Johnson County has plenty of trees. Most of them are growing in normal places – in yards and neighborhoods along streets, streamways and lakes throughout the county.

A few seemingly are misplaced. One is a silo tree near 175th Street and Woodland Road, Spring Hill. Often described as the “world’s largest potted plant,” silo trees occur when trees take root inside abandoned agricultural silos, growing upward until they emerge from the top.

Over the years, the Russell Family, owners of the property, simply let Mother Nature and the farm’s old silo “do their thing” for all who pass by on 175th Street to admire.

Pam Russell Perrin, who grew up on the family farm of 80 acres, knows firsthand about the tree growing in the old silo in the nearby pasture.

“It’s been there for forever. I think nature just happened,” Perrin said. “I do remember my father (Bill Russell) cutting corn for silage which was put into the silo to feed cattle. This must have been at least 60 years ago. The family hadn’t used the silo for many years, so I just think a seedling was able to survive and grow.”

Markis Hill, Horticulture, Ornamentals and Turf Agent at Johnson County’s K-State Extension Office, says an abandoned silo is ideal for growing a tree. It has soil and decomposed debris, like silage, at the bottom. Tree seeds can enter a silo by wind or dropped by visiting birds or squirrels.

“It is a great place for a tree to grow since there is little to no competition with other plants, allowing it to take up water and nutrients more easily,” he said. “Also, the tree is protected from extreme weather conditions because it has its very own microclimate, keeping it from taking direct heat, direct sun or strong winds.”

Perrin thinks the roofless silo, which is approximately 30 feet in height, was built in the 1920s or 1930s. It was constructed using concrete staves (interlocking precast blocks) bound by metal hoops. Stave silos were common from 1910 onwards.

Inside the silo, the tree branches grow straight upward toward the sunlight and strut out about 20 feet or so atop the silo. The branches then spread widthwise, creating an umbrella shape.

“I think it’s an ash,” Perrin added. “We have lots of nearby ash trees.”

Although she doesn’t consider herself a farmer’s daughter, Perrin did chores, drove a tractor and helped at the family’s longtime general store at the corner of the property. After leaving the family nest, she was an elementary school teacher for 34 years. After retiring, she was a substitute teacher for eight years. Her teaching career was in the Olathe School District.

The Russell family’s roots span more than a century in Johnson County. The property is located in the bygone small community of Bonita that was settled in 1879, featuring a post office, general store and a handful of residences.

“My great-grandfather J.J. (Jake) Kuhlman came to this area from Missouri in 1902. He bought the original general store which was across 175th from the current store building. He built a grain elevator and the ‘new store’ in 1903,” Perrin said.

Kuhlman was a prominent early 20th century merchant, grain and coal dealer in Johnson County. After his death in 1926, the property transferred to George Russell, Kuhlman’s son-in-law and Pam’s grandfather. Aside from farming, raising cattle and managing the store, Russell was a Johnson County Commissioner for two terms, starting in 1945.

“He was commissioner when the new courthouse was built,” Perrin said. Located in the Johnson County Square in downtown Olathe, the county’s third courthouse opened in 1952, closed in 2020 and razed the following year.

Bill Russell (Pam’s father), who was a rural mail carrier for more than 35 years, managed the property and co-owned the store from 1953 until 1999 when the business was closed following his death. Most of the farm acreage has been leased for years. The property, which was annexed by the city of Spring Hill last year, is for sale.

While an exact total number of “silo trees” is not officially tracked in Johnson County or even in Kansas, there are other “silo trees” throughout the state, including Douglas, Jefferson and Shawnee counties.

Perrin thinks a tree growing in a silo is unique but reflective in nature’s ability to repurpose and reclaim man-made structures no longer in use.

“It’s just nature at work,” she said with a smile.

Arbor Day is a reminder to take good care of the trees that Johnson County already has, and early spring is a good time to plant trees. Silos are optional.