Your tree planting essentials
Plus: The news of the week — City shelves bus center plans; Big uptown benefit concert today; Aldersgate issues inspire new rules; Luxury services aimed at new parents
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Backyard & Beyond: How to grow beauty, resilience and value in your Charlotte yard
Welcome to Backyard & Beyond, our occasional series of stories aimed at giving you gardening ideas and inspiration. Whether you long to grow some of your own food, ditch your cookie-cutter landscaping or just make your yard more welcoming, we’re here for you!
by Amber Veverka
For 23 years, Pamm Cantey gardened a half-acre lot in south Charlotte, and for many of those years, autumn would find her adding a tree to their property. She and her husband, Larry, loved their leafy lot — and when they moved, they left a legacy of shade and beauty for the neighborhood to enjoy.
“To be among trees, it’s life-giving,” Cantey said.
Tree-planting could be our most important garden endeavor, one whose results outlast us all. Tree cover at private homes adds $1.9 billion annually to property values across North Carolina, according to an Arbor Day Foundation report, making this one of the top 10 states in the U.S. for the value urban trees provide.
Yard trees in good condition can add 10% to 20% to the resale value of your home, the group also found. When the Canteys decided to move, “the yard was certainly a selling point,” she said.
Hurricane Helene took out trees in some Charlotte yards. Now, in prime tree-planting season, local experts say it’s a good reminder to check the health of your trees — and to plant smart choices for the future.
Planting with wind in mind
If there are two trees you don’t want in high wind they just might be: Trees with limbs overhanging your house. And Bradford pears anywhere. Limbs can be trimmed back if need be. And as for Bradford pears, they are notorious for splitting — and, given that most were planted near streets — falling on parked cars.
Before you rush to have mature trees cut down, hire a certified arborist to check their health, said Alex Smith, urban forest manager with Trees Charlotte, a nonprofit that plants trees to restore Charlotte’s tree canopy.
Plant new large-species trees 30 feet or more away from your home, Smith said, and of course for any tree planting, call 811 to locate buried utilities before you dig. The hole should be twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper than the tree sits in its pot. Water regularly for the first few years. Mulch is good, but don’t heap it up next to the bark, where it can cause rot.
Want varieties less prone to snapping in storms? Stay away from white pines, Smith said. “They are notorious for wind-throw.” Other pines — loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf — are safer, but they do have smaller root balls than, say, an oak.
Smith urges homeowners to use “a long-term lens” and plant large shade trees that take a long time to mature. These typically are strong trees that, when cared for, will withstand storms.
“I have three huge water oaks around my house and my air conditioning hardly has to run at all. It’s so much cooler because of those trees,” said Smith. “And just the look of a big, massive tree is very appealing.”
Oaks support more life forms than any other tree species in North America, writes entomology professor Douglas Tallamy, in his book, The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees. When planted with sufficient space to flourish, oaks will outlive most of us.
Speaking of “sufficient space,” remember that a tree’s roots will spread out roughly to the width of its canopy, and those roots need a lot of permeable surface over them.
Looking for something uncommon? Consider shagbark hickory, which has dramatic, rucked bark and — eventually — produces the tastiest nuts of any hickory. Smith favors yellowwood, a native that produces graceful fronds of white flowers in spring and whose leaves turn a vibrant yellow in fall.
Trees for tight spaces
The queen of small-space trees might just be the Japanese maple. And few know these trees better than the crew at MrMaple, an East Flat Rock nursery that grows more than 1,000 cultivars of Japanese maple and whose owners host their own YouTube channel and Japanese maple podcast. Helene didn’t damage the nursery, and MrMaple is shipping to Charlotte. Daryl Richardson is part of the MrMaple crew, and she recommends Orangeola, a weeping dwarf maple that is wide and low, with orange fall foliage. She also likes Tamukeyama, another weeping variety that tolerates heat and is purple-red in summer.
Other varieties that hold up well in Charlotte’s heat include summer gold. “That’s yellow with red edging. Then as fall continues, it becomes more red-orange,” Richardson said. She also favors Osakazuki, a mid-size upright tree that bursts into a flame-red come fall.
Cantey loves coral-bark Japanese maples, like the one she planted at her former property. It had finely cut foliage that went from summer’s chartreuse to red-orange in fall, and coral-red bark for winter interest. “That thing just showed off every year,” she said.
Another small-space tree to consider is witch hazel. These make yellow, spidery blooms in winter and top out at about 20 feet.
Or, for a more free-form choice, try sassafras, which can sucker and form clumps. Their mitten-shaped leaves turn a deep orange in fall and their roots smell like root beer.
Japanese maples like this Acer palmatum 'Summer Gold' variety are excellent choices for small spaces. (Photo courtesy of MrMaple)
Trees for an edible landscape
For trees that will give you food, three get the blessing of David Blackley, owner of Renfrow Hardware in Matthews: Pomegranates, Japanese persimmons and figs.
“Those three trees will give you more food than most people are willing to harvest in the backyard,” said Blackey, who sells varieties of each at his store.
They don’t need spraying and take only a few years to begin producing fruit. Pomegranates and figs can be shrubby, but you can prune them into a tree form.
Japanese persimmons, unlike native varieties, don’t require two trees for pollination. And one type has fruit that’s ready to eat right off the tree — a plus for anyone who’s experienced the mouth-puckering astringency of an unripe wild persimmon.
If you have the space and are planting for the future, pecans are a good choice, with some cautions. “When a pecan gets to be 40 to 50 years old, they start dropping limbs randomly,” Blackley said. “Out at the farm, we’ve broken two truck windshields when limbs fell off that were bigger than your leg. Don’t hang a swing in them and don’t put your children’s sandbox under them.”
Today, Cantey lives in an apartment in the Matthews Glen retirement community, but she’s not done planting trees. Now her choices are petite varieties that fill containers, making a miniature forest on her patio. “I’m still planting,” she said. “Trees just make me happy.”
It’s time to …
Turn those leaves into gold. Find an out-of-the-way spot in your yard to heap leaves and let weather and time turn them into soil-enriching leaf mold, which has a woodsy scent and won’t attract pests the way compost can. Take a page from U.K. garden guru Monty Don and treat autumn leaves like the true garden harvest they are. Don’t have any of your own? Score them from bags your neighbors set out by the curb.
Enjoy bluegrass among the botanicals. The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the Lost Hollow Music Festival, Nov. 2, noon to 9 p.m. Enjoy a lineup of bands while you stroll the garden.
Give fireflies a break. If you’ve noticed fewer of them blinking in your neighborhood, there’s one big reason: pesticides. Most yard sprays — even “natural” ones — kill a huge range of species. Another culprit: Raking up all your fallen leaves. Firefly larvae need leaf litter to overwinter. When you rake or blow your yard clean, you’re killing the next generation of fireflies. Keep the leaves beneath your shrubs to ensure their magical light continues next summer. Learn more about how to save fireflies in your yard.
Amber Veverka is a contributor to The Ledger. Reach her at askbackyard@gmail.com.
Today’s supporting sponsor is Trinity Episcopal School. Trinity Episcopal School is marking 25 years of creating scholars, nurturing spirituality, and embracing diversity in Charlotte's center city. Trinity offers a unique K-8 curriculum with a focus on critical thinking, curiosity about the world around us, and service to the community. Learn more about the admission process for the 2025-26 school year and register for an open house at www.tescharlotte.org.
This week in Charlotte: How to avoid early voting lines; Providence High’s Harrill named top principal; Village Tavern closes; Building permits for South End office tower
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
CMS principal of the year: (Observer) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools named the principal of Providence High, Tracey Harrill, as its principal of the year. During her 16-year tenure as principal, the school has consistently met or surpassed benchmarks.
Discipline for bullying at Charlotte Catholic: (WSOC) Charlotte Catholic High School says it has expelled and suspended students suspected of bullying and removed some players from the football team, stemming from incidents in a boys’ locker room.
Politics
How to avoid early voting lines: (Ledger 🔒) Mecklenburg County’s elections director advises voters to choose less crowded sites and to avoid trying to vote during peak times.
Obama in Charlotte: (Observer) Former President Barack Obama visited Charlotte Friday and endorsed Democratic candidates for statewide office in North Carolina, including Attorney General Josh Stein, and Democratic candidate for state superintendent Mo Green. He focused criticisms on Republican candidates Donald Trump, N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and state superintendent candidate Michele Morrow.
Robinson revises defamation lawsuit against CNN: (WRAL) N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson amended his defamation lawsuit against CNN and a Greensboro man, changing the claim from $50M to “in excess of $25,000” for damages. This change is a procedural step to ensure a trial in Superior Court, where a jury could determine the actual compensation.
Local news
City backs off plans for bus station redevelopment: (Biz Journal, subscriber-only) The city of Charlotte had been planning to move the Charlotte Transportation Center bus station underground and redevelop the site in partnership with White Point Partners and Dart Interests, but those plans are now shelved, and the city will focus on upgrades like renovating bathrooms and a break room and adding new lighting.
Village Tavern closes: (Ledger) Village Tavern has closed its SouthPark location in Charlotte after 35 years, citing an expiring lease and space limitations for their updated menu and design plans. Village Tavern, originally from Winston-Salem, still operates eight other locations, including in Raleigh and Greensboro.
Concert for Carolina today: The “Concert for Carolina” benefit concert at Bank of America Stadium is happening today at 5 p.m. and will feature headliners Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings and James Taylor. The concert can be streamed online here. Proceeds will go toward Western North Carolina’s recovery following Hurricane Helene.
Business
Permits for office tower: (Ledger Commercial Real Estate Whispers) Crescent Communities received building permits for a 31-story office tower with apartments in South End, a signal that construction could start soon. If it does, it would be the first office tower started in Charlotte in more than two years.
Charlotte’s urban core is expanding: (Ledger 🔒) New townhouses are set to transform the Sugar Creek Road area near North Tryon Street. Developer Beauxwright announced “Sugar Yards,” a development featuring 186 townhomes on the site of the former Asian Corner Mall.
Sports
Curling competition coming to Charlotte: (WCNC) Charlotte will host the 2026 Men's and Women's National Curling Championships from Feb. 23 to March 2 at Bojangles Coliseum. The winning teams will advance to the world championships as part of Team USA.
Hornets unveil ‘theme’ as season starts: The Charlotte Hornets have unveiled a theme for the 2024-25 season: “Hive Mentality.” The team started its season Wednesday with a comeback win in Houston and has its home opener tonight.
Panthers QB in wreck, Young to start: (WBTV) Panthers quarterback Bryce Young will start against the Denver Broncos on Sunday after Andy Dalton sprained his thumb in a car accident Tuesday. Dalton had recently been the starting quarterback but has faced some challenges, contributing to a four-game losing streak.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
An embalmer worked by flashlight as the floodwaters rose: Lonnie Denny, an embalmer in West Jefferson, describes the challenges he faced during Hurricane Helene’s flooding, including working by flashlight until conditions forced him to leave.
Plus: Brewery heading to Cotswold?; Mecklenburg college applicants can have fees waived; Early voting continues; New podcast episode looks inside the catering industry
Wednesday (🔒)
Regulators say a decision could come in December about whether Aldersgate will link up with another entity; Toppman reviews the musical “& Juliet”
🎧 New from the Charlotte Ledger Election Hub: A pair of 10-minute podcasts, in which we run down statewide races and Mecklenburg County races.
Friday (🔒)
These upscale services are pampering the parents: Charlotte is seeing a rise in luxury services aimed at new parents, like the upcoming New Mom School in Ballantyne and Ziva Postpartum Retreat in SouthPark. These services cater to parents seeking support, connection, and resources during early parenthood.
Plus: Northwood buys apartment tower in uptown; NoDa establishes guidelines on street vendors
Mountain Updates
Tuesday: Anxiety and depression are expected to rise; Demand for wells increases; Buncombe County Schools to reopen Friday; Canton mill sale in limbo; Channing Tatum surprises relief volunteers in Asheville
Jalen Benjamin, a passionate baseball player and coach, dedicated his life to the sport, from Little League to his time coaching at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill. He tragically passed away in a car accident at 29. In his honor, the Jalen Benjamin Memorial Scholarship was established for high school seniors, particularly those pursuing baseball, to support their college aspirations.
Bronico breaking out for Charlotte FC: After a loss to Orlando City, Charlotte FC Coach Dean Smith shared with the media the need for players to create space and make runs. The team heads back to Orlando for the start of a playoff series, bringing newfound momentum.
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See also: Paw paws