Asheville Custom Treehouse Builder Site Selection Spotlight: Tree Type
“What types of trees should I look for on my property?” We field this question a lot. Given the lush and diverse forest areas here in Western North Carolina, there are a number of appropriate tree types that support building a structure among the limbs.
The Blue Ridge Mountains offer numerous hardwoods that are ideal for treehouse construction. Hickory (various types) tends to grow tall, straight and strong; it’s an excellent species to build in. Other great hardwood species include oaks like chestnut oak, and white oak, and others; beeches; and several types of maple. Yellow poplar (aka tulip poplar) is a softer hardwood, but it still tends to be well-suited to support the structure of a tree retreat.
You might wonder, “What about pines and other evergreens?” While there are certainly a lot of them here, World Treehouses owner and lead builder Adam Laufer says of these, “Typically, softwoods aren’t going to be able to support a larger treehouse. However, because evergreens and firs each have different fiber structures, it’s not a blanket rule-out; in some rare cases, we can figure out the engineering to safely build you a custom treehouse in certain softwoods.”
Adam adds a word of caution relating to tree health: “We always steer clear of hemlocks and ash trees because of the risk of pest and disease infestations they’re prone to.”
Before you head out to survey your property, we recommend equipping yourself with a good tree identification resource such May Theilgaard Watts’ Tree Finder: A Manual for Identification of Trees by Their Leaves (Eastern US) or Winter Tree Finder: A Manual for Identifying Deciduous Trees in Winter (Eastern US).
This is the second installment in a series on site selection. For information on tree size, see our last post, Site Selection Spotlight: Size Matters. Keep a lookout in the coming weeks for more tips on site selection.
Happy hunting, and of course call us with any questions!
Once you’ve found your ideal trees, World Treehouses of Asheville, NC’s skilled team can build you a one-of-a-kind treehouse or other tree project for living, gathering, playing, meditating, and connecting with nature. Our projects are true, unique and custom tree-attached treehouses, which offer their inhabitants an experience like no other. If you’d like to discuss a treehouse project on your land, contact us or click the button below. Or subscribe to our newsletter to inspire your treehouse dreaming.