Some trees just shouldn’t be planted in your Washington, D.C., yard because they smell bad, make you sneeze, or have troublesome root systems.
These are the worst trees to plant in Washington, D.C.:
1. Bradford Pear
The Bradford pear’s beautiful white blooms look a lot like those of the iconic cherry tree, but that’s where the resemblance ends.
Once in bloom these trees fill the air with the smell of rotting fish (it is a mechanism to attract pollinators such as flies and beetles, but still …). Another problem? Bradford pears trees are incredibly invasive, so once you plant one, multiple trees grow over time, magnifying the offensive aroma.
Bradford pear trees also have a tendency to split at their central trunk, making these trees prone to snap apart in storms.
How did we get here? Back in the 1950s, a variety of the Callery pear tree called the Bradford pear (pictured above) became a popular tree in many urban cities across the Eastern seaboard. It was incredibly disease-resistant and could grow in a variety of climates and soil types.
Now the Bradford pear is one of the most hated trees (though it is beautiful to look when it’s in bloom — and from a distance).
2. Ginkgo biloba
The Ginkgo biloba tree is considered to be a living fossil. According to botanist Peter Crane, it’s the world’s oldest tree species. Leaf fossils from the species date back more than 200 million years, so they likely were part of some dinosaur’s diet.
The Ginkgo biloba establishes easy and grows to heights up to 50-feet. Ginkgo biloba, or Maidenhair Tree, is widely cultivated across the world for its recognition as a great shade tree, a fantastic ornamental, and its variety of medicinal uses. It’s a pretty tree, too — the distinctive, two-lobed, fan-shaped leaves set it apart.
The problem? This tree stinks!
Female trees produce seeds that are encased in fruit-like coverings. When they mature in autumn they emit a foul odor when they drop to the ground and split open.
Says Crane, “It’s the outer part of the seed that produces the smell, and it smells, to put it bluntly, like vomit.”
An odor like that is reason enough for the Ginkgo biloba to be on our Worst Trees for D.C. list.
3. Weeping Willow
Weeping willows are great trees to plant if you’re looking for a fast grower. Young trees can easily grow 3- to 4-feet, or more, annually. Flowing, drooping branches that can sweep the ground create an attention-getting tree.
The problem? A weeping willow’s quick-growing roots interfere with underground lines such as water, gas, sewage, or electrical.
This one hits close to home for me. We had a huge weeping willow in the yard on the farm where I grew up. Looking back, I’ve come to realize it was planted in the worst spot on the property: about 50 feet from the septic field and drain field lines.
While it was a fantastic tree to play under I remember my dad dealing more than once with an unpleasant problem it caused. The roots got into the septic field.
4. Cottonwood
The cottonwood is one of the worst trees for triggering seasonal allergies in children and adults alike.
Cottonwood pollen is fairly small and is easily distributed on the wind from March to May. Then, in late spring, the puffballs begin to fly. While theses puffballs enchant some people, others wish for the hot, dry days of summer when pollen allergies ease up.
All that “fluff” spread by a cottonwood also inconveniences anyone with a pool. It constantly adds debris that needs to be cleaned out.
5. White Ash
White ash has tremendous value as a landscape tree and also holds recognition as the wood used to make baseball bats. Growing to a towering height of 80 feet, the white ash shades many parks and large yards across Eastern and Central North America. In the fall these trees put on beautiful displays of yellow, deep purple, and maroon.
Unfortunately, there are two problems with white ash that put it on my list:
- 1. Their broad, lateral root system is known to be highly invasive; surface roots are known to lift sidewalks and interfere with mowing.
- 2. White ash trees also are highly susceptible to the emerald ash borer, a beetle responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees asross the U.S.
Need help selecting plants or trees for your Washington, D.C., area yard? LawnStarter’s Washington, D.C., landscaping pros are just a call or few clicks away.
Main Image Credit: Denny / Adobe Stock
