Hello Houston area gardeners!
I have a mulberry tree in my front yard currently, but there is something wrong with it. I am going to have an arborist take a look and see what's going on, but just in case it turns out that the tree will need to be removed, I am researching possible replacements.
Has anyone grown a Jacaranda tree in the Houston area? We had them all of the place in Southern California where I am from and they are so gorgeous. I'm also told they grow very quickly, which I would want, so that we can have a mature tree in our front yard again as quickly as possible.
Do they do well out here? Can they handle the heat, humidity and rains? Any experiences to relate?
Thanks for your help!
Valerie
Houston area - Jacaranda tree?
I found a few reference to Jacaranda use in Texas. If Houston is in Zone 10 or 9b, it may grow but is likely to be damaged frost. This is one of the trees that I looked for when we moved to La Grange from San Jose, but when our temperatures went down to 13ºF that first winter, I knew it was a lost cause. It hasn't gotten below 23ºF since but the wind chill has. A must is well draining soil.
http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/Display_Onetree.aspx?tid=39
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/syllabi/608/Lists/second%20ed/Jacarandamimosifolia.pdf
These are two different sites at tamu
Well, I'm on the southside of Houston and am actually zone 9a, so might be a little too chilly in the winters. This past winter was especially cold, so I know it can happen periodically.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone will post who has grown one locally and can tell me it grows here! If you haven't seen one, they are truly spectacular. My favorite tree of all time, despite the mess it leaves when it drops all its flowers. On my lawn would be a fine place for all those purple flowers!
Thanks for the links. I'll definitely check out that information. Thanks for finding that for me!
Valerie
Valerie, I love those trees and had to have one. Last summer I put it on the west side of the house and it survived the winter. It's about 8' tall, gets full sun most of the day and seems to thriving. I thought since it's a tropical tree it may not get that big so I hope I won't be regretting I put it close to the house.
Glad to hear it's making it locally! And even through that really cold snap we had in January this year. I may have to give it a try. They are sooo beautiful!
Actually, you might want to move it now while it's small. It's not considered a "large" tree (those are like 80 feet) but it can still get up to 40 feet - check it out. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1254/
I think yours might be too close to the house.
And just as wide. I have seen them, digigirl. There are gorgeous. There were quite a number of large old specimens in San Jose and other cities in the San Francisco Bay Area where I'm from. I wonder how they faired this past winter. It got so unusually cold for such a long period of time.
Some newer neighborhoods especially in the east foothills had them planted as what could be called street trees. Not really close to the street because the sidewalks were placed next to the streets. They are also planted along 680 and 880. I never had one because I landscaped with fruit trees, one pecan tree and one magnolia tree. I had hoped that I would be able to grow one here now that I have all the space in the world.
We sell them @ the Farm!
:~)
Smockette, what retail nurseries carry "the Farm" products?
Arbor Gate, Martha's Bloomers, Heirloom Gardens, Producers.
Newton's on Austin.
Smockette-are they sold as tropical potted trees, or for planting in the ground in 8b?
Arbor gate(over the phone) were the ones that talked me into planting my lemons in the ground, and they are certainly not rated 8a. Mine have done really well, except for one. The other two are doing well. I try to keep them covered with a sheet when it is really cold. They get bit by frost, but bounce right back...don't think I could throw a sheet over a jacaranda, though, lol...that is why I gave mine to my brother in houston.
I wish we had a neat place like your farm around here...I'd love to go to work there, just to keep up with all the neat stuff! I'm so bored with what is available here locally. Wish I wasn't so far from that area...
Several years ago, I had grown a Jacaranda to about the size of fly-girl's(over wintering it in the greenhouse), and finally gave it to my brother, who lives in Houston/Spring. He said it died, but I don't think it was because of the winter, lol...
-T
We sell them to ArborGate, landscapers, & other nurseries to be planted out! I guess some are planted in containers for the rich so when they get tired of them, they can get something new!
Yes, they will freeze on the top if we have a bad, cold winter but will come back fr the roots if properly protected with a blanket of pine needles or I use leaves since I don't have but one pine tree.
Same thing on your citrus. Depending on where you got them, they should be grafted to a hardy root stock. We use Flying Dragon, TF, & something else. These will live, planted in the ground.
I live 30 miles north of Hou & I have 5 citrus trees in the ground & I am on top of a hill. Fly-girl is east of me, closer to I-45 & more concrete for heat retainage.
I think I have this tree, but mine is all bent over, How will I ever straighten it out ... Also I was told I to bring mine inside when it got cold. I didnt know it blooms. Will take a pic tommorrow for show and tell. :)
This message was edited Aug 1, 2007 9:00 PM