Suitability of Chitalpa Trees for Redding CA

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MickeyMe2 Redding, CA Sep 26, 2017

Hi Need some feedback on whether or not to plant this tree. The City of Redding has partnered with the Arbor Foundation and is providing trees to local residents. Despite their assurances I am having some serious doubts as to whether I should plant three of these trees in my yard. I live in Redding CA (Planting Zone 9A) on a ridge top just above the Sacramento river valley. Ridge soils are relatively infertile rocky clay with poor drainage somewhat offset by steep slopes 15-20 degrees. Summers here are very hot for three to four months of the year with daily highs in excess of 100 degrees F. There generally is little to no rain from May through September. Native vegetation is Oak with Winter Grassland. Common native shrubs are large manzanita, toyon, fuschia, snowberry, ... but all require irrigation when newly planted and I have had to continue irrigation just to keep these schrubs going. I also typically have to amend soil by removing existing soils and rock and replacing it with 50 percent original soil and 50 percent compost and sand mixture to create a suto sandy loam. With the Chitalpa tree I am concerned with summer leaf drop even if I irrigate given our summer temperatures. Given I will be getting 15 gallon potted trees, I'd have to dig a 3'x3'x3' pit and replace it with the above amended soil for each tree...no easy task. I also have seen different soil ph requirements. Some say soil should be acidic others alkaline (Dave's Garden list soil pH requirement as definitely alkaline (7.9 to 8.5). So I find this confusing as well. Any thoughts comments from those who have planted these trees that would help me decide given my location and conditions would be greatly appreciated.

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Cville_Gardener Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a) Sep 26, 2017

I used to live in Redding. These trees were becoming popular during the decade before we left. I know they have problems with leaf blight and that makes them unappealing to me. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-planted-enchanted-leaf-blight-browns-make-for-2012sep05-story.html

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