Strongest Quickest Growing Tree?!

WaltKowalski

We'd love to build a treehouse in our garden in a few years, but it's currently tree-less.

What do you suggest we plant to accommodate same at some time in the future?

magicbastarder

i suggest you plant a 50 year old oak in your garden.

WaltKowalski

Smart!

Aren't Alder trees are relatively quick growing, but they don't look like a good load bearing tree.

lottpaul

Alders would grow quickly but would hardly support a bird-box.
How big is your garden -- and how soon do you plan to build the house?
Some types of eucalyptus will grow very quickly e.g. snow gum, but there is no guarantee that the branches would be strong enough to support a tree house in any reasonable period of time.
Why not build a secure/safe tree house on stilts and grow creepers. climbers all around it? A Russian vine would cover anything in a few years -- or you could opt for something like clematis, boston ivy etc. Or make a "living tree house" from willow?

ymurtagh

move house!!!

magicbastarder

my parents in law had a eucalyptus big enough to take a treehouse, but it was 25 years old.

WaltKowalski

I like those ideas lottpaul, thanks.
Construction is completed. Back garden is 1/2 acre and bare.

paddy147

Treehouse/Playhouse built up off the ground on some 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 pressure treated wooden stilts (cross braced) and then plant young trees around your plot and enjoy watching them grow over the years to come.

looksee

If a tree grows fast enough for a tree house to still be relevant, its going to continue growing after the tree house is in it, and all sorts of strange things will happen! I agree with the others, put it on stilts and grow stuff up it. A clematis montana would be amazing!

paddy147

magicbastarder wrote: »

my parents in law had a eucalyptus big enough to take a treehouse, but it was 25 years old.

You would love Mount Usher Gardens is Ashford,County Wicklow.


http://www.mountushergardens.ie/




Amazing place to stroll around and enjoy the beauty and riverside walks.

Some of the biggest/tallest eucalyptus trees in Ireland.:)

wildlifeboy

another alternative with the tree house on stilts is to plant a tree right in the centre and create a hole in the base and the roof to accomadate the growth over the years. you can seal it on the roof with a waterproof membrane that has some leeway. your kids will be in there thirties by the time its established but your grandkids will love it

magicbastarder

paddy147 wrote: »

Some of the biggest/tallest eucalyptus trees in Ireland.:)

did they survive the cold snap of two years ago?
the tree i mentioned was recently felled as the cold killed it - and a lot of eucalypts were done in by it.

Oldtree

fast growing trees scrifice strength for height. Stilts with surrounding plantings is what you want. Cheapest stilts are 4 inch round fence posts and they are probably high enough to be safe for most kids.

paddy147

magicbastarder wrote: »

did they survive the cold snap of two years ago?
the tree i mentioned was recently felled as the cold killed it - and a lot of eucalypts were done in by it.

Yep still going strong.

I was only down there early last month and the colour of all the foliage was amazing to see and enjoy.

The river was in full flow and the waterfalls were lovely to sit beside and relax.


I have some pictures on an SD card,so I will dig it out and post a few pics later on.

Oldtree

thread in forestry on "Did Eucalyptus survive the frosts in 2011"

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056570213

The Garden Shop

If you want a tree house but can't wait 15 years for the tree to be large enough you should instead plant a large alder tree and build a tree house on stilts beside it.

In time the alder will grow and can be pruned to grow around the tree house.

Alder are the faster growing trees in Ireland

Buy a semi-mature one with a stem girth of approx 20-25 cm and in 4 to 5 yrs the tree should be large enough to grow around your tree house.

Alder trees of 20-25cm stem girth should cost approx 250 euros

Oldtree

The Garden Shop wrote: »

If you want a tree house but can't wait 15 years for the tree to be large enough you should instead plant a large alder tree and build a tree house on stilts beside it.

In time the alder will grow and can be pruned to grow around the tree house.

Alder are the faster growing trees in Ireland

Buy a semi-mature one with a stem girth of approx 20-25 cm and in 4 to 5 yrs the tree should be large enough to grow around your tree house.

Alder trees of 20-25cm stem girth should cost approx 250 euros

Wouldnt it be much cheaper to buy alder whips which would be up to a decent height in 4-5 years and only cost €1 each? Semi-Mature tree planting of the size you suggest is frought with difficulties and the whips will pass out the performance of the semi matures in no time at all.

planetX

I have a bay willow (self-seeded) that grew to good climbing size in around 7 or 8 years. You wouldn't get anything faster than that.
house on stilts is your best bet.

WaltKowalski

Thanks for all the replies.
Stilts it is!