High-risk Christmas Tree Shopping

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010468121_tree10m.html

Keteleeria evelyniana stolen from Seattle arboretum. Might be a good time of year to schedule a few more volunteers to local botanic gardens.

That's just odd. i just picture some fool going "look a Charlie brown tree, that will be great as a Christmas tree". Day later another guy standing over a stump crying. Sort of funny and sort of not at the same time.

I don't know if there really is a way to protect the trees but a few extra people might help matters.

ooooh that's awful! I'd be pretty mad if someone stole my tree! lol

I once cut some of my neighbors flowers to give to my girl friend and apparently they were fairly special because it seemed to have caused an up roar. LOL> Lady who lived there freaked out but couldn't prove and really didn't have an idea who grabbed them. I just cut the flowers off so it wasn't like I killed them off. Husband years later asked me if I was behind the great flower caper, I said yes and he said I knew you had something to do with it. He didn't look happy with me. To this day I don't know what all the drama was about.

Some times these things happen and they aren't well thought plots just random acts.

you know we get attached to our plants lol

It is not uncommon for me to grow species of plants from seed that take 5-7 years to their first flower, let alone to look like an established plant. If someone intentionally stole such a flower (not the plant) from me, than I guess it's okay for me to steal some food from their pantry.

Cost of a can of peas: 45 cents, and the time it took to buy it.
Cost of the flower: at least $1 for a packet of seeds, more for a plant, $$ for weekly watering, $$ for fertilizer, time to weed, cultivate, prune, fertilize throughout the season.

Value of a can of peas you own: it's a can of peas
-------------------------------------(unless you're passionate about peas)
Value of a flower you grew: what do you think?

If you don't get it, that's okay, and that's the point!
Everyone does not think the same,
but that doesn't necessarily mean they are wrong.

To keep any tree from being stolen for a Christmas tree, simply spray the tree in a few conspicuous places with marking paint, the type utilities use to mark lines. It is harmless to the tree and washes completely off in a few weeks. You could probably paint interesting designs for the holidays! Fluorescent green and red would be awesome!

Hoosier, that is an awesome idea!

I read the article on the link, and at the end they mentioned considering painting rare trees, but didn't do that for whatever reason.... I really think it would be a good idea on such rare trees as the one they had cut down. What is to be lost spray-painting a rare tree? It would look bad only for a few weeks. Such an easy solution, but some people aren't comfortable thinking (or acting) outside of the box I guess.

But who would ever think spraying such a "Charlie Brown looking" tree would needed?

The tree that was stolen, from what I gather from the article and others like it, was more symmetrical. Not the one pictured.

My question is...did the person or persons who stole the tree really need a tree that badly, that they would take one clearly on arboretum property? When we are reduced to spraying trees to prevent theft at Christmas, what are we left with?

(And then she lightly stepped off her soapbax and faded into the background...)

I'm not sure where this property is located but if it's in a city location it makes more sense. I remember a frat house got in trouble near me because they cut down a tree for Christmas very close to their house. They just thought it was just a small pine in a group of pine trees. Turned out that it had some horrible story behind it but I don't remember the story any more. If read the story in the paper it sounded like these guys cut down a tree planted by one arm orphans who had TB and Tourette syndrome.

The tree cutters didn't think it was a big deal but it turned out to be a big deal. Painting the tree or putting a sign near it would probably stopped what happened.

BTW I have a small children so I have had my share of plants attacked and really sometimes there is nothing you can do. I used painted stakes around one seedling tree so the kids would see it and they ended up using the stakes as a hurdle. I use to only plant soft plants now I plant thorny nasty plants in key spots to keep the kids moving in another direction.

Not justifying what happened it just did.

So sad...

The thing is, with trees being flocked in all sorts of colors (including black) the color may not really deter anyone from cutting down a painted tree. Not sure what else could be done besides caging the rare trees...
Mike
edited for spelling

This message was edited Dec 22, 2009 10:28 AM

I agree with Mike - painting might make them even more attractive. Better off trying obvious plaques, so there's at least a chance that someone with a working neuron or two figures out the implications before taking out the chainsaw. Peg

The lack of working neurons is a problem in our society . . .