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I don't know much about plants, but I want a large
tree. Can you tell me where to start?
Here are a few things to take into consideration when you
are selecting a tree:
- Do you want something that will keep its leaves
year-round (Evergreen; still may change color with the seasons) or
will lose its leaves during the winter (Deciduous)?
- Which of the following are you looking for in a tree?
- Shade
- Showpiece in the spring
- bold fall color?
- How much sun does the area get?
- What are the conditions of the area you will be placing
the specimen? Will it be close to the house, Street, Driveway,
Power lines, or is the area Sloped? And is the area very wet or
dry?
After you have answered these questions we would love for
you to come and talk to one of our very knowledgeable staff members
to help you get things started.
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What do #1, #3 mean on your plants?
This can be a little confusing. In the nursery industry we
number our pots i.e. #1, #2, #3, etc. The number means
approximately 'gallon'. We don't call them 'gallon' anymore since
they are not precisely 1 or 2 gallons.
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What exactly does 'Hardy' mean, and what is our
hardiness zone in the Portland area?
Sometimes the hardy zones can be a little tricky to figure
out. Hardiness is the lowest temp that a plant has been observed to
survive at. The lowest temperature that we usually get is about 10
degrees F, that would be pretty rare to see it that low though. It
never really drops below 20 around here. You do have to keep in
mind though that there are microclimates, there can be cold and
warm pockets and windy areas that cause the temperature to come
down. Plants acclimatize slowly in winter months and need a little
time in colder weather to prepare and adapt for severe cold.
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What do the various measures of plants mean?
- Height: Most plants are measured from soil of plant to
top of crown.
- Spread: Spread is used for mounding and dwarf plants.
Spread is measured from drip line to drip line.
- Caliper: This measurement is taken 6 inches from the
soil. It is the diameter of the trunk.
- Type:
- Pom Pom: This is a straight upright or lowered multi
branched forms with many balls of foliage that looking as if they
are floating in all directions.
- Hindu Pan: This mostly applies
to pines that are cultured into a large upright, Asian style
form. Unlike Pom Pom the areas of foliage are sheared into
flat-topped forms.
- Spiral: This is as very
traditional corkscrew topiary, Used in many formal gardens.
- Tiered: These are plants that have
been cultured with pruning or grafting to make a vertical
arrangement.
- Standard or Std: These are
plants that have been grafted to an understock designated height.
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Why does the same kind of plant sometimes vary in
price?
Here at Garden World we have a co-op operation. The growers
set their own prices so that you can get the highest quality plant
material attainable and yet affordable, but this means that some of
the prices vary slightly.
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What do the various measures of plant growth mean?
- Slow: 0-6 inches per year
- Medium: 6-12 inches per year
- Fast: 12 or inches feet per year
- Plant Growth Habit:
- Cascading: Generally a horizontal, weeping form
- Fastigiate: This is a narrow up-right, columnar, it
probably won't become half as wide as it is tall.
- Globose: This is a globe like shape, that can become as
tall as it is broad.
- Pendulous: This is weeping and it usually will grow
close or along to the ground unless you stake it.
- Prostrate: This is a ground creeping habit, It usually
gets much wider that it is tall.
- Pyramidal: This is a conical habit. Pretty typical of
most conifers.
- Spreading: This plant has horizontal branching, and the
plant will most of the time be twice as wide at maturity as it is
tall.
- Upright Broad: These are ascending branches that tend to
spread with age, and usually becomes half as wide as tall.
- Upright Narrow: This means that the plant has lateral
branching that will vary, a narrow profile similar to Fastigiate
plants.
- Upright Open: This has lateral branching that is widely
spaced.
Hindu Pan
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Tiered
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Spiral
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Standard
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