fast growing climbing tree suggestions?

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kimma Decatur, GA(Zone 7b) Feb 11, 2009

I'm in Atlanta, Georgia (zone 7) and want to plant a tree that my son, who is 1, will be able to climb in 5 - 7 years or so. Requirements are - fast growing, spreading habit, sturdy, long living, non-thorny, drought tolerant and not too annoying to have in my yard.

I've been researching, and thought that an Athena Elm seemed to meet most of my requirements, but no one seems to have one in stock.

I remember climbing a magnolia tree in my yard when I was young, and loved that, but it was ancient. Not sure which variety it was, or which might work for this purpose.

My research also indicated that a Sawtooth Oak might be a good choice.

Does anyone have suggestions on trees that might be good for this purpose, or feedback on the ones that I was thinking about? I was hoping to plant soon, before the weather heats up.

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Feb 12, 2009

I like the type of trees you've mentioned; I'd advocate on behalf of native versions of the oak or the elm, rather than those above which have the capacity to be pests in the south.

American elms will grow pretty fast; 'Princeton' is a version that's been around since the 1930s, and 'Valley Forge' is a relatively new one introduced by the US National Arboretum.

There are plenty of southern oaks that are rapid growers. Among them are Overcup Oak, Willow Oak, Live Oak, and many others well-suited to your area.

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Feb 12, 2009

I'd not recommend climbing in any tree that's just 6 or 7 years old, the branches won't be thick enough to support even a child's weight safely. Plant a tree by all means, but for climbing, find another much older one with a good strong branch system.

Resin

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