TREE CATALOG
TREE SHAPE
F orm & F unction : C hoosing a T ree S h a pe T h a t F its
C hoosing the right tree sh a pe is key to long - term success . W hile m a ny species n a tur a lly develop strong , b a l a nced structures , cultiv a ted v a rieties bred for specific sh a pes often h a ve structur a l we a knesses . O ver the l a st century , nurseries h a ve selected trees to be sm a ller , n a rrower , or more comp a ct . W hile these a ltered forms m a y seem convenient , they often result in we a ker br a nch a tt a chments , m a king trees more prone to storm d a m a ge . Ma ny require frequent pruning to m a int a in their intended sh a pe , a dding to long - term m a inten a nce needs . I n m a ny c a ses , cultiv a ted trees a lso h a ve shorter lifesp a ns th a n their n a tur a lly growing counterp a rts .
F or urb a n environments , trees th a t grow in their n a tur a l form tend to be stronger , more resilient , a nd lower m a inten a nce . A well - chosen tree will thrive for dec a des , providing l a sting benefits without the a dded risk of structur a l f a ilure or excessive upkeep .
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