Least favorite trees

[RyanLeClair]

Now that Bountreehunter has made a 3 Favorite Trees thread, maybe it would be funny in a tasteless sort of way to list our LEAST favorite trees. Nothing too vicious, it's all tongue-in-cheek ;)

If you can include a blurb with your three choices. Here's a hilarious blurb by Michael Dirr on white mulberry:

"LANDSCAPE VALUE: none. According to a landscape architect, whose name will remain anonymous, this tree has excellent color, texture and form; possibly she and I are thinking of different trees; the only beneficiaries are the birds and the silkworms..."

Again, be nice to the trees! Don't be too harsh!

[Rand]

Lime Prickly Ash

- It blends seamlessly into the sea of spice bush until it rips you a good one with its nasty little thorns mounted on stiff little branches.

[bountreehunter]

All love it Ryan, great idea. This one is a piece of cake. You did not say native trees so i am including non natives in this question

#1 Ailanthus, in fact i despise and loathe this tree, i would call it the Tree of Hell but somehow this invasive species got called the tree of Heaven, yeah right, if this tree is there i want no parts of heaven. Its ugly, grows like a weed and it is impossible to Kill.
#2 Boxelder- there is not a blessed thing that one can say about this tree aesthetically or that is benificial. if anyone knows of a positive trait for this tree, i want to know it so i won't hate this tree so much.
#3 Paper mulberry- Invasive and destructive.

[RyanLeClair]

Yep non-natives count. I agree with you on the ailanthus. Pretty foliage, but nondescript bark and shape.

[AndrewJoslin]

I cannot hate a tree ;-). Subjectivity and context skews the "least favorite" list perhaps more than the favorite list.

For example, while visiting in Norway a few years back I came across some fine Norway Maple in woods outside of Bergen. They were quite beautiful in their native habitat.

In a patch of woods in Boston I found a grand old Ailanthus growing among some big white oak and witch hazel understory. Someone had tried to kill it by girdling it with copper nails. It seemed to be shrugging that attempt off. Seeing it in that context I tried to imagine what an old-growth Ailanthus looks like in its native habitat.

Point being it's likely every tree species has the chance to be impressive in its native habitat. Ailanthus is an odd tree for sure, but there's something about it I like. (donning flame suit)
-AJ

[jamesrobertsmith]

I concur. I like most trees. I don't care for invasive species, nor introduced species--Norway spruce being a rare exception.

As a walker/hiker, I'm not very fund of Sweet gum trees because of the gum balls. But it's a flat gorgeous tree to look at.

[Will Blozan]

For natives:

Boxelder just seems to be in a hurry to die or fall apart.

Ash are in general exceedingly non-interesting (with a FEW exceptions)

For exotics:

Paulownia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like Ailanthus for it's form but hate it's eco-destruction.

Privet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nuf said.

[RyanLeClair]

Some of you are breaking the no-harshness rule ;)

These are really funny to read.

[Chris]

As far as natives go, Hackberry. It seems like they are "ratty" looking. When their leaves aren't covered in galls, they are falling off with a dull, gray, paper texture.

[Rand]

As far as natives go, Hackberry. It seems like they are "ratty" looking. When their leaves aren't covered in galls, they are falling off with a dull, gray, paper texture.

Yeah, sometimes they get infested with witches brooms and then they are -really- ratty looking.

On the other hand on wet sites they can develop pretty well, and have a nice rounded, well formed crown, similar to a white oak.