Recently a neighbor commented that she enjoyed the view of my crape myrtle tree from her deck. It was a nice reminder that “our trees” are not just for our own enjoyment, but for our neighbors and community as well.
Cameron Station is known for its leafy beauty across the seasons. Who doesn’t enjoy the spring blooms, deep shade, and glorious fall color that the trees of Cameron Station provide? Trees also provide us with other tangible benefits such as lower utility bills, cleaner air, food and nesting places for birds, quieter and more attractive outdoor spaces and stronger property values.
Whose tree is it?
Depending on its location, the trees in Cameron Station may be the responsibility of the homeowner, the HOA or the City of Alexandria. Every townhouse and single-family home (numbering more than 1,000) has one or more trees that are the responsibility of the homeowner. This includes trees planted in the front, side, or patio area adjacent to the home.
The various pocket parks and walkways throughout our community are maintained by the HOA. The HOA’s annual budget includes money for tree pruning and tree replacements. Cameron Station Blvd., Brenman Park Dr. and Somervelle St. are maintained by the city, and this includes responsibility for the trees on these streets. The City also maintains the trees in Ben Brenman Park, the Linear Park and Armistead Boothe Park.
How healthy are our trees?
Most of the trees in Cameron Station were planted by the developers beginning in the late 1990s to early 2000s. This means that some are a quarter of a century old and are beginning to show their age as well as the effects of disease, storm damage and droughts. Some may be thriving but have outgrown their space and would benefit from pruning.
Dead branches, failure to leaf out, or early leaf drop are all signs that a tree needs attention. When in doubt, it’s best to ask a certified arborist for advice. Most pruning tasks should be done in late fall or winter when trees are dormant. But getting rid of dead, diseased or broken branches can be done anytime and can prevent damage to people and property during future storms.
The Virginia Cooperative Extension maintains a robust website with information on caring for lawns and gardens in Virginia, including how and when to prune trees and shrubs. https://ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/pruning.html.
Preventing crape murder
There are plenty of myths about how and when to prune crape myrtles, the beautiful summer flowering trees like the one the neighbor recently admired. The VA Extension site includes specific advice on crape myrtle pruning to help you avoid the crime of “crape murder” -- severe cutting back that trees in our area don't need.
Can this tree be saved?
If one or more of your trees has died or declined to the point that an arborist recommends removing it, the homeowner is responsible for removing and replacing the tree. Because this is an exterior change, it requires approval from the Architectural Review Committee. The ARC maintains a list of approved replacement trees for each street within our community (appendix D to the Design and Maintenance Standards. The list was updated recently to include more native trees and small patio size trees. Since Fall is an ideal time to plant trees, now is a good time to start the application process for a replacement tree.
Being a tree steward
Stewardship means the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care. All of us share in the benefits of having a leafy canopy throughout our neighborhood and by taking care of our trees, each of us can play a role passing on those benefits to future residents of Cameron Station.
Martha Romans has been a resident of Cameron Station since 2020. She and her husband Larry were drawn to the neighborhood by the beautiful trees and parks and strong community feel. Formerly a master gardener with Green Spring Gardens, she has exercised her love of gardening by serving on the Common Area Committee since 2022. In addition to chairing the CAC, she is also a tennis player and quilter.
Kathy McCollom has lived in CS since 2003 and been a member of the Common Area Committee since 2012. She’s an enthusiastic gardener of her small side patch and balcony deck. Kathy has been a volunteer with Friends of Beatley Central Library since 2015, working their book sales and sorting donations year-round. She retired from work in 2012 after both a 20-year Air Force career (mostly Public Affairs) and subsequent private sector and government years, mostly project management for software development.
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