Suggestions for playround tree species

S

syeblue

I am involved in a playground restoration project for a small school in Southern Illinois. They lost about 60% of their trees in a spring 09 storm. I am looking for a few suggestions of interesting, hardy tree species, that can handle significant foot traffic around their roots and normal 'abuse' from living on a elementary school playground.
We wanted to mix long term planning of large magestic trees as well as short term, faster growing small trees.

Thanks
 
Honeylocust (yeah, laugh all you insect pest experts, I know) Good tree for root compaction, and an excellent tree for a light dappled shade, not overly dense and cave-like. When designing playgrounds most people forget the place for the parents/supervisors/teachers to sit in the shade and watch.

Tim
 
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Honeylocust (yeah, laugh all you insect pest experts, I know) Good tree for root compaction, and an excellent tree for a light dappled shade, not overly dense and cave-like. When designing playgrounds most people forget the place for the parents/supervisors/teachers to sit in the shade and watch.

Tim

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I totally agree with you...plus the pest problems might be lower because of no trees around it like he said...because of the storm...but we need more info if you want more help like site conditions and such....maybe some pics of the area...as your the long term look towards you white oaks Quercus alba...or anything along those lines...now laugh at this as well but your silver maple is a fast growing tree and is a really good tree but it needs to be maintained....
 
I agree with Honeylocust and White Oak, but the Oak won't like the foot traffic as much, and the HL can develop trip hazard type surface roots. I'll add 'DED resitant Elms or Hybrids' to the suggestions as well. Or a Hackberry.

I like to plant trees that have a fun educational element near places where kids will be. They'll tend to remember that interesting name or quality, which is cool. Some that I have used are Baldcypress or Dawn redwood (deciduous needle leaf), Golden Raintree (cool flowers and pods, recognizable name), Japanese Zelkova (durability and interest), Star Magnolia (fragrance and early season interest), Red Maple (RI State tree), and some that I can't think of right now.

Another fun idea would be lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana). I'm pretty sure they can handle a partially constructed environment, and the kids would like the white bark. And saying 'bungeana.'

-Tom
 
shumard oak, nuttal oak, chinkapin oak, legacy sugar maple, yoshino flowering cherry, ginko, saw tooth oak grows really fast but i see bad included bark issues.

i like the above suggestions of honey locust and especially bald cypress/dawn redwood

for evergreen i like deodar cedar, alaskan weeping cedar, crytomeria japonica, and sad I can only think of red cedar as a native, the japanese took my lovely hemlocks.
 
to add a few to those listed above:
river birch, kentucky coffeetree, japanese pagoda trees

Anyone have much experience with Miyabe maple? I think it would be a good suggestion, but I'm not sure how well it would tolerate compaction
 
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London Plane Tree?

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I wouldn't think that the LPT particulates that cause people to cough would be much good for that setting.
 
I was thinking the same thing about the Planetree.

How about River birch? Fast growing, compaction tolerant, not-too-dense shade, interesting bark.

-Tom
 
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