Our bees often visit this tree, like a long-trusted acquaintance. But the bee tree actually comes from far away, from China and Korea. Even under local climatic conditions, it strives for heights. But it doesn't reach its Asian dimensions.
How big does a bee tree get on average?
In our latitudes, the bee tree reaches a height of 10 to 15 meters and a width of 8 to 12 meters. Limiting factors are location conditions, lifespan (around 40 years) and type of training such as pruning measures.
Location as an influencing factor
In Asia, trees of this type can easily reach a height of 20 m. However, no location in our latitudes will be able to fully meet the requirements of this tree. The cold winters in particular represent a brake on growth.
So the size of the velvet-haired stink ash, as we also call the tree, will always remain well below its natural potential. These are the values that this bee magnet creates on average in our gardens:
- Height 10 to 15 m
- Width 8 to 12 m
Note:The velvet-haired stink ash can develop more than just a sprawling crown over the years. As a deep-rooted organism, it conquers the ground invisibly, but just as extensively.
Lifetime limitation
The beautifully blooming bee tree lives for many, many years. But compared to other tree species, it can be described as a short-lived plant. Ideally, he will have about 40 years to grow up.
Lean, sandy soils, which the stink ash finds in some gardens, significantly shorten its life. After about 15 years she reached the end of her strength. The fewer years it has left for growth after planting, the smaller it will remain.
Tip
If you can only offer a velvety stink ash a sandy soil, you should improve it with plenty of compost (€12.00 on Amazon) before planting.
Form of education sets limits
This tree is one of the plants that tolerate pruning. Many garden owners are happy about this. Because that means for him: With regular cutting, he can determine the size of the tree himself. He can even train it into a low shrub. This means the bee tree remains nice and “handy” and can fit even in a small garden.
