Maples (Acer species) are popular trees. The Acer genus includes many choices which offer a wide variety in size, form, foliage texture and color, bark texture, not to mention glorious fall color.
Japanese Maples are a personal favorite, as I wrote here.
Large Maples do have drawbacks - the shallow roots can damage nearby paving; those roots combined with their deep shade, makes growing grass under them a challenge.
But there's a more serious reason to reconsider before planting more Maples.
Japanese Maples are a personal favorite, as I wrote here.
Large Maples do have drawbacks - the shallow roots can damage nearby paving; those roots combined with their deep shade, makes growing grass under them a challenge.
But there's a more serious reason to reconsider before planting more Maples.
Maples are under attack in several areas of the US.
They are the preferred host of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).
Asian longhorned beetles lay their eggs under tree bark. The emergant larva burrows deep into the tree and feeds on the woody tissue, which weakens the tree, and continues to live within the tree until its adult stage. Adult female ALB often lay eggs on the same tree until it dies.
US Forest Service
Asian Longhorned Beetle Look-Alikes
Diversity is not only important in investments.
It's also an important tool in the fight against devastating pest damage. Diversified plantings, especially on a large scale, minimize the overall loss when trees of a particular genus are destroyed. It is argued by the authors of Street Tree Diversity that Maples have been overplanted, and that the ALB has the potential to destroy large portions of urban tree populations. A list of recommended trees for the ALB quarantine zone and surrounding areas, compiled by the New Jersey Forest Service, is included.
Although Maples are the preferred host of ALB, other trees which are in danger include:
Ash (Fraxinus), Birch (Betula), Elm (Ulmus), European Mountain Ash (Sorbus), Hackberry (Celtis), Horsechestnut (Aesculus), London Planetree (Platanus), Mimosa (Albizia), Poplar (Populus), Willow (Salix) and Katsura (Cercidiphyllum).
You may wonder if any trees are safe from ALB. Some of the unaffected large scale trees are:
Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata), Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata), American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua - 'Rotundiloba' is a fruitless variety), and Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos - f. inermis 'Skyline' is fruitless).
What can you do?
Diversify your plantings. As wise a strategy in gardening as in investing.
Educate yourself about the signs of ALB
and report any evidence (find out where here)
They are the preferred host of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).
Asian longhorned beetles lay their eggs under tree bark. The emergant larva burrows deep into the tree and feeds on the woody tissue, which weakens the tree, and continues to live within the tree until its adult stage. Adult female ALB often lay eggs on the same tree until it dies.
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| Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) photo from BeetleBusters.info |
The ALB was first found in 1996 in Brooklyn, NY. It has since been found in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. While extensive efforts have been undertaken and quarantine zones have been established to restrict the spread of this pest, everyone should be aware of the danger and the signs to look for (read about it here).
Additional information can be found at:
Beetle Busters.infoUS Forest Service
Asian Longhorned Beetle Look-Alikes
Diversity is not only important in investments.
It's also an important tool in the fight against devastating pest damage. Diversified plantings, especially on a large scale, minimize the overall loss when trees of a particular genus are destroyed. It is argued by the authors of Street Tree Diversity that Maples have been overplanted, and that the ALB has the potential to destroy large portions of urban tree populations. A list of recommended trees for the ALB quarantine zone and surrounding areas, compiled by the New Jersey Forest Service, is included.
Although Maples are the preferred host of ALB, other trees which are in danger include:
Ash (Fraxinus), Birch (Betula), Elm (Ulmus), European Mountain Ash (Sorbus), Hackberry (Celtis), Horsechestnut (Aesculus), London Planetree (Platanus), Mimosa (Albizia), Poplar (Populus), Willow (Salix) and Katsura (Cercidiphyllum).
You may wonder if any trees are safe from ALB. Some of the unaffected large scale trees are:
Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata), Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata), American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua - 'Rotundiloba' is a fruitless variety), and Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos - f. inermis 'Skyline' is fruitless).
What can you do?
Diversify your plantings. As wise a strategy in gardening as in investing.
Educate yourself about the signs of ALB
and report any evidence (find out where here)
