Emergency Tree Removal in Wilmington, DE is often necessary after strong storms. Some trees are in greater danger than others for storm damage and residents can appreciate the importance of keeping them healthy and strong. When working with a certified arborist to improve the overall tree and plant health of your landscaping, you may hear discussions of cabling and bracing your trees.
Recently we discussed that Stein Tree Service is certified to perform tree care services in all areas that have spotted lanternfly quarantines in effect. Now, you may have seen in the news that Pennsylvania has strengthened its efforts to control and eventually eliminate the invasive pest.
We have talked previously about the dangers of non-native plants and trees, and how much planting native species benefits the local ecosystem. But how do you know what the native species are? Below we list some of the native tree and shrub species for Delaware and Pennsylvania, to enable our community to more easily plan for native planting, as well as avoid some native species that can cause their own problems for homeowners, such as those prone to disease or vulnerable to pests like the emerald ash borer.
As you drive down the streets of our communities in Delaware, you see a wide variety of trees and shrubs, including evergreens that lend year-round color, and other trees that are beautiful in spring and fall. A few trees that are native to Delaware and which are particularly showy are:
The Pin Oak (Quercis palustris) and the White Ash tree (Fraxinus Americana) are also beautiful showy trees, but the first is prone to the fatal bacterial leaf scorch, and the ash is vulnerable to the destructive emerald ash borer. The River Birch (Betula nigra), whose bark adds interest year-round, and grows up to 40-60’ tall, but the appealing bark itself attracts the bronze birch borer.
If you enjoy evergreen trees, you might want to consider the native Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), with its blue/gray fall coloring, or the American Holly (Ilex opaca) with its deep green leaves and red berries in the winter).
Some beautiful native shrubs that will add interest to your landscape are the Red Bud (Cercis canadensis), Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and the Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). These examples are just a few of the choices you have when considering native trees and shrubs for your Delaware landscape.
Some of the same trees that are native to Delaware can also be found in Pennsylvania, as we are close neighbors.
Some particularly attractive varieties are the:
Some evergreen native varieties, are the Black Spruce (Picea mariana), Yellow Pine (Pinus echinata), and the tall Red Pine (Pinus Rinosa).
The Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), which can reach 70’ in height, is impressive, but is prone to the bacterial leaf scorch, like the pin oak. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), with its weeping branches is showy and smells good, but is often afflicted with fall webworms or tent caterpillars. The Pennsylvania state tree the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), is native to the area, but unfortunately, wooly adelgid, a pest native to Asia targets the tree, and without treatment, can starve the tree in 3-10 years. In its native habitat, the insect is controlled by environmental factors.
Native Pennsylvania shrubs include the fragrant Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) and the Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia). If you are looking for something to stabilize a bank, one good choice is the Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), which has a brilliant color in the fall.
According to the Lancaster County Planning Commission, whose site has a more extensive list of native PA trees and shrubs, Pennsylvania has more than 2,100 native plant species, so if you are looking to plant native, you have lots of choices.
Stein Tree Service’s professionals are passionate about tree care and about preserving our native environment. Our certified arborists and other tree care specialists are trained and have a great deal of experience with determining if your trees and plants are healthy. We are certified to treat for emerald ash borer in Pennsylvania and Delaware, and we provide whatever tree care service is needed to preserve the vitality of your plants and trees, from inspection, to tree removal and stump grinding. Contact us for more information about native trees or to schedule a free tree care consultation.
Wilmington, Delaware–March 3, 2019–Stein Tree Service announces that they are permitted to work in all spotted lanternfly quarantine areas of Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Tree care involves dangerous tasks, especially for those who are inexperienced. The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) claimed that 153 tree care-related occupational incidents occurred in 2016, and almost half, 93, proved fatal. These incidents occurred among trained professionals, so they could certainly happen when untrained people attempt hazardous tasks. Whenever you need to have tree care services performed in your landscape, play it safe and hire someone who cares for trees as a profession, like a certified arborist.
An arborist is someone who has studied and become knowledgeable about tree and plant health care. These professionals work to ensure that trees hare cared for in a manner that is environmentally sound. ISA, or the International Society of Arboriculture, provides certification after strict requirements have been met, including:
Once an arborist is certified, you can feel confident that he/she has the knowledge and experience needed to address tree care issues. Ongoing education is required to ensure that ISA certified arborists stay abreast of current best practices and safety concerns, and new issues, like the spreading emerald ash borer infestation. In addition, ISA Certified Arborists are held to a code of ethics. This code determines how an arborist will handle issues like chemical treatments, tree diseases and unhealthy tree practices such as tree topping.
We have discussed this issue before, but the subject bears repeating. Using an uninsured tree service professional, or any contractor, to perform work on your property is dangerous to you, and to the contractor. If a worker is injured, or if damage occurs during the course of the work, the homeowner would be responsible for the costs. Those costs could include repairs for damage to your property, your neighbor’s property, or medical treatment costs for injured parties, and they could add up to thousands of dollars.
Stein Tree has been in business for 35 years and we have seen homeowners fall victim to debts due to uninsured contractors. Our certified arborists, tree inspectors and all of our specialists are dedicated to ensuring our customers get exceptional tree care. We attend training seminars, follow safety protocols, and use the proper equipment for whatever task we are performing. For information or a free consultation about your tree care concerns, contact us today.
One of the benefits of hiring a professional tree care company to handle your tree care needs is that the company will have the tools necessary to complete the job, and the expertise to use them properly. In a blog last month, we discussed Stein Tree Service’s competitive advantage. We are the oldest independently owned tree care company in Delaware, but our equipment and knowledge are state of the art.
When we think about tree and plant health care, one thing that is often overlooked is how vital soil health is to the trees and plant life. In fact, roots play a more important role in the overall health of the tree than the canopy, or anything above the ground.
At Stein, we are always working to improve our tree care techniques and processes. To that end, we recently purchased an advanced new mini lift that will allow us to more easily and safely perform tree pruning or tree removal.
In 2017, we had two major winter storms bearing down on us, and the 2018 winter is already upon us. Though we may avoid getting snow from Bruce, residents should be prepared for winter weather. Heavy snow or ice precipitation, and windy storms could cause vulnerable trees to fall, or branches to be blown off of trees. These events present a danger to people and property. Before storm clean up becomes a necessity, residents still have time to get trees inspected, and to have any that are deemed threats, especially those overhanging structures or power lines, removed.
Competitive Advantage means that which makes a product or service valuable to a customer. Everyone wants to feel that they are getting the right value for their hard-earned money. We love our customers and we are passionate about providing exceptional tree care. As the oldest independently owned professional tree care service company in Delaware, we want our customers to feel good about our services, and confident that they have received the best tree care possible. We are pleased that many of our customers have used our services for years, or have been referred by existing customers.