Daily Dose Blogger Bios
That Elusive Tease, the Perfect Small Shade Tree
This was supposed to be an answer to Chanchow's comment, but I can't comment due to that awful verification system where you have to input letters before they let your comment through ...I'm stuck in a loop... I was on my 12th go-round when I finally said 'ENOUGH!' and thought good small trees are something everybody needs to know about.
I am always on the hunt for the perfect tree! I keep expecting it to appear, the tree that I overlooked - the one tree that is small enough yet casts nice shade, has no messy fruit, is evergreen but doesn't look like a lollipop ... where is that tree?! Everyone in the offices of Elysian Landscapes (where I work) is hunting for 'THE TREE'; these few are as close as we've come for the Los Angeles area:
Geijera parviflora (Australian Willow)- my personal favorite tree, is perfect planted with drought tolerants ... but it doesn't have much of a shade canopy. The tree has a lovely 'weeping' profile, but it isn't droopy or wan - the branches sweep up, and the leaves hang down languidly. It is a beauty!
Citrus (not dwarf) - will give you shade, and some people say that if you live in Southern California and you don't have a citrus, you 're not living. I'd plant a Satusma, or an 'Oroblanco' grapefruit. If you cook, you've got to have a lemon - 'Lisbon' would reach the size you need for a shade tree.
Carrotwood, or Cupaniopsis anarcoides - is the best smaller - scale shade tree for our area, in my opinion. It has nice, thick mid-green leaves and developes a canopy at a young age. It does have fruit, but it is such a good tree that the fruit drop shouldn't be a reason not to get one. This is the tree we ( Elysian )plant when small gardens need shade.
I don't plant the Queensland umbrella(Chanchow's mom suggested she plant one) in areas where water is a concern. It is also too fast growing for my taste - anything that grows that fast tends to be brittle. It's a good tree for tropical plantings, but I wouldn't use it as a shade tree.
I hope this is helpful to you - to all of you - and if I'm not answering comments, it's a technical problem ... I'll be back, blathering away with my usual vigor!
Hello, Ivette - I have a totally off topic question.
The outer part of our garden (about half an acre or so) is covered with trailing African daisies (Osteospermum) which DH and I would like to expand. So for the last couple of years I've been taking babies and transplanting them, which works just fine, except it will take the rest of my life to fill in this area.
So, the question is - what's the best way to plant a whole bunch of these guys? Seeds, flats, or just keep on with the transplants?
Thank you for any ideas here, and I love your blog.
Sumcool
My blog loves you, too, Sumcool!
There is no off topic here - all are welcome, all are welcome!
When it comes to planting out large areas, I'm of the 'hit it with your big guns' approach. I believe you want to get your plants growing thickly before any weeds have a chance to gain a foothold and smother your babies. Therefore, I like buying flats and flats of the plant of your choice, dividing them into pieces about the size of a large brownie, and planting them on a 2' square grid. For Osteospermum or Gazania, this should give you a full carpet in one season. Then, as the planting develops and bald spots occur, you can use the 'divide and plug' approach to filling in spots. How do you feel about junipers? I think some of the blue groundcover junipers like 'Blue Star' or 'Blue Pacific' would look smashing mixed in with a daisy carpet, and would toughen it up a bit - give it that rugged beauty the rest of your garden has! What do you think?
Sooo....How was the party?
Thank you, Germi! All the trees you mentioned sound great. I love oranges, so the citrus tree sounds esp great. As a beginning gardener, I find planting decisions exciting but overwhelming. You blog is really helpful-- appreciate it!
At your service, Chanchow - I'm always happy to help, since I have a head full of this stuff, why not use it for the greater good? And the beauty of your garden is part of the greater good!
Omigod Katef - what a bash. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time on Monday to do the corndogs, but that turned out to be good, otherwise people may have died from foodie pleasure ... more at your blog!
Another advantage to the Carrotwood is that its roots stay tame, so it can be planted close to a street, sidewalk, wall, foundation, etc.
High five, Susa - planting a tree with bully roots next to your foundation is something you definately don't want to do.
I don't understand who chooses the street trees for Los Angeles. It seems like one of the biggest requirements is that they be able to buckle a sidewalk.
Okay. How about the Tulip Poplar? While it may not be an evergreen it sure has some interesting foliage to color the landscape with all through the year. In summer it has cool green leaves making it an ideal shade tree , while the leaves turn a happy yellow-gold in the winter. It smells lovely in the spring as well, to add to its appeal. This shade tree also attracts song-birds like ruby-throated hummingbirds, finches and cardinals.