{"id":151,"date":"2013-02-03T12:28:58","date_gmt":"2013-02-03T17:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/02\/tree-commission-offers-chaste-trees-wholesale.html"},"modified":"2013-02-03T12:28:58","modified_gmt":"2013-02-03T17:28:58","slug":"tree-commission-offers-chaste-trees-wholesale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/02\/tree-commission-offers-chaste-trees-wholesale.html","title":{"rendered":"Tree Commission offers Chaste trees wholesale"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\n\"Tree<\/a>\nThe Valdosta Tree Commission is offering Chaste trees\n“to citizens at wholesale prices with the hopes of planting 100 trees in the city limits”, but this may actually be a bad idea, since this\nspecies is exotic, does not support local insects and birds,\nand in Texas has become invasive.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe Tree Commission’s writeup says this tree:\n<\/p>\n

\n“has no serious pest problems and attract butterflies to the garden.”\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n\n\"Bringing<\/a>\nThat first phrase is a red flag after reading\n\nDr. Douglas Tallamy’s book, Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants<\/a>.\nLocal insects mostly cannot eat exotic plants,\nand local birds eat local insects, so planting exotic trees\nmay look good, but is not helpful to native insects and birds.\nYes, Chaste trees may attract some<\/em> butterflies,\nbut how many, compared to native trees?\nAnd “no serious pest problems” means not many native insects munching\non the leaves or stems of the tree.\n<\/p>\n

\nSo what to plant instead?\nSee \nnext post.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\nThe City of Valdosta posted PR 3 January 2013,\n\nVTC Offers Chaste Trees at Wholesale Prices to Encourage Tree Planting<\/a>,\n<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

\nThe Valdosta Tree Commission is offering Chaste Trees (Shoal Creek)\n\n\"Tree<\/a>\nto citizens at wholesale prices with the hopes of planting 100 trees\nin the city limits. The commission has purchased Chaste Trees, also\nknown by its botanical name Vitex agnus-castus, and is selling the\ntrees to the public at the following wholesale prices: 3-gallon\ntrees cost $10.00 and are 16 to 18 inches tall, and 5-gallon trees\ncost $14.00 and are 22 to 24 inches tall.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis time of the year is the best time to plant trees. We\nhope this tree-selling event encourages citizens to purchase the\ntrees at this excellent price, plant the trees, and be inspired to\nplant more trees in the future for the beauty and environmental\nbenefits to our community,\u201d said Valdosta Tree Commission Vice\nChair Amy Hall.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe commission hopes to make this an annual event and will select a\ndifferent tree each year. The Gingko biloba tree was offered as last\nyear’s tree and the sale was successful. The Chaste Tree was\nselected this year as a small accent or specimen tree. A true show\nstopper, it has beautiful, brilliant violet blue blooms and silvery,\nlacy foliage along with a sweet fragrant aroma. The Chaste Tree is\ndrought tolerant once established, has no serious pest problems and\nattracts butterflies to the garden.\n<\/p>\n

\nChecks made payable to the Valdosta Tree Commission should be mailed\nby Jan. 20, 2013, to Amy Hall, c\/o Valdosta Tree Commission, PO Box\n1125, Valdosta, GA 31603. Purchased trees may be picked up at\nWiregrass Georgia Technical College, Horticultural greenhouses,\nbehind Berrien Hall on Friday, Feb. 1, from 3-6 p.m. or on Saturday,\nFeb. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon.\n<\/p>\n

\nFor more information, call Hall at (229) 561-5173 or Terrie May at\n(229)241-7220.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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