Shade trees

Some of the best shade trees to plant in Los Angeles

Published February 7, 2013 | By Jane

There are many trees that do well across the Los Angeles area. Each type of tree has its own special growth pattern, characteristic looks and cultural needs. The first thing to keep in mind in selecting the best shade tree to plant is whether you want an evergreen tree or one that will lose its leaves in the winter (deciduous). An advantage to evergreens is that they look green and lush all year round. For planting near the house, deciduous trees have the advantage of cooling the house during hot summers while allowing the sun to penetrate and warm your home when it gets chilly in the winter. Both trees will drop leaves naturally. Whereas the evergreen sheds a little all year round, the deciduous tree will dump its leaves all at once. It’s you choice as to how you want to handle clean-up after your tree.

Other features you need to consider to select the best shade tree for your Los Angeles home is the shape of the tree, how tall and wide it will grow, if your micro-climate is the right one for the tree you want, what kind of flowers, berries, seed pods or other features the tree will have – and how much litter these will cause when those features are dropped to the ground. Some trees have surface or invasive roots, some have peeling bark and some have branches that break easily in the Santa Ana winds common to the Los Angeles area.

Some of the old favorite trees may not be right for your yard. Weeping Willows, Cottonwoods and White Birches are very popular but rarely get the kind of water they need. They prefer to grow near streams where the water table is high. Pines and fir trees offer a woodland effect, but are highly flammable for areas vulnerable to wildfires. Choose your palm trees carefully, too, as some look charming when young but grow up looking chunky or crass, or worse, turn into nothing but trunks in your yard so it’s like having a living telephone pole in your landscape.

Grow the right tree in the right place and almost any tree will look great. Magnolias are fine trees to grow in Los Angeles so long as surface roots won’t be a problem. The showy flowers of the Jacaranda are beloved as they blossom out into lavender-purple trees in spring time. Just don’t plant them where the sticky flowers will glue themselves to cars or structures below.

If you don’t mind petal drop, the small, umbrella shaped Silk Mimosa makes a decorative, easy care. The larger growing ‘Purple Robe’ Locust is colorful and an easy grower. And the small Desert Willow blooms as decoratively as an oleander without the aphid problems and poisonous sap. These are some colorful, drought-tolerant deciduous trees that do well in almost any part of Los Angeles.

Large trees like the evergreen Camphor tree, the majestic, deciduous Tulip Tree and the orange, brush-flowered Australian evergreen Grevillea robusta also do well but need plenty of room to grow.

There are many colorful flowering trees like the Catalpa, the Fringe Tree, the Crepe Myrtle or the Chaste tree that grow small and colorful and can fit in most properties, even where space is limited.

Another consideration for Los Angeles landscapes is to choose water-wise plantings and trees. Drought tolerant trees will not only cut your water bills down, but they are beautiful and low maintenance. Check out the Mesquite, Blue Palo Verde, some palms and some of the showy Acacias for a start.

The Australian Willow (Geijera parvifolia) — not a willow at all — is a particularly well-behaved evergreen tree that is handsome, conveniently medium-sized and can even take some drought. You might even enjoy growing an evergreen citrus tree with its fragrant blooms and tasty oranges, lemons, tangerines or other fruit as a bonus. Or try another fruit tree like peach or apple that blooms colorfully in the spring, fruits later in the season while casting its cooling shade, then offers bright autumn-hued foliage before dropping leaves for winter.

Chose carefully from the many Eucalyptus trees since some are better behaved than others and growth habits and sizes vary widely. There are many handsome varieties of Ash that will do well in Los Angeles gardens, too.

There are so many different trees that will be good choices for Los Angeles landscapes. Each tree has its pros and cons, so the best thing you can do is research the attributes you want for your own garden space to make sure you select the best tree. Just because you like the look of a tree doesn’t mean it will be the best choice for your landscape

Posted in Articles on Gardening, Articles on Landscape Design | Tagged Los Angeles shade trees, los angeles trees, plant trees, Shade trees | 5 Comments

How to keep your garden and home a shade cooler

Published February 4, 2013 | By Jane

With weather changes, it seems there are more hot spells and we tend to go racing to hide indoors with the dry, artificially chilled air pumped out by our air conditioners. Sometimes we get so used to efficiency and high tech that we forget some solutions are simple and have been around for a long time. One cooling example is planting a tree. Trees are the most Eco-friendly, long-lasting and beautiful way to make your home and garden cooler in heat. They will provide shade to your garden and the shade will grow year after year as your tree matures.

Trees are nature’s sun (and rain) umbrellas. They have been the most reliable solution for staying cool since civilization began. There are many different kinds of trees that can add color and form – even flowers, fruit or nuts — to your landscape. In hot summer areas even the wildlife knows to seek the shade of a tree, and in cold winters, deciduous trees (those that shed their leaves) allow warming sun to penetrate. Planting a shade tree to lessen the heat of summer sun directly on your house can even save you about ten percent on your air conditioning bills. Whether you want your tree to turn colors in the autumn, put on a show of blooms, underscore a theme garden, be a romantic location for seating or picnicking – or be used for any other purpose — here are some tips that will help you grow the best shade tree possible for your yard.

Plan ahead. Look at the space where you want to plant your shade tree. Take into consideration the time of the year and how shadows will move. Plant your tree where the shade will be of most benefit at the hottest time of summer. (Tip: the south and west facing sides of any structure will receive the most intense sunshine.)

Keep in mind how your chosen tree will grow, look and behave. When a young tree is planted it will be small and compact, but it may look much different when it matures. Sometimes even the shape of leaves change as the tree ages. Do your research so you know what your tree will look like in the future and plant as if the tree were full size. Ask yourself some questions. Does your location have shade or sun? What kind of soil or drainage does your planting area offer? And can the space you are planting accommodate both the overhead span and the underground root system of the tree you want to plant when it reaches its mature, full size? Planting the right tree in the right spot will make for a healthy, happy and low-maintenance asset to your garden, while providing the best shade-cover possible.

Decide if you want deciduous (trees that drop their leaves in the autumn) or evergreen. Not only are the looks different but care will vary. All trees shed their leaves but the deciduous ones do it all at once. Litter can be a consideration. If you are planting a tree near a swimming pool or a pond, you will want minimal leaf and flower drop. Trees will always shed leaves, flowers, seeds and bark, but some are more prolific than others. Heavy-flowering trees, large petals and large leaves will create more litter. Even evergreen trees can create a lot of litter. Pines are particularly generous at dropping needles. So select trees for these areas that will create the minimum work to keep clean. Also beware of flowers and fruit that can be sticky or stain where surfaces below can be damaged, like parked cars, seating areas or walkways you want to keep clean.

Some trees offer a choice of fruiting or fruitless varieties like the mulberry or olive tree. Some offer sweet scents and fruit like citrus trees. Fruit trees and flowering trees can put on brilliant shows of colorful blooms. Some trees turn blazing colors for an autumn show. So long as these trees grow tall enough, they can all keep you cool in the heat of summer. Smaller trees can be planted in small groups to cast more shade.

Plant your young tree in the right location and keep it well watered. Most trees don’t like to be kept wet just on the surface so make sure moisture reaches the lowest roots.

If you select a tree that will grow well in your garden space and guide its growth by judicious pruning, it should grow into a sturdy, low-maintenance source of shade. A well-planted shade tree will make both your home and garden more comfortable for you, your family and your pets. It will also help clean the air of pollutants, attract birds and butterflies and add beauty to your property. Planting a tree improperly can become a very expensive – even dangerous – problem in the garden. So start off right and your landscape can keep your life a shade cooler in hot weather. A happy, healthy shade tree can become one of your best landscape investments.

Posted in Articles on Landscape Design | Tagged cool shade, garden shade, plant tree, planting trees, Shade trees | Leave a comment