Grading Protocol
Three tiers of quality. One standard of care. Every tree we source is graded before it ships.
The 10 Criteria
Visible Flare: Root collar must be at or above soil line. No buried flare, no girdling roots visible.
Trunk Taper: Consistent diameter reduction from base to crown. No reverse taper, no abrupt narrowing.
Central Leader: Single dominant leader (where species-appropriate). No co-dominant stems with included bark.
Branch Architecture: Well-spaced scaffold branches. No crossing, rubbing, or clustered attachment points.
Crown Symmetry: Balanced canopy from all viewing angles. No heavy lean, no one-sided growth from crowding.
Foliage Density: Full leaf coverage to branch tips. No interior die-back, no premature defoliation.
Bark Integrity: No mechanical damage, no sunscald, no canker. Bark texture consistent with species character.
Root Mass: Container-grown: no circling roots. B&B: solid, intact root ball at ANSI-specified minimum diameter.
Pest & Disease: No active infestation. No fungal fruiting bodies. No evidence of systemic decline.
Graft Union: (Where applicable) Clean, fully healed graft. No scion/rootstock incompatibility. No sucker growth below the union.
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Every tree we ship is inspected against these criteria.
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