Hello out there! I am looking for some advice on selecting a shade tree. I am looking for a tree to place on the south to southwest side of my house to shade it in the summer, and that is deciduous so we can get sun on the house in the winter. I really need something pretty insect and disease resistant bc unfortunately I am not a very proactive gardener. A fairly neat tree would be preferable as well -- I have loads of pecan trees out in the yard and do not want a mess like that on the deck. Also, as if I am not asking for enough already (yeah, I want the perfect tree...plastic maybe?), one that is relatively fast growing. A gentleman I work with (has a hort/ag degree) suggested an arizona ash but I read on TAMU that they can have fungal and borer issues and are not recommended for East Texas (btw, I'm in Lufkin). I liked the look of the poplar tulip, but would really like something with a bit more spread. I love oaks but I really don't have that kind of time lol. Any ideas? Appreciate it :)
Trees for East Texas
Here is a really good link for you.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/xeriscape/table5.html
Thank you :)
If you want something fast growing, look at a bald cypress. My only caveat would be that it really needs to be in the yard area where it doesn't get a lot of water. Mine is planted in my flowerbeds which I need to water often, and the cypress knees poke up and we have to cut them off every few years or so.
I also have a friend who has a sweet gum that doesn't have gumballs. They are beautiful trees. I have a couple of what I think are water oaks that are pretty trouble free. Because of the deep tap root, I have less trouble with roots on the surface with those.
I'll try to find some pictures to attach.
Lynn
Thanks. The place I would like to put the tree is a bit near my deck beds which are the only ones I really water -- they have my bananas and tropicals that take more water. I would be interested in a sweet gum w/o the balls. I go barefoot alot and there is nothing like stepping on a sweet gum ball barefooted....except maybe legos lol. Are the water oaks fast growing?
Well, I'm not sure it's a water oak. I looked earlier to find a picture of it, but haven't found one with leaves that look like mine. It's leaves are shaped kind of like an oleander leaf, though not as long. I'll keep looking as I have the chance.
Okay, assuming this link works, I think I have 3 willow oaks.
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/quph.htm
I also have 2 sweetgums
http://forestry.about.com/cs/treeid/a/the_sweetgum.htm
here is a link from the Wildflower center for Willow Oak
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUPH
and one for Water Oak, they are both very large trees.
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUNI
Chinkapin Oak is not as large and very pretty.
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUMU
We also have a couple of Shumard Oaks, which are really my favorite. The leaves are beautiful.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/61688/
Thank y'all so much for your help.