me happy and I particularly love the huge one in my parents’ backyard. I grew up on the great plains where wild/native trees were fairly scarce, but cottonwoods (when they find a relatively wet spot to put their roots down into) are successful. I also like russian olives. From a distance. They look nice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doper-arboretum-or-your-favorite-tree/395456.md?page=1)