Should I switch trees

[pasegundo]

We purchased a new home last November. Two silver leaf maples trees came with the house. Both are in the front (required by HOA).
I live in Wylie and we are still under water restriction and can only water once a week. Should I remove and replace the maples with something more drought tolerant. Any tree suggestions?

[sandih]

Personally, even if you didn't have water restrictions I would replace the trees while you have the chance. We have 30-40 year old silver maples in our front and back yards. They give us our main source of shade and are huge so we are hesitant to cut them down. The problem w/ these trees is that the branches are extremely brittle and break all the time...I mean ALL the time. The tree, and this is not just my opinion, is a junk tree. Because the wood is so brittle, my trees are crawling with 4 different types of woodpeckers, pecking holes in all the dead branches. Even if you have a pro come out and clean up the dead stuff, it will continue to happen.

I would switch them not only for the beauty and last effects of a good tree but for the resell value of your house in the future.

[sandih]

By the way, if you click on Howard's logo up top and go to the library link on the left side of the screen, then click on "S" and scroll down to Silver Maple, here's what Howard writes about them:

Silver Maple

Acer saccharinum (A-sir sah-kar-RINE-um)



Aceraceae (Maple Family)



Deciduous shade tree



HEIGHT: 40 to 80 feet
SPREAD: 20 to 30 feet
FINAL SPACING: Do not plant



NATURAL HABITAT AND PREFERRED SITE: Its most common habitat are the nurseries that sell junk trees.



IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION: Upright to spreading tree that tends to have slender drooping branches and a relatively open overall character.



FLOWERS AND FRUIT: Flowers show before the leaves in the spring, are greenish yellow and not very pretty. Fruit (samaras or winged seed) ripens when the leaves are almost mature.



BARK: Smooth when young but gray and breaks into loose flakes with age



FOLIAGE: Leaves are opposite, simple, deciduous and weak yellow in fall color.



CULTURE: This is an easy tree to plant and grow for a few years, before the problems start.



PROBLEMS: Silver maple is an extremely short lived tree, has weak wood and is subject to many insect and disease problems which result from the fact that this tree is an unhealthy, lousy tree. I get more calls about problems on this tree than probably any other. Close seconds would include Siberian elm, fruitless mulberry, mimosa and poplars. Other problems include chlorosis, borers, cotton root rot.



PROPAGATION: Not a good idea.



INSIGHT: Try to pick a better quality tree.

[pasegundo]

Thanks Sandi,
I am thinking about replacing them with Live Oak or Red Oak. I am new to gardening since this is my first house, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.
There are so many things to address with the landscaping and I would still like to plant a nice big flower garden. Does Howards latest book have a section on native plants that are drought resistant?

[sandih]

My favorite book is called "Native Texas Plants" by a husband and wife team w/ the last name of Wasowski. Look for it on Amazon.com and maybe you can score a used copy. It has a great breakdown of natives by each region of Texas. You cannot go by the nurdery labels. Full sun to a plant that's natice to the upper east coast would just fry here.

Keep coming back here and ask your questions!! That's what this forum is all about.