New maple trees planted along Messanie Street in honor of Tree City USA status

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A new set of maple trees are now taking root along a major corridor in St. Joseph, offering a vibrant set of colors for decades to come with help from the local tree board.

Several members of the St. Joseph Tree Board and Parks Department gathered Saturday afternoon to help plant a new set of maple trees along Messanie Street by the Aquatic Park, completing a new tree corridor for the popular walking area in the process.

"We thought this corner needed a little love," St. Joseph Tree Board Chairman Shelley White said. “We try to plant as many native trees as possible, because the native trees contribute to wildlife. Oak trees, for example, support all kinds of caterpillars. All kinds of bugs."

A total of five new maple trees of varying species were planted -- ranging from 5-to 7-feet-tall -- including two sugar maples, two Crimson King Norway maples and one redpointe maple. The trees will largely stay dormant through the winter and wake up next spring.

Once mature, the trees will provide an array of vibrant colors to the area, particularly in the fall, from deep oranges and yellows and fiery and scarlet reds. The trees will take anywhere from 35 to 50 years to reach full size.

White said planting a younger tree allows it to take root and flourish better than a mature one, which can experience transplant shock in certain situations. Mulch was also added to the new maple trees on Friday to help support growth.

"The sugar maple is a native. They're going to be slower growing and have a longer lifespan," White said. "Most of the maples that are hybridized tend to grow fast and have beautiful colors." 

The new trees were also planted in honor of the city's new status as a "Tree City USA" city. Tree City USA is a national recognition program by the Arbor Day Foundation honoring towns and cities for effectively managing their public trees.

Recognition is given based on four core standards: a tree board/department, a tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.

White said the tree board, which carries out tree-planting projects in different areas throughout the year, is always looking for volunteers to help with watering. She said the trees planted on Saturday will have to be watered at least once a week for the first year.