Alternatives to Ash

The dreaded Emerald Ash Borer was detected on the north side of Madison this past November. There are some options you can choose if you have Ash trees in your yard and want to take measures to save it. One is a chemical treatment option. GN&L does not offer this service but can hook you up with arborists that do. Or if you want to be proactive and plant some nice trees in case your Ash succumbs sooner than later, here are a few we like. You can check these out online for more information.

Common Hackberry—A Wisconsin native tree. A large deciduous tree, cylindrical shape when mature and has an almost equal spread, fast growth rate with attractive, corky bark. Buttery, yellow fall color. Attracts birds and butterflies. Deer resistant.

Kentucky Coffee Tree—Native to the Midwest. Has a bold, picturesque form with stout asymmetrical branches. Espresso is a male variety, so it will not produce seed pods.

Chinquapin Oak—A native tree that loves alkaline soil. Large tree capable for growing in the poorest of soils. Small acorns are extremely attractive to wildlife. Fall color ranges from yellow, orange, to brown.

Winter King Hawthorn—Horizontal branching habit. White flowers in spring, give rise to pinkish red berries. Orange fall color.

Ginkgo—A unique, ancient tree with distinct fan-shaped leaves. Wonderful yellow fall color. Excellent, low maintenance tree. Always plant a male variety.