Goodbye to our pin oak and 2014

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In 1972, my husband, Harry, and our son, Brian, planted this pin oak (Quercus palustris) in our front yard. For 42 years, we’ve watched it grow, enjoyed its shade and the habitat it has provided for numerous birds and other wildlife.

pin oak tree

It has often reminded me of a huge, beautiful sculpture as it changed throughout the seasons.

pin oak tree with snow

The tree has declined for the last several years as a result of bacterial leaf scorch, a disease spread by leaf hoppers and for which there is no cure. It is “found throughout much of the southern and eastern U.S” and often occurs on pin oaks in urban areas. We kept our tree alive long as possible, but finally accepted it was time to let it go and recently it “went.”

fallen pin oak tree

Although we enjoy our twelve other Kentucky native trees, we will sorely miss the pin oak. We look forward to planting a new tree and watching it grow. Similarly as we say farewell to 2014, we welcome the opportunity to start a new year. Letting go of the old is one way to make room for the new.

Happy New Year to all and best wishes for 2015

10 thoughts on “Goodbye to our pin oak and 2014”

  1. This breaks my heart. I have loved seeing
    this beauty through the seasons and years.
    Looking forward to seeing your replacement. We love our yellowwood from
    Dave Leonard. He is back in the tree nursery business.

  2. Although how-many-years-ago? (your pin oak was far from as old as it was
    when euthanasia became the benevolent answer), I remember it as beautiful
    and know you miss it even as you look forward to 2015 and a leafy new kid in
    your front-yard nursery. Hope you’ll keep all of us, your blog readers, updated
    on your youngster’s arrival and growth. 🙂

  3. Oh Betty, how sad to see that beautiful pin oak tree lying on the ground, no longer standing majestically in your garden.
    It’s so awful that some nasty little leaf hoppers are the culprits of the demise of your lovely tree! But as you say, the old has gone, so now you can enjoy the new!
    May everything in your garden/back yard grow well and be strong and healthy in this year of 2015.

  4. You always know when it’s time to let go…

    Good wishes for the New Year Betty and another amazing tree!

  5. Lots of comments on this, Betty! People do love trees. We have a silver maple sitting at southwest corner of patio. It was quite young when we arrived here, now is mature, grew up with our granddaughters. It is a real nuisance – “whirly-gig” seed pods in spring, and tons of leaves in fall, but OH how we would miss the shade in the summer!

  6. It is sad to lose a big beautiful tree. Hope the new one fills the spot the pin leaves. (Think there’s a pun there but it’s a solemn occasion so will refrain) Love your attitude on letting go of the old sometimes to make room for the new.

  7. Betty,
    So sorry to see the tree go, as we enjoyed it when we were in your back yard. Our “new” house of 17 years had four of these pin oaks in front, and we sorrily saw them have to go one by one for the same disease. I will be waiting to hear what you choose to replace your tree. We replaced one of ours with a yellow wood, recommended by Dave L., and have liked it’s interesting shape, short flowering time, and bark.

    1. Ann, we haven’t decided on a replacement yet. Glad to hear of your yellowwood tree. Sounds like a good possibility.

  8. It was a beautiful tree Betty and we will miss seeing the lovely ring of flowers around the base as well. You planted it the year I was born! We look forward to watching the replacement grow.

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