Possible Relocation: Tell me 5 Positive and 5 Negative Things About Houston, TX (Howe: power lines, living in)

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

I think it stems from the fact most people outside of Texas aren't aware we do in fact have trees...lots of them. The whole eastern side of the state from about Canton on east is blanketed with greenery much like you would find in the Deep South, towering pine trees abound mixed with a variety of oaks.

Houston is indeed a very green city compared to Dallas, Austin, & San Antonio. Its not a bad thing or a good thing, just a fact.

Im sorry, but I just find it laughable when people insinuate that Houston doesnt have many trees, or that it somehow lacks greenery...perhaps in the far, far Southwestern portions of the city the trees begin to dissipate (not disappear)...but the rest of the city is the greenest place in the State of Texas. Other Texas cities are simply not comparable in this department imo. I often see the scrubby 12 foot high mesquite and cedar shrubbery, being mentioned in the same context of greenery as Houston...I think the distinction needs to be made that Houston and East Texas in general contains LUSH NATIVE greenery. Because honestly imo, 15 foot tall cedars, brush, and a few mesquite and oak trees are incomparable to native live oaks/30 foot pines/magnolias, spanish moss and Kudzu.

Houston: *source* - http://www.texasfreeway.com/Houston/houston.shtml

[solytaire]

Just downright LAUGHABLE:


More of Houston's Greenery

[theSUBlime]

Hmmm...I'm guessing people are on their phones, not paying attention to the road if they think Houston doesn't have trees. As evidenced, it's quite ludicrous.

[irishlover]

I just moved to Houston from Newport Beach CA by way of Oklahoma...we LOVE it here.

Positives:
1) Friendly people on the whole
2) Outstanding services: eg HEB central market, non-chain restaurants/shops inner loop, high-end shops in galleria, museums, large airport can take you non-stop to most major cities in the world ( i guess you already have this covered!).
3) Winter weather (late October - mid April)
4) NO state income tax...that was a BIG deal coming from California (this is obviously applicable anywhere in Texas)
5) proximity to two other major US cities (austin and san antonio both within 3 driving hours) and proximity to varied climates/landscapes within 3 hours (hill country, beach cities, piney woods)

Negatives:
1) Weather from May - beginning of October is AWFUL
2) Houston traffic
3) Some of the real "suburbs" outside the loops are very plain and dumpy if you ask me and consequently I think they are considerably over priced
4) Landscape immediately surrounding Houston is flat and featureless

[tstone]

Originally Posted by solytaire

I often see the scrubby 12 foot high mesquite and cedar shrubbery, being mentioned in the same context of greenery as Houston...I think the distinction needs to be made that Houston and East Texas in general contains LUSH NATIVE greenery. Because honestly imo, 15 foot tall cedars, brush, and a few mesquite and oak trees are incomparable to native live oaks/30 foot pines/magnolias, spanish moss and Kudzu.

There are still plenty of 15' cedars, gulf coast type bushes, and a couple mesquites among those oaks, pines, etc. Actually from Clear Lake to Baytown there are lots of cedars among the Tallowtrees (i.e. Cedar Bayou).

BTW, 30' pines really aren't anything to brag about when in some parts of the South they grow to 120'. One of my buddies from ATL mentioned that trees are very short in Houston compared to there. I do in fact remember the huge pines in Eastern GA as a kid. But anyway this might be where the (false) perception of tree-less Houston comes from. It is lush but the tree line is pretty freakin' short, no doubt due to natural factors.

Also show me some kudzu, please. I've been looking but still haven't seen this "leaves of 3", vine like you see what invaded Central TN. All of what I've seen here has been either this small leaf ivy or better yet, morning glory. The morning glory has become a bit of an invasive pest near our house, wrapping itself around our garden and flower beds. Morning glory has also invaded a lot of the hill country west/NW of Austin.

[EasilyAmused]

I hate that morning glory!!!

[CitrusFruit]

Oh Lord...PLEASE no kudzu. Talk about a hateful lil plant...unless you are feeding goats.

[SteveArmy]

Originally Posted by solytaire

Just downright LAUGHABLE:

More of Houston's Greenery

Those are mostly concrete, TX highway beautification program trees and/or on private land. And they're probably the weak oak tree variant, their leaves are not even 'collectible' LOL. I don't think people are just looking for trees that are green and makes oxygen. Normally people are refering to the backwoods and natural forest but since Houston is so flat and dry(this is the real issue) then every inch can be developed for housing and malls, unlike in other areas where there are hills, rivers and protected forests, the trees/trails/rock look like they've been there before for a very long time.
Here developers even build around smelly bayous. What's up with that?

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by tstone

There are still plenty of 15' cedars, gulf coast type bushes, and a couple mesquites among those oaks, pines, etc. Actually from Clear Lake to Baytown there are lots of cedars among the Tallowtrees (i.e. Cedar Bayou).

BTW, 30' pines really aren't anything to brag about when in some parts of the South they grow to 120'. One of my buddies from ATL mentioned that trees are very short in Houston compared to there. I do in fact remember the huge pines in Eastern GA as a kid. But anyway this might be where the (false) perception of tree-less Houston comes from. It is lush but the tree line is pretty freakin' short, no doubt due to natural factors..

Hopefully you will notice that I specifically stated that Houston is the greenest, most lush city in the STATE OF TEXAS. I said that for a reason. I have been to Georgia, NC, Alabama, TN, etc. Although I actually dont find Houston's treeline to be too much shorter than that of Georgia's TN's or Mississippi's..Alabama has larger and more trees than anywhere in TX and larger than trees in Mississippi.. But non of those places even begins to compare with the abundance AND size of trees in Raleigh/Durham, NC which would actually make Houston look like a desert. (hyperbole) Non the less, I hope I have clarified that I am speaking of Houston's greenery ONLY in relativity to the rest of the state of Texas.

Originally Posted by tstone

Also show me some kudzu, please. I've been looking but still haven't seen this "leaves of 3", vine like you see what invaded Central TN. All of what I've seen here has been either this small leaf ivy or better yet, morning glory. The morning glory has become a bit of an invasive pest near our house, wrapping itself around our garden and flower beds. Morning glory has also invaded a lot of the hill country west/NW of Austin.

Per Kudzu? I can only show you its range and picture for you to reference. In my experience, Kudzu in Southeast TX approaches nowhere NEAR the abundance that it does in places like Virginia, GA or Florida. But it certainly exists in Southeast TX according to ecologists/botanists.


http://www.forestryimages.org/images...48/0016256.jpg

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by SteveArmy

Those are mostly concrete, TX highway beautification program trees and/or on private land. And they're probably the weak oak tree variant, their leaves are not even 'collectible' LOL. I don't think people are just looking for trees that are green and makes oxygen. Normally people are refering to the backwoods and natural forest but since Houston is so flat (this is the real issue) then every inch can be developed for housing and malls, unlike in other areas where there are hills, rivers and protected forests, the trees/trails/rock look like they've been there before Columbus arrived

Um...no they're not...that was actually one of the reasons that I selected them...to show that the NATIVE greenery in Houston is in fact exceptionally lush. Of course there WILL be a great deal of concrete infused as well; after all, I am talking about the fourth largest CITY in the nation. Are there beautification programs, and nature development/preservation programs? Im sure there are in Houston, just as there are in other cities. But the pictures I selected are a mixture of residential, urban planning photos AND naturally occurring vegetation. Im not quite following you on this one.

I mean, Ive been to parts of VA, and NC which have more trees than Houston could ever even dream of, and they contain developments in the midst of their forests as well.