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Lifespan Of Garden Trees
The truth is that just about any garden tree that you plant is going to be around for decades - if not considerably more. There are some trees out there that live for thousands of years and although we do not normally associate this with the trees that we have at home, many gardeners have them right in their yards.
As we mentioned above, planting a garden tree on your property is something that you should look at as an investment. These are no ordinary plants and they have a habit of outgrowing the people that planted them, which is why you want to plant your garden tree with careful consideration.
There are thousands of different tree species out there that are suitable for garden planting. If you want to plant a tree with a specific lifespan, it would make sense to choose a type that is going to fit the timeframe that is best for you.
However, there are also many external factors that can influence the health and lifespan of your tree. Garden trees that grow the best are those that are planted in their appropriate climate and are nourished properly. A failure to do this can result in your garden tree having a considerably shorter lifespan and it may potentially fail to grow at all. Let’s take a closer look at some different types of garden trees and their lifespans.
Maple Trees (80 to 100 years)
Maple trees are incredibly beautiful and they are very common to find in so many people’s gardens.
These common garden trees usually live for an average lifespan of about 80 years. However, it is not unusual for many of them to live up to 100 years or even more. Some Maple variations have been known to survive for centuries with many averaging lifespans of 300 to 400 years.
This is not going to be the case for every Maple tree that you plant, but you should choose your type wisely to ensure that you know what you are in for before you get to planting, as many variations will be around for generations.
With that being said, some types of Maple trees will live for only 50 to 60 years. These are going to be much more suitable for gardeners that want to be around for their Maple tree’s life cycle.
Oak Trees (150 to 300 years)
One of the most iconic trees that you can plant in your garden is a classic Oak Tree. These garden trees are majestic and are perfect for adding character to a yard.
However, Oak Trees are trees that will stand the test of time, as they have incredibly long lifespans. On average, you can expect most Oak Trees to live to be at least 150 years old with many getting to be as much as 300 years old.
This is by no means a tree that you want to plant without thinking about it first. Oak Trees are stunning but their long lifespan means that they are not going anywhere anytime soon.
In fact, many Oak Trees out there are actually ancient by human standards, as some variations have been known to survive for more than 500 years. This is by no means the standard for how long an Oak Tree lives but it does happen.
While this may be a reason not to plant an Oak Tree for some gardeners, it actually provides an incentive for others. Planting a garden tree that will be around for centuries is quite special, which is why many people love having an Oak Tree on their property.
Sequoias (2,000 years)
If you have never seen a Sequoia tree in your life, this is one tree that will make your jaw drop.
These trees are giants and they can reach an average height of 250 feet. While many of these trees are located around the West Coast of the United States in a lot of famous state and national parks, you can actually find them commonly in people’s gardens in this part of the country.
These are some of the most stunning trees that our planet has to offer and they are a spectacle within the world of trees. Sequoias are trees that tend to live for thousands of years!
The average lifespan of a Sequoias tree is right around 2,000 to 2,200 years, which is an insane amount of time for anything on this planet to live for. However, it is not uncommon for these giant trees to live to be as much as 3,000 years old.
The current oldest Sequoia tree out there is more than 3,200 years old, which makes it one of the oldest living things on the planet. If you plan on planting one of these trees in your garden, you had better know what you are in for, as it will be around for a very long time.
Paper Birch (30 years)
A modest and lovely tree to add to many home gardens is the delicate Paper Birch tree.
These trees can be found in full forests in various parts of the country. The Paper Birch trees that you see growing in the wild will be alive for roughly 80 to 100 years (or even more).
However, Paper Birch trees that are planted in home gardens tend to have much shorter lifespans - with many of them only living to be 30 to 40 years old.
This is great news for the gardeners out there that want to plant a beautiful tree without committing to centuries worth of maintenance.
Palm Trees (50 years)
If you want a taste of the tropics right in your home garden, the best way to complete this aesthetic is to plant a palm tree.
Palm trees are absolutely gorgeous trees and do not have an overly long lifespan. There are many different palm trees out there but some of the smaller variations that you see will typically grow to be about 50 years old.
For gardeners that want to achieve that tropical aesthetic at home and do not want to commit to a tree that sticks around for too long, a Palm Tree is really the way to go.
With that being said, you can get Pam Trees that live upwards of 80 to 100 years. A lot of what influences this is the type of Palm Tree that you plant and the stability of your climate, as these are plants that are highly dependant on tropical climates or at the very least warm weather conditions.
Persimmon Trees (60 years)
A very common garden tree to find in so many people’s yards is a Persimmon tree.
These beautiful fruit trees are a great pick for gardeners that want to have a tree with a very balanced lifespan, as most of them tend to only live to be about 60 years of age.
Trees such as the Persimmon are a common selection amongst gardeners that want an easy option when choosing a tree, as they can do so without the pressure of committing to a plant that will be around for centuries.
In addition to the shorter lifespan, many gardeners love the perk of having a tree that bears fruit in their yards.
Factors To Consider
It goes without saying, that just about any tree that you plant is going to be around for a while.
Trees are not your average house plant and they need to be treated as such in order for them to have a healthy lifecycle. If you plan on planting a garden tree, you should be in it for the long haul.
With that being said, there are a lot of factors that influence the actual lifespan of a garden tree. Ultimately, how long a garden tree lives is going to be dependant on how much care and consideration you take when planting it and nourishing it. Let’s take a closer look at this in more detail.
- Climate - every garden tree that you plant is going to have its own preferred climate. This is a critical aspect of getting the most out of your tree’s life. Planting a garden tree in an adverse climate can result in your tree having a significantly lower life cycle, which is why you should always plant according to your region.
- Planting Location - choosing the right spot in your garden to plant your tree is very important - especially in its early years. Your tree is going to need to receive the right amount of sunlight for it to grow properly, which is why you need to pick an area that will have moderate amounts of shade.
- Nourishment - as trees get older, they will tend to take care of themselves, but those early years of their lives will require watering and nourishment. Be sure to water them regularly and confirm that your soil is healthy.
Trees are some of the most resilient plants out there, but much like with all plants, they have their specific preferences to guarantee a healthy lifespan.
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