#small structure

Tsuga caroliana / Carolina Hemlock

Family: Pinaceae

Native: Southeastern United States

Mature Size: 45-60ft height, 20-25ft spread; up to 100′ in the wild

Habitat: well-drained soils in full sun to part shade; forest edges, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes

Hardiness Zone: 6-7

Leaf Color: evergreen needles with two white stomatal bands beneath;

Flower color/Bloom time: non-flowering

Enclosure:

The Carolina Hemlock is a towering tree with a narrow, pyramidal cone and slightly pendulous branches. Although the central trunk is tall and straight, the branches are not strong or thick and thus can not support a large treehouse structure. However, the central trunk can still support a small treehouse structure such as a deer’s nest or a hunter’s perch. Additionally, the regularity of the branches can create a natural circulation ladder through the tree, although this should be done with caution due to the looseness and weakness of the branches. The lowest branches may also be out of reach from the ground, making access to the tree difficult at times. 

Small Structure Precedents:

1) Deer Stand:

Photo source

2)  Hunter’s Perch: Temporary structure attached to central trunk.

Photo Source

Sources:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TSCA2

Missouri Botanical Garden https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=285011&isprofile=0&

North Carolina Plant Toolbox https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/tsuga-caroliniana/

Plants for a Future https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Tsuga+caroliniana

American Conifer Society https://conifersociety.org/conifers/tsuga-caroliniana/

Malus x zumi / Zumi Crabapple

Family: Rosaceae

Native: Japan

Mature Size: 12-20ft height, 12-20ft spread

Habitat: well-drained soils in full sun;

Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Leaf Color: rich, dark green foliage; 

Flower color/Bloom time: white flower; May

Enclosure:

The Zumi Crabapple tree is a dense, rounded-to-spreading branch geometry. The overall dimensions at maturity are not large enough to support a large treehouse structure. However, the cradle geometry of the branching stemming from the central trunk could hold a person wanting to sit or stand for whatever reason. The tree becomes the small structure. Additionally, the height of the tree is still enough to cast a decent shadow, and could be used as a shade canopy on a small outdoor area.

Sources:

Missouri Botanical Garden http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=r630

Quercus macrocarpa / Burr Oak

Family: Fagaceae 

Native: Northern and central United States, southeastern Canada

Mature Size: 60-80ft height, 60-80ft spread

Habitat: light but rich, medium moisture, soils that drain well;

Hardiness Zone: 3-8

Leaf Color: yellowish-green flowers in the spring; leathery, dark green leaves in the summer

Flower color/Bloom time: Yellowish-green; April

Enclosure:

The Burr Oak is a broad-spreading tree with a rounded crown. The height of this tree in maturity as well as the perceived thickness of the central, vertical trunk indicates that the Burr Oak is suitable for supporting a large treehouse structure. A potential issue with a large structure in this tree, however, is that the branch geometry is diagonal upwards, to the point that branches can not be relied upon for additional structural support. Additional programmatic functions of such a structure could be a hunting post, a wildfire lookout, or a park ranger’s outpost. A treehouse structure of this function can be blended into the landscape by following the height and form of the tree.

Examples of Spiral Treehouse Structures:

1) No-damage spiral staircase: sand-cast aluminum joints cushioned with neoprene pads that rest against the tree (Tadashi Kawamata method).

https://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/canopy-stair-thor-ter-kulve-robert-mcintyre.html

2) Artist Studio in Calvados, France: spiral staircase uses external structural supports and a combination with the Tadashi Kawamata method. The main deck sits on large branches and not directly on the central trunk, but the interaction between the lumber deck on the tree will cause damage.

https://nypost.com/2016/04/25/tour-the-worlds-most-magnificent-treehouses/

Sources:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUMA2

Arbor Day Foundation https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=874

Go Botany https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/quercus/macrocarpa/

Missouri Botanical Garden https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a902

North Carolina Plant Toolbox https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/quercus-macrocarpa/

Juniperus chinensis / Chinese Juniper

Family: Cupressaceae

Native: China, Japan, Mongolia and the Himalayas

Mature Size: 40-50ft height, 8-25ft spread

Habitat: Woodland garden canopy; sunny edge; ground cover

Hardiness Zone: 4-9

Leaf Color: foliage is dark green

Flower color/Bloom time: non-flowering

Enclosure:

The columnar crown shape of the Chinese Juniper results in branches growing upward and outwards makes for natural circulation for a human. Additionally, a small structure could be supported on the lower branches which are larger and stronger. The upward trajectory of the branches at the end can provide a semi-wall enclosure for such a structure, and serve as a minor wind break or privacy screen.

Sources:

American Conifer Society https://conifersociety.org/conifers/juniperus-chinensis/

Plants for a Future https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Juniperus+chinensis

North Carolina Plant Toolbox https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/juniperus-chinensis/

Pinus peuce “Jeddoloh” / Cultivar of Macedonian Pine

Family: Pinaceae

Native: Bulgaria

Mature Size: 115-130ft height; 5ft diameter of trunk; level in lower crown, becoming erect in upper crown and at ends of branches

Habitat: severe mountain-climate conditions; high air humidity; silicate terrains

Hardiness Zone: 5

Leaf Color: glossy green on outer face with white stomatal lines 

Flower color/Bloom time: 

Although soaring in height, the Macedonian Pine does not generally support a treehouse structure. The branches are numerous with dense pine needles, from the base to the top of the tree. This makes the trunk inaccessible and difficult to build onto to or climb. However, this specific cultivar of the Macedonian Pine in the Arnold Arboretum known as “Jeddoloh” is free from lower branches of dense needles, and is instead left with upper branches that trend vertical. In this specific example, a lookout structure could be constructed, where a spiral staircase wraps around the vertical central trunk of the tree to a final landing platform. This structure could barely touch the tree itself employing a hybrid system of Tadashi Kawamata and external supports that do not engage with the tree. Such a structure would use the Macedonian Pine as a reference for the height of a potential treehouse construction while requiring minimal structural support to the trunk.

A spiraling treehouse structure is a likely scenario for the Macedonian Pine, as this tree thrives in severe mountain conditions. The programmatic function of such a structure could be a hunting post, a wildfire lookout, or a park ranger’s outpost. A treehouse structure of this function can be blended into the landscape by following the height and form of the tree.

Examples of Spiral Treehouse Structures:

1) No-damage spiral staircase: sand-cast aluminum joints cushioned with neoprene pads that rest against the tree (Tadashi Kawamata method).

https://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/canopy-stair-thor-ter-kulve-robert-mcintyre.html

2) Artist Studio in Calvados, France: spiral staircase uses external structural supports and a combination with the Tadashi Kawamata method. The main deck sits on large branches and not directly on the central trunk, but the interaction between the lumber deck on the tree will cause damage.

https://nypost.com/2016/04/25/tour-the-worlds-most-magnificent-treehouses/

Sources:

Gymnosperm Database https://www.conifers.org/pi/Pinus_peuce.php

American Conifer Society https://conifersociety.org/conifers/pinus-peuce/

North Carolina Plant Toolbox https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pinus-peuce/

EUFORGEN http://www.euforgen.org/species/pinus-peuce/

Hunker https://www.hunker.com/13425706/how-to-fasten-a-tree-house-to-a-tree-without-nailing-into-the-tree

Extreme How To https://extremehowto.com/tree-house-techniques/

Gleditsia triacanthos / Cultivar of Honeylocust

The Gleditsia triacanthos is native to eastern North America. It typically grows to heights between sixty and eighty feet, and is topped out by a rounded spearing crown. The tree features approximately three-inch stout thorns. Greenish yellow / greenish-white flowers appear in racemes in the spring, which are evenly spaced flowers on one stalk. Seedpods follow the follows, and contain seeds and a gummy honey substance. The tree has an open crown and smaller leaflets. The bark is black and gray, with smooth, plate-like patches separated by furrows in the bark. The leaves are compound and alternate, with three to six leafs on each side of the compound leaf.

The height and thickness of this tree means that the structural qualities needed to support a standard 8′x8′ treehouse are met. The geometry of the branches creates a challenge in placing a structure into the tree, but the horizontality of these branches offer lots of potential in structure or acting as a natural ladder or stairway.

Source:

USDA Plants https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=GLTR

Prunus subhirtella ‘pendula’ / Weeping Higan Cherry

The Higan Cherry is a tree native to Japan. It’s bloom time is in April. The best growing environment for a Higan Cherry is a moist and fertile loam in full shade. It is one of the most heat resistant and cold resilient cherry tree species. It is a deciduous tree with non-fragrant white and pink flowers. It is generally resistant to diseases, but not resistant to insect diseases.

The Weeping Higan Cherry structurally can not support a tree house or a platform construction. This is because dimensionally it is too small to support a large and heavy load. Additionally, the geometry of the central trunk splitting off into upward diagonal branches means that a horizontal platform or treehouse structure could not sit comfortably on this tree. The same geometry, however, does create a good sitting moment for a human.

The weeping effect of the branches creates a semi-enclosure centered on this branching nook moment on the tree. A person can feel that they are sitting within a tree while being slightly sheltered from the exterior exposure.

Sitting Moment:

Sources:

Missouri Botanical Garden http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a916

Go Botany https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/genus/prunus/