What should you know before planting a tree? New Morton Arboretum exhibit has the answers
What tree species is best for your yard? How deep and wide will the roots grow? What factors do you need to consider when planting a tree in an urban area?
A new living exhibit at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle will have the answers.
The Gateway to Tree Science, opening June 8, is designed to inform homeowners, industry professionals and budding arborists of the best practices for growing and caring for trees. Set along a half-mile trail on the east side of the grounds at 4100 Route 53, the interactive, self-guided tour offers advice based on decades of research conducted at the Arboretum, said Nicole Cavender, vice president of science and conservation.
"This is an exhibit that helps demonstrate and really provide a more up-close look at tree science and the tree-focused work that we do here at the Arboretum," she said. "It's really geared toward helping educate people who work with trees ... and also trying to inspire the next generation of students and future tree scientists."
The exhibit is supported by the Arboretum's Growing Brilliantly campaign, a five-year effort that raised funds to expand tree development and the facility's work in science and conservation.
The tree demonstrations along the route are paired with informational panels that highlight various aspects of tree care, from the effects of soil type on a tree's growth to the consequences of planting trees under power lines, Cavender said.
Trees planted in cities and suburban areas often are subject to unique stresses, such as poor soil quality and a lack of space for roots to grow, she said. The exhibit addresses those issues and provides tips for transplanting trees from a nursery to an urban setting, protecting them from lightning and using cable to hold overextended branches together.
One section will demonstrate techniques for breeding resilient trees to help prevent pests and diseases.
In another area, trees that have been correctly pruned can be found alongside trees that haven't received proper care. As the exhibit grows and develops over time, the different stresses placed on certain trees - and their detrimental effects - will become more clear, Cavender said.
"It's a real-time experiment showing trees in different types of conditions," she said.
The site also will include an overview of tree biology and scientific processes, as well as information about a tree's benefits to the ecosystem, the evolution of trees and the Arboretum's ongoing conservation efforts.
"I think a lot of people will get something out of it," Cavender said. "We really want to support the tree care industry and (its) customers. ... We also wanted to have an area where students can come and wander, have a sense of the kind of science that takes place here and hopefully inspire them."
The exhibit is free with Arboretum admission and will be open daily from 7 a.m. to sunset. Additional information and demonstrations are expected to be added through the years, Cavender said.