Flowers and plants

Trees

This page contains following subjects:

• Introduction
• Use
• Care
• Some species

Introduction

Wood plants are plants such as broad-leaf trees and conifers. Trees are plants with wood like stems witch have a central main stem or main branch. Usually they have only one central stem. When we look to the top of the tree (the crown) we often see clearly a main branch and also side branches. 
Many broad-leaf trees loose in the Dutch climate their leaves in autumn and are bald in winter time. Also a bald tree in a garden or park have a esthetic quality and beauty. Some times a tree with a beautiful bark is a good reason to plant.
Some conifers loose needles in winter and other species stay green. Conifers do not have leaves, but needles or scales.

Trees can divided in:

• broad leaf trees
• needle trees (conifers)

Trees can also divided to their use:

• as forest tree
• as avenue tree
• as park tree
• as solitary tree
• as tree tree for wide streets
• as tree tree for small streets
• as garden tree
• fast growing
• slowly growing
• ground covering trees (some conifers)
• suitable as hedge (mainly conifers)

Trees can divided to the shape of the crown:

• pillar shape
• pyramidal-oval
• round
• wide
• cascading

Trees can divided to the height:

• higher than 15 meter are trees of first height
• from 10 till 15 meter are trees of second height
• from 6 till 10 meter are trees of third height
• from 1 till 6 meter (mainly conifers)

Trees are used to the circumstances and possibility such as available space. It is important to collect information and see if the tree you want to plant can stand conditions like see wind, wind, dry periods, pollution, kind of soil and so on. Also the flowers, shape and color of leaves and fruits are important in your choice.
For flower art we can use many type of branches. We can use them bald or with leaves on. Also the bark of the is beautiful to use. The flowers of a tree sometimes can be used and also some fruits. example: Aesculus hippocastanum, fruits of Platanus.
Large trees can give problems in small gardens because their roots can take a lot of water and nutrition. Also the shade can limit the grow of some plants.

For care it is important to find out if the tree can grow successfully in your area. Most trees do net need to be pruned, but in a limited garden or street when they cannot grow to big pruning is a good solution. Best is to start pruning when the tree is still young. You can get a better shape of the tree. See wind for some trees is not good.
If you cut of branches of threes to use in flower arrangements, cut them of and put them in water inclusive a special shrub Chrysal. After a few hours you can use the branches in your flower arrangement.

back to index flowers and plants

Last update of this page 23.05.2004