The Life of a Little Tree

Despite ailments and insects, despite soil transplant shock and a strangling root, despite being planted too close to the house, and in defiance of all my gardening mistakes when I first moved here, this little tree has become something to look at. 

That's a pretty tree. But it wasn't always.

I planted a narrow, upright ironwood tree outside the guest room window to screen the too close view of the neighbor's house and utility meter. This is Parrotia persica 'Vanessa'. It's native to the mountains of Iran, well adapted to high elevation. And very narrow to fit the space.

Despite that, I planted it too close to my guest room window and way too close to the fence. 

It was a brave little thing when it first found itself planted here in 2018.

Cutter bees found it right away, and made their circular holes in the leaves. They don't damage plants, but a lot of holes on a tiny tree make it look pretty ragged. Then it developed chlorosis -- yellowed leaves that indicate iron deficiency and contribute to tree decline. 

You could see when the roots began to extend from the nursery root ball in 2019 and encountered the shock of native soil under the gravel. Leaves scorched, turned a funny bronze color and the tree looked unhappy.

Fall color was an acid olive yellow that was awful.

In spring of 2021 I noticed a root circling tight up against the trunk just below the soil level. There weren't many roots yet on this struggling tree in its cramped planting spot, and this was probably the largest one, but I cut it and waited for the stressed little tree to die.

But even as I knew this tree would never make it, I watered it faithfully. 

And in 2022 it suddenly looked wonderful. It put out richly green leaves, sent long whippy branches toward the sky and grew a ton.

Fall color last year was a bright lemon-lime and beautiful.

Seen from inside the guest room it filled the window. Although it doesn't quite hide the neighbor's utility meter. 

But I can't ask for more from this 'Vanessa' ironwood tree. After all its difficulties getting established here in this inhospitable place, it's now a beauty on its way to becoming a stunner.