Trees & Shrubs of Tiffin & Seneca County Exotics & Cultivars
Last week’s article was about several of the larger or largest outstanding trees of the local area that are native to Ohio. That listing includes less than half of the trees that could be found here. A goal is to have a complete list of all native trees of Seneca County.
This week’s list includes several of the more notable non-native trees and shrubs. It is also a highly incomplete listing of those that are already found here such as ones that are used in landscaping.
1. Chinese Elm, 15 Elita Street, 41 inches
Diameter Breast Height. These elms are fast growing and are resistant to
the blight.
2. Norway Maple, Greenlawn Cemetery, 45 inches
DBH. This maple is fast growing with dense foliage, but the roots are shallow.
Nice fall coloration of yellow mixed with red tones.
3. Yellow Wood, Greenlawn Cemetery, 31 inches
DBH. A handsome tree with smooth gray bark somewhat like a beech. Large
clusters of white flowers. Native to Southern Appalachians. Another example
is near the shelter at the Junior Home Park.
4. Horse Chestnut, Greenlawn Cemetery. 41
inches DBH. Each leaf has seven leaflets. (Buckeyes have five) This tree
is very common and much admired in Western Europe.
5. Austrian Pine, In front of Laird Science
Hall on Heidelberg Campus. Interesting distinct mottled bark.
6. Black Alder, 19 Chestnut Street, introduced
from Europe. Reported by Howard Hintz.
7. Mountain Ash, 145 Gross Street. 13 inches
DBH. Known for its large clusters of small apple shaped fruit that is very
showy in the fall and winter. Probably an European species. Reported by
Howard Hintz.
8. Dawn Redwood. 21 Rebecca Street, 36 inches
DBH. Discovered in 1944 by a Chinese botanist in Sichuan and Hubeh provinces.
Seeds were obtained in 1946 by the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard. Only very
distantly related to the redwoods and sequoias of our west coast. A beautiful,
fast growing tree with nice yellow fall coloration and deciduous leaves.
Easily propagated from cuttings.
9. Catalpa, 414 Miami Street, 45 inches DBH.
Native to the lower Ohio Valley and central Mississippi Valley. Now it
can be found in every county in Ohio. It is widely planted for fence posts
and as an ornamental.
10. Paulownia, 206 Ella Street. A very fast
growing tree. Native of China, it has showy blue-violet flowers. This tree
in the Stein’s yard may be too young or it may be too far north for it
to flower. It has large heart-shaped leaves.
11. Buckeye Bush. 199 Lincoln Road. This interesting
small tree (shrub) is about 8 feet tall with a spread of 12 feet. It is
probably mature. It flowers about July 4th whereas the common Ohio Buckeye
tree flowers in April. Its flower structure is about a foot across with
very showy white flowers. It is in the backyard of the Rose residence.
12. Copper Beech, 170 Sycamore, 44inches DBH.
This tree was probably planted at the time when the Kalnow home was built
in 1929. It is known by the Kalnow children as the elephant tree. It is
one of the most interesting shaped trees in Tiffin. There are several grafts
extending from one trunk to another. It is on the north side of the house.
13. Norway Spruce. 110 Mohawk Street. 35 inches
DBH. This tree is probably about 135 years old- the same age as the residence.
It has a major limb that is 15 inches in diameter. It is on the north side
of the house. There is an equally large Norway Spruce in front of the Mother
House at St Francis.
14. Saucer Magnolia, 110 Mohawk Street. 34
inches in diameter at 12 inches from the ground. It was planted by Nick
Sheeter in 1933. Large milky white petals with pink edges.
15. Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree) There
is a large specimen on the Perry Street side of the Administration Building
at Heidelberg. Another large specimen is in front of the Mother House at
St. Francis. Native only to the Chekiang Province of China, it is so different
from any other living tree that it is classified as a separate order. The
green leaves provide an extract which is clamed to help our memory.
16. Frazer’s Magnolia (Ear-Leafed Umbrella
tree), in the back yard of 110 Mohawk Street. It is native in the mountains
from West Virginia to Alabama. The white flowers are ten inches across.
17. Japanese Silk Lilac, 85 Ella Street. The
diameter at one foot from the ground is 15 inches. This tree may be 30
years old. Several more have been planted around Tiffin in yards and along
the streets. It has giant clusters of creamy white flowers that have a
wonderful aroma. These trees flower about six weeks after the common lilac.
Unlike the common, early lilac, there is a single trunk.
18. Kousa Dogwood, An example can be seen
on the Hoernemann Dining Hall side opposite Laird Science Hall at Heidelberg.
Some examples have been planted along the city streets. It is a very nice
small tree that flowers in early summer about two months after the native
dogwood flowers. It is said to be resistant to the disease attacking the
flowering dogwoods.
If you know of any non-native tree or shrub that might be of interest, please let me know and we can share that information with our readers.
– Percy