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Yarmap

Beach Fanatic
Jul 11, 2005
683
84
Northeast Alabama
I hope they are the kind that are native to the area & not the ones that grow tall. They will be the first to go in a high wind storm.
 

organicmama

Beach Fanatic
Jul 31, 2006
1,639
338
WNC
wncfarmtotable.org
I also noticed saw palmettos in the planters where flowers used to be near Shimmering Seas. The oaks are beautiful & I had to force the kids not to try to climb them yesterday.

I don't like palm trees, except where they naturally grow.... NOT HERE!!!!:D
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
I hope they are the kind that are native to the area & not the ones that grow tall. They will be the first to go in a high wind storm.

They are native and generally Pine trees are the first to go in a wind storm.
 

ShallowsNole

Beach Fanatic
Jun 22, 2005
4,292
849
Pt Washington
Only thing about oak trees - live oaks AND sand oaks, both of which are native here - is that their root system is very shallow. It branches out from the tree in all directions just under the soil surface, instead of down. This is why they are susceptible in storms.

This is also why contractors / landscapers should never use heavy equipment under or around live oaks, but that's another topic entirely. :roll:
 

beachmouse

Beach Fanatic
Dec 5, 2004
3,504
741
Bluewater Bay, FL
Pine tree stability varies by the type of pine. The non-native shortleaf pines that were planted because they grow big fast for paper and turpentine company use are horrible in terms of wind tolerance and go down in light tropical storms.

The native longleaf pines they're replanting in the state forests and Eglin reservation these days are significantly sturdier and actually do pretty well in higher wind conditions.

The right species of palm trees are some of the most wind-tolerant of them all.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
Pine tree stability varies by the type of pine. The non-native shortleaf pines that were planted because they grow big fast for paper and turpentine company use are horrible in terms of wind tolerance and go down in light tropical storms.

The native longleaf pines they're replanting in the state forests and Eglin reservation these days are significantly sturdier and actually do pretty well in higher wind conditions.

The right species of palm trees are some of the most wind-tolerant of them all.

Very true, in fact many of the paper pines were specifically bread to have very shallow root systems to make stump removal very easy.
 

Yarmap

Beach Fanatic
Jul 11, 2005
683
84
Northeast Alabama
You all are right about the hybred pines (loblolly). I lost over 10,000 of them in a storm on Mother' Day '08. All the pines were planted 17 yeare ago.

Some of the massive oaks that were blown down were over 75 years old. I measured some of the root balls that were over 20 feet in diameter.

The Weather Service estimated the winds at 70 to 90 mph. I counted 6 places where the tornado touched down on my property. In every spot it would clear about 4 acres. It took the loggers 3 &1/2 months to clear 90 acres. Looks like a war zone.

(fire wood anyone?)
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
You all are right about the hybred pines (loblolly). I lost over 10,000 of them in a storm on Mother' Day '08. All the pines were planted 17 yeare ago.

Some of the massive oaks that were blown down were over 75 years old. I measured some of the root balls that were over 20 feet in diameter.

The Weather Service estimated the winds at 70 to 90 mph. I counted 6 places where the tornado touched down on my property. In every spot it would clear about 4 acres. It took the loggers 3 &1/2 months to clear 90 acres. Looks like a war zone.

(fire wood anyone?)

Wow, of course a tornado will do what it wants and rearrange your property how it sees fit. Wish I had a need for firewood. I assume it would have to be cut and split?
 
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