How to Grow Hackberry Trees

A close up horizontal image of the foliage and green berries of Celtis occidentalis (hackberry tree).

Versatile, leafy, and easygoin, hackberry trees can thrive in locations where most other trees can’t. Working well in cities or in your backyard, they grow rapidly to provide shade, produce colorful berries, attract birds, and display iconic bark. These large trees are easy to maintain, giving much and asking little.

Tips for Growing Outdoor Weeping Fig Trees

A close up horizontal image of the foliage of a weeping fig tree (Ficus benjamina) growing outdoors.

Fussy indoors, weeping figs are hardy outside. But keeping them – and yourself – happy requires planting them in the right spot. Near sidewalks, plumbing, or pools, they can spell disaster. You can have a beautiful evergreen that works equally well in the landscape as it does as a hedge or topiary. Read more.

21 of the Best Japanese Maple Varieties

A close up horizontal image of the deep red autumn foliage of a Japanese maple tree growing in the garden.

Do you want a Japanese maple but can’t decide which one to choose? Learn about our top picks to help narrow down the wide array of colors, shapes, and sizes available. Our roundup introduces 21 of the prettiest, hardiest, and most unique Japanese maples out there so you can make the right choice for your garden.

A Guide to the Different Types of Japanese Maple Trees

A close up horizontal image of different varieties of Japanese maple trees growing in the garden.

Japanese maples come in a wide range of colors, sizes, and leaf shapes. There are trees with coral bark and some with pink foliage. Some have deeply-lobed leaves, while others have distinct variegation. How do you make sense of all the different types? This guide explains the different categories of Japanese maples.

How to Grow Japanese Maple Trees

A horizontal image of a Japanese maple tree growing in a formal garden.

Do you need a focal point for your landscape? With a plethora of cultivars, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for in a Japanese maple. From weeping dwarf trees to tall ones covered in scarlet foliage, there’s a massive range to select from. In this guide, we’ll talk about how to select, plant, and grow one.

Growing Avocado Seeds: A Fun Project to Do with the Kids

A close up horizontal image of a small glass with an avocado seed held in the water with toothpicks, set on a wooden surface with a wooden wall in the background.

Store bought avocado seeds can be turned into a simple, fun project that you can do with children, at home or in the classroom. This educational activity extends learning opportunities through the summer. Demonstrate the plant life cycle and spark a love of gardening by growing a lovely tree to enjoy for years to come.

How to Grow and Care for Olive Trees

Green and purple olives grow on a branch with long, narrow green leaves.

Learn everything you need to know about how to grow the majestic olive tree, a large plant that makes a dramatic landscape statement while providing delicious fruit that’s suitable for preserving in brine, oil, or water, or for pressing to make a flavorful oil that’s beloved by cooks around the world. Read more now.

9 of the Best Cold Hardy Avocado Trees

A close up of an avocado tree with fruit hanging from the branch, surrounded by leaves with snow and a mountain in the background in bright sunshine.

If you live in a colder climate but still want to grow avocados, you’ll need to choose a cold-hardy variety. Luckily, there are several cultivars available that can tolerate the cold, and still thrive. Discover the best cold tolerant avocado varieties that can withstand freezing temperatures and still produce fruit.

Your Fall Tree Planting Guide

A pair of human hands plants a tree sapling in early fall.

To get insider tips on why fall is the best time to plant trees in your landscape, discover what “fall” actually means, depending on what part of the country you live in, and get expert advice about all the steps involved in planting trees for the maximum chances of success, read more now.

How to Manage Root Rot in Fruit, Nut, and Landscape Trees and Shrubs

Tree roots infected with root rot.

Phytophthora and the fungi Armillaria, Phymatotrichum, and Xylaria can all cause devastating cases of root rot on fruit, nut, and landscape trees along with woody shrubs. Prevention is the best way to manage these diseases. Read on to learn the best ways to avoid these diseases and biocontrol agents and fungicides that may help with Phytophthora root rot.

What’s the Difference Between Tree Burr Knots (Burl) and Crown Galls?

Close up of an old tree limb with burrs or burl growth.

Do your shade, nut, or fruit tree limbs and trunks have unsightly growths on them? If so, they are probably burr knots or crown gall. One is due to roots growing on the stems, while the other is a bacterial infection. Prevention is the best bet for these disorders. Learn how to prevent and, in some cases, control them.

How to Grow and Care for Avocado Trees

Ripe avocados hanging from a tree.

Thinking of suspending an avocado pit over water in hopes of producing some of the buttery green fruit? Learn whether this is a good idea, and other tips and tricks for growing “alligator pears” in your own backyard.

Grow Your Own Gorgeous Mulberry Trees

A close up photo of mulberries hanging on tree branches along with green leaves | Gardener's Path

Mulberry trees have a short harvest season but produce ample fruits for all of your favorite pies, jellies, and wines. See what it takes to propagate this fast-growing tree and why it makes a beautiful addition to any yard or garden. Learn the basics for care in our growing guide on Gardener’s Path.

How to Grow and Care for Pecan Trees

Two tall and many shorter pecan trees growing in a green lawn, in the late afternoon.

Imagine placing a homemade pie on the Thanksgiving table, made from pecans from your own backyard tree. With a heavy dose of patience, some serious pruning, and lots of water, this dream can come true. Now on Gardener’s Path, learn how to grow these massive, stately, and fruitful trees in your landscape. Read more now.

15 Best Deer-Resistant Landscape Trees for Your Yard

Deer Munching Tree Cover | GardenersPath.com

Love ‘em or not, deer are going to be around for as long as we’ve got gardens. The best way to prevent damage is to avoid offering up trees and plants they find palatable, and to fill the landscape with resistant flora. Check out our list of the top deer-resistant trees for your growing zone now on Gardener’s Path.

How to Grow and Care for Chinese Fringe Flower Shrubs

A Chinese fringe flower is growing alongside a rough, wooden fence. The plant has bright pink and narrow petals reaching out in all directions.

Bring unique flair to your landscape with Chinese fringe flower, a vigorous grower with delicate, frilly pink or white blooms in the springtime. Whether it’s pruned to shrub size or allowed to flourish to tree proportions, this easy-care evergreen plant makes a wonderful addition to Southern gardens. Read more now.

What to Do When the Top of Your Tree Dies

Hire a Certified Arborist to Deal with Dead Branches | GardenersPath.com

It is frustrating and alarming when the top part of an otherwise healthy tree dies inexplicably. Want to learn why this happens, how you can treat this odd problem, and how to prevent it from happening to other trees in the future? Our expert tips can help. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.

12 Fast-Growing Shade Trees for Your Yard

The Best Shade Trees that Grow Quickly | GardenersPath.com

Shade trees are natural climate control for your home and yard. They offer protection from the light and heat of the sun and can serve as a buffer against strong, cold winds that whip heat away from the house. Gardener’s Path has compiled a selection of fast-growing shade trees, excellent selections for your home in every US Hardiness Zone. Read more.

Conifer Confusion: An Identification Guide for Pine, Spruce, and Fir Trees

Close up image of the needles of an evergreen tree.

What the heck is that conifer tree? Chalk it up to “Problems Only Gardeners Face,” but it’s a pain in the booty deducing whether a tree is a pine, spruce, or fir. Learning the differences between these trees can be a challenge, but it’s a rewarding one. Continue reading on Gardener’s Path now for our sure-thing identification guidelines.

Propagating a New Species: A Man, a Tree, and a Legacy

Developing a new tree species. | GardenersPath.com

Meet Bob Piaschyk, a smart and determined Texas nurseryman whose sharp eyes identified a beautiful and unusual tree. With luck, its propagation could lead to the financing of his grandkids’ educations. Learn about his quest now at Gardener’s Path.

Death by Black Walnut: The Facts on Juglone Toxicity

Is juglone toxicity from black walnuts a problem in your yard? | GardenersPath.com

Have you heard of juglone toxicity? This side effect of keeping black walnut trees may be killing your other plants. Learn what fruits and flowers can withstand living near the tree and how to properly treat sensitive plants with our owner’s guide on Gardener’s Path.

The Top 5 Reasons You Should Plant Mexican White Oak

Consider adding a Mexican White Oak tree to your landscape | GardenersPath.com

If a top university recommends this tree for its own campus, you know it’s gotta be good. We share five unbeatable reasons why you should plant a fast-growing and easy-care Monterrey oak tree in your landscape — learn more now at Gardener’s Path.

Leave the Butchery Behind: How to Properly Prune Crape Myrtle Trees

Pink crape myrtle blooms on properly pruned tree | GardenersPath.com

The crape myrtle is celebrated for its abundant groupings of colorful and delicate flowers in hues from white to deep red. If you know anything about these trees, you know that pruning them is a subject of great debate. To learn the proper way to trim crape myrtle trees, read more now on Gardener’s Path.

4 Best Flowering Cherry Trees to Grow in the South

Top Cherry Trees for the South

If would take the better portion of a day to name every variety of cherry tree. All of them lovely and all originating from China and Japan. Some grow small and compact, others grow tall and provide shade, some produce cherries while others are strictly ornamental. All varieties of this flowering tree will grow well …

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