How Long Does It Take for a Tree to Grow?
Are you planting a new tree in your yard and you’re wondering how long it’ll be before it’s full-height?
Maybe you’ve already got a tree and you want to know how much bigger it’s going to get. Many people ask us, “how long does it take for a tree to grow?”, but the answer is never as simple as people want it to be. There are 60,000 tree species in the world and they all grow in different ways.
However, for practical purposes, you can look at a couple of factors to determine how the tree in your yard will grow. In this post, we’ll discuss those and tell you some signs to look out for that’ll help you indicate how big your tree is going to get.
How Long Does It Take For a Tree to Grow?
Growing a tree from seed is one of the most satisfying things to do over a long period of time. If all goes well, your tree might live for hundreds of years, but when does it actually stop growing?
That depends on two important things: the type of tree and the location it’s growing in.
Location
Let’s start with the tree’s location. If it’s growing in a warmer climate, it’s going to grow faster than in colder climates. Tree species near the equator might grow several meters per year, while those in the northern parts of Canada and Europe might only grow a meter or two per year.
So, depending on the tree, it might take 10-20 years for one growing in a sunny area to reach maturity or 30-40 years in the cold. For us in Dallas, most of our big tree species grow to between 35-80 feet in height and our sub-tropical climate means that they’ll grow on the faster end of the spectrum.
Species
If you’re planting a new tree and want it to grow quickly, make sure it’s a native species that is meant to grow in the north Texas climate. Our native species include maple, ash, willow, sycamore, cypress, oak, and laurel, among others. Each one grows at a different rate, but none are more than 80 feet tall when mature.
When you factor the maximum height in with the likely growth rate of a few meters per year, you’ll be looking at somewhere between 15-30 years for your tree to grow.
Taking Care of Your Tree
So, how long does it take for a tree to grow? It’s tough to say exactly, but it’s going to be a long, long time before a young tree reaches maturity.
If left alone, trees don’t need our help to grow, they’ve been doing it successfully since long before we were around. That being said, a city isn’t exactly a natural place for a tree to grow, so you might need to guide it along throughout its life.
At Green Pine Tree Service, our staff of highly trained arborists will help ensure the health and safety of your tree(s). Contact us for a consultation, in which we can assess the condition of your tree, show you signs of a dead tree, help you treat pests and disease, and create a plan for removing a dead tree or keeping a sick tree alive.
