# The ultimate tree for lawn health



## DAM Lawn (Jan 6, 2020)

I currently have 4 Maples on the property and they are moisture/nutrient suckers leaving the area around them dead by July. One is diseased and I will be removing it in the fall and want to replace it with a new tree of some kind.

Some trees drop various crap on the lawn, some are huge nutrient suckers, some have roots the pop through the grass, some are super dense shade. I want to avoid all of this.

I'm looking for advice on the optimal tree with consideration for the lawn coming first. Preferably something that isn't too dense of shade and let's some sun through, doesn't drop stuff, and isn't too much of a nutrient sucker. I was thinking perhaps a type of tree with a tap root might be best.

So if you could pick one tree to plant with the lawn being the #1 priority what would it be?

I'm in a cool season zone( southern Ontario, Canada) similar to North East states, NY, Michigan etc.


----------



## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

Man, I love maples.

They're great for the lawn, so long as you arent in their root zone. Leaves for nutrients, a little shade.

I have blue spruce and other trees with different root systems but they dont put out the leaf litter like a maple.

Walnuts produce jugalone which doesnt help, but again, if you're out of the root zone and canopy, not bad. They dont make too many leaves though.

So, I'd count maples towards the top. Hard maples.


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Ideal tree for turf


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Maples = surface roots everywhere = never again for me


----------



## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Have you ever thinned them out?


----------



## Mr McTurf (Jun 21, 2018)

Thornless Honeylocust offers dappled shade letting more light through than most other shade trees.

Otherwise, there are a lot of newer varieties of shade trees that are a lot narrower. They give height and landscape value, but without dominating the yard with shade.
Examples:
Dakota Pinnacle Birch - 30' H 8' W
Red Obelisk Beech - 40' H 6-8' W
Apollo Sugar Maple - 25' H 10' W
Red Rocket Red Maple - 35' H 10-15' W
Crimson Spire Oak - 45' H 15' W
Kindred Spirit Oak - 35' H 6' W

There are others as well.


----------



## DAM Lawn (Jan 6, 2020)

@HoosierLawnGnome I do love maples too, and will always have them. I dont mind the inevitable leaves in the fall. I do find they suck a lot of nutrients from a good area around them, as well as once mature can really shade out. Still a great tree, just looking for suggestions on the ultimate lawn tree.

@Gilley11 lol, thats the tree I need. I dont have surface roots with mine (yet). My parents and their neighbor both have 45 year old maples that are huge and some big surface roots.

@ABC123 I have at my parents who's are much bigger, mine haven't been a concern, much younger. I'm keeping 3, the one in the back has a disease is half dead and ugly, so thinking something different.

@Mr McTurf thanks, I will check all these out. I appreciate the info. I admit I dont know my trees other then the obvious ones. Tall and narrow is what I think im looking for in my back.


----------



## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

@DAM Lawn yes, maples will beat out any grass in it's rootzone or under it's canopy every time!

Mulch and hostas!


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Have you look at Keith Davey Chinese Pistache tree? I had one that was a few years old at my other house and so far so good. It wasn't directly over the lawn though. They are very popular where I'm at. I'm considering it for my front yard at my new house. I don't know if it will grow in your region.


----------

