Hi everyone! I am seeking advice on trees! I live on a very busy road and am looking for a tree that is sturdy and thick trunked, that would do well at slowing down a speeding car if it goes off the road. But it can't be too tall because the power lines run on my side of the road. If it could be fast growing that would be even better.

I'm in northwest Florida and a lot of traditional, more well known trees aren't suitable for this climate. I really have no idea what I could plant that could fit these criteria, if anything even exists. I appreciate any suggestions!

Perhaps multi-trunked Crape Myrtle would work; they are available in many varieties that grow to different heights. While it is gaining bulk, it could "staked" with several T posts which would defend your property from careless drivers.

So... just south of Dothan....
Plenty of stuff would be happy there.

We need more information... soil type... sand? clay? standing water? droughty?

How long have you lived in the area?

My first thought was maybe a river birch for the same reasons given above... with the additional virtue of being locally native...

Having the power lines overhead... that's an issue... you may need to stick with shrubs... like maybe wax myrtle, rose of sharon, camellia, beauty berry, maybe one of the deciduous hollies... or Vaccinium arboreum (farkleberry)... You're going to be spoiled for choices... once you start looking at what grows in the area.

How about a cement blocked wall and nix the trees due to the powerlines?

stone said: So... just south of Dothan....
Plenty of stuff would be happy there.

We need more information... soil type... sand? clay? standing water? droughty?

How long have you lived in the area?

My first thought was maybe a river birch for the same reasons given above... with the additional virtue of being locally native...

Having the power lines overhead... that's an issue... you may need to stick with shrubs... like maybe wax myrtle, rose of sharon, camellia, beauty berry, maybe one of the deciduous hollies... or Vaccinium arboreum (farkleberry)... You're going to be spoiled for choices... once you start looking at what grows in the area.

I've been here about six years and I've pretty much focused only on fruit trees and gardening so I know almost nothing about decorative trees! I've seen and like camellias, there are tons of azaleas so I know they do well, I have considered yaupon holly, so I could harvest the leaves for tea but I don't know if they'd be any good after being in car exhaust.

I guess there's nothing that's short but super thick trunked that would stop a car. I only say this because a guy wrapped his car around the pole in front of my house yesterday and it got me thinking (he is gonna be ok they say, thank goodness).

Thank you for the suggestions

karmahappytoes said: How about a cement blocked wall and nix the trees due to the powerlines?

If I could afford that, it would be my definite first choice! My farm fence cost me 12k so I don't see how I could afford even just a bit of a cement wall. Maybe if I win the lottery one day!

It will be years before a tree is big enough to stop a car. My friend had this problem in my home town - people wrapped themselves around her barrier trees (gigantic Eucalyptus) regularly. The power company had to come out every year and top the trees. Finally they got tired of the maintenance and took out her trees but replaced them with a crash rated bollard barrier. She planted shrubs in between so you can't see the bollards but no cars in her livingroom either.

This tree beat every car that ever took it on.

What happened to the poor tree?

What I want to know is why there is a "no stopping" sign sticking out of the windshield. Too bad that driver didn't heed the sign.

A joke, perhaps?