The flora and fauna of nature compliment to the aesthetic beauty of its landscapes. Tall trees blooming with beautiful flowers are not only a treat to the eyes which impart a perfect picturesque view but are also a source to balance off climatic disorders. Taller the trees, more is its power to protect us from the violent ultraviolet rays of the sun and deeper are its roots to prevent soil erosion. The contribution of these tall elements of nature is inevitable in making our lives more comfortable than what it would have been without them, in their absence. It takes years for a tree to increase in height and achieve its highest level but man takes seconds to destroy it to fulfill his personal selfishness. Here is a list of 10 fastest growing trees in the world.
1. Crape myrtle
As its name suggests, this tree resembles crepe paper in delicacy and the different colors of flowers it produces, viz. shades of pink, red, white and purple. Botanical name being lagerstroemia indica, this tree blooms from July to September, needs full sunlight for fast growth and goes up to a height of 15 to 20 feet with a width of 6 to 15 feet. During fall season, its leaves acquire shades of red, orange and yellow.
2. Empress tree
The botanical name of this particular tree is Paulownia tomentosa. It shoots up very fast attaining 40 to 60 feet in height and width. Its lavender flowers emit rich scent and marvelous vigor and bloom during mid-spring. If sheltered from cold dry winds and given proper light requirements, this variety can adorn your backyard very quickly.
3. Dawn Redwood
This deciduous conifer variety, botanically known as Metasequoia glyptostrobioides, is a fast growing variety requiring moist waterlogged soil conditions for blooming insignificant flowers and attaining a height of 70 to 100 feet and a width of 25 feet. The light needs vary from full sun to light shades and it seldom needs pruning. Its needle-shaped green leaves turn orange brown in fall.
4. Leyland Cypress
These evergreen fence-like trees grow in rows and are compact symmetrical cone shaped. They grow as fast as about 3 feet per year achieving a height of up to120 feet and a width of 15 feet. Botanical name of this tree is Cupressocyparis leylandii and it needs full to light sun shades to attain its respective size.
5. Lombardy Poplar
Also known as Populus nigra italica in botanical terms, this tree grows parallel to its trunk as if reaching to the sky. Though short-lived in nature, this tree attains a height of up to 100 feet and a width of 15 feet. Its bloom time is early to mid-spring and its distinguishing factor is its red and green catkin flowers.
6. River Birch
As the name suggests, these trees look beautiful when grown near the banks of a river. Its papery peeling layers of bark and exfoliation reveals varied shades of orange, grey and lavender. Botanically known as Betula nigra, these trees bloom during early spring, achieve a height of 40 to 70 feet and a width of 40 to 60 feet and prefer drier conditions with moist acidic soil requirements.
7. Sweet Gum
These are fast growing conical-shaped trees with glossy green leaves that bloom with yellow green flowers during late spring time. Their botanical name is Liquidambar styraciflua, they attain a size of 60 to 75 feet high and 40 to 45 feet wide and require full sun rays and moist soil for their quick growth.
8. Tulip tree
These trees have beautiful blooms of six greenish yellow petals with an orange base, though these flowers appear only after 10 to 12 years of their plantation. Botanical name Liriodendron tulipifera, these trees bloom during early summer, attain a height of 70 to 90 feet and a width of 35 to 50 feet, require full to partial shade, moist soil and proper watering to avoid leaf yellowing.
9. Willow
This classic beauty is known as Salix in botanical terms and has mare than 300 species of its kind. Marked by twisted branches, these trees bloom during spring time. Their size varies greatly but in general they do not exceed 80 feet in height and 45 feet in width. They convert into a jungle of bushes, if their growth is not controlled. Their specialty is their small catkin flowers which need full sun to bloom and convert into a great winter ornament.
10. Japanese Zelkova
Botanical term Zelkova serrata, these trees procure a vase shape, the leaves of which are elliptical dark green that turn yellow, orange or red in fall. The popularity of these trees stands due to their capacity to tolerate drought conditions and various soil types. Their bloom time is spring, they require full to part sun and they go up to a height of 50 to 80 feet and a width of 40 to 50 feet.
To sum up, trees are nature’s most priced possession and we, as an effort to show our concern towards mother earth, should protect and nurture this heritage.
