Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations planting trees around the pond

I have a new pond near gainesville texas and wanted to plant trees around it. My wife wanted to plant willow trees but I thought I had read that they had a tendency to overgrow the shoreline. I wanted to plant pine trees and bald cypus with some red oaks. Has anyone experimented with different types of trees around their pond? Which ones performed the best for shade and holding the soil out of the pond?

You'll get better responses but for now a couple of areas of concern:
Leaf litter creates decomposing organics in pond bottom robbing oxygen or on the other extreem causing black muck.
Trees esp. willows can drop water levels in ponds esp in dry weather. Note Willow roots can grow 100 ft or more to reach your pond.
Absolutely no trees on dam.

Wild willows will spread and can take over in just four years. You may want to consider a weeping willow or two as they do not spread without help (or so I was told by the nursery guy). Pines or cedar are known to produce tannic acid problems in a pond. I tried some pecans but planted them too close to the water. They just never took off until I transplanted them. I found out later that ecans need to have about a six to eight foot reach to the water table for optimum growth. They also need to have their tap root freshly cut when transplanted.
Don't know anything about other tree types but I am sure the pond bosses will give some good advice. By the way, watch out for beaver. Nothing like going out to the old pond and finding a $150 tree stump.

Good luck.

James,

I must agree with Ric, no trees on either side of the dam. I also echo Dennis' note. The most prevalent willows in north Texas are Black Willows and they, like all willows, are weak wood and short to very short lived. The Black willows tend to be rather thin canopy so they do not create very desirable shade and should be avoided and eliminated.

The Weeping Willow is an ok choice and also a Globe Willow. The advantage of the Globe Willow is that the foliage usually does not grow below 5-6 ft. above ground level. This makes for a nice and low maintenance shade canopy.

Willows and also Bald Cypress are good at helping with erosion control because of their extensive and close to surface level root systems. The Bald Cypress foliage is going to be one of the lowest for organic load on the pond. Althought the knees on the more mature trees annoy some folks.

If you want fall color then the Red Oak you mention as well as Drummond Red Maple and Shantung Maple are great choices. The Drummond is very tolerant of moist soil/poorly drained soil, so it will work close to the pond. The Shantung is going to be the fastest growing of these trees providing a yellow to salmon color and the other two will provide great red fall color.

This really just scratches the surface of choices available to you. You do have some options for sourcing in the area just watch out for the shysters.

Good Luck,

JW

To the lee of the lake and closest to the water try always to plant evergreen coniferious type trees, the spruces, pines etc., that keep their leaves from blowing into the water. Up land and a little away from the buffer zone, on the downwards side of the winds, plant your decidious trees you what for effect and color. Add a few native grasses, shrubs and flowers and you should have quite a display of texture and color throughout the seasons. I was once told each willow tree near water is like having a 2" open tap draining your water and pond.... don't really no how true this may be????? But worth investigating beforehand.

Rowly