When you walk through your yard, what do you see? Or want to see? If you are like many homeowners, you want a yard that is aesthetically pleasing and that you can enjoy throughout the year. If you picture exactly what you want, is it clean? If it is, how did it get so clean? Most homeowners have so much to do between work, errands, and family responsibilities that dedicating a lot of time to the upkeep of their yard just isn’t possible, nor is it ideal. While you can consider hiring someone to come and clean up any unwanted debris from your plants and trees, that can get expensive, and planning ahead is more likely to save you time, money, and stress.
At Mr. Tree, we know how enhancing trees can be for your yard. They provide shade during the summer, windbreaks during the winter, and often increase property values with their curb appeal. While there’s so much that the right tree can do for you, we want to help you choose trees that will also not do the wrong things for you, like creating a mess in your tidy yard. We want to tell you about some seedless tree options that can bring you what you’re looking for while avoiding some of the extra hassle.
‘Autumn Blaze’ Maple
When purchasing your trees, it’s not only about what you see but what you know, and if you don’t know about the tree, ask an expert. Seedless trees require less upkeep. Most trees, especially deciduous trees, come with the annual fall of leaves that have to be raked, but fruit and seed-bearing trees increase the work exponentially. While maples are commonly known for having helicopter seeds that can get all over the yard, sidewalk, and driveway, there are varietals and cultivars, like some hybrids or male selections, that don’t share this trait. The ‘Autumn Blaze’ maple is one such cultivar.
A cross between a red and silver maple, this tree thrives in plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. The ‘Autumn Blaze’ grows quite swiftly at over three feet per year. It’s both drought- and moisture-tolerant and, as the name indicates, lends itself to beautiful red leaves in the fall. Another advantage of ‘Autumn Blaze’ maples is that they’re rather resistant to pests and diseases. While you will have to deal with the standard fall raking, you won’t find excess organic matter to clean up.
Ash
Within the ash family (Fraxinus), there are a few seedless cultivars to choose from. To find an ash tree that’s seedless, you have to specifically look for male clones. The ‘Raywood’ ash, or Fraxinus oxycarpa ‘Raywood’, is a particularly notable specimen that can reach up to 80 feet in height but is more commonly 40 to 50 feet tall with a width of about 25 feet. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8 and tolerates loamy, well-drained, acidic, and slightly alkaline soils.
The ‘Raywood’ ash can also tolerate drought well and is resilient to pests and diseases. What makes this particular species desirable is not only its nice oval shape and bright foliage, but also the striking red and purple of the leaves in autumn before they fall. It’s a beautiful seedless tree addition to any tidy yard.
While there are other seedless ash cultivars, like the ‘Marshall’s Seedless’ green ash and ‘Rosehill’ white ash, be sure to talk to an arborist about what would be the best options for your home. Some species can struggle more than others with pest resistance or branch strength, and no one wants to see their lovely trees or homes damaged.
‘Swan Hill’ Olive Tree
For those who enjoy the look of fruiting trees but don’t want the mess that accompanies them, the ‘Swan Hill’ olive tree is a perfect choice. Because this cultivar doesn’t spend energy to develop fruit, it also tends to grow a little faster, at an average rate of over two feet per year. This beautiful tree with dark green foliage can reach up to 35 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide at maturity.
It thrives in hardiness zones 8 through 11 and prefers well-drained, nutrient-poor soils like sandy, loamy, and clay soils. For those who are pollen sensitive, another highlight to the ‘Swan Hill’ is that it only releases about 1 percent of the pollen other fruiting olives spread in the spring. Your nose can rest easy with this specimen in your yard.
White Mulberry
Native to China, this fast-growing, densely canopied tree can bring your yard plenty of shade. Originally imported for the silkworm industry, this large spacious tree reaches heights and widths of 30 to 50 feet at maturity. It can tolerate acidic and alkaline soils as well as drought conditions. However, it prefers moist and well-drained soils.
Thriving in hardiness zones 4 through 9, the dark green summer foliage leads into yellow fall leaves bringing a nice curb appeal to any home. It’s important to ensure you’ve planted a male seedless variety, though, as the female trees can produce messy fruit. For help, be sure to reach out to a tree specialist.
Arborvitae
While not a truly seedless tree option, arborvitae is, however, a tidy and low-maintenance option to consider for your yard. Due to its versatility of being a border for privacy, a windbreak, or a simple and classic beauty in your yard, this easy-care tree is perfect for low-maintenance tidy yards.
The arborvitae thrives in hardiness zones 3 to 7 and can reach heights of 40 to 60 feet. It grows at a rate of about 12 to 24 inches each year and grows well in most soil compositions. As an evergreen, you won’t have to deal with raking the fall leaves, and as long as it’s pruned and managed, the reddish-brown, oblong cones it can produce are easily managed.
The trick to finding great seedless options is consulting trained specialists, like at Mr. Tree. We can help you determine the right seedless trees for your tidy yard. We can also assist with their care throughout the life of your trees, including, pruning, trimming, and more.