Croton

I have a 25 footer. It likes lawn water during our dry summers and I've never seen a surface root on my 25% clay soil. Lots of bees feed ...Read Moreon this tree Oct-Dec when little else is in bloom in this arid-toasty Zone 15 outer coast range valley. Like a Myoporum, the interior branches lose their leaves and die. But when you keep the interior clear of dead branches, you get a densely shaded high-ceiling shelter from the hot sun, as the densely-leaved outer branches droop as low as you let them go. Evergreen, but some leaf drop in winter. Disease free. It's a good lawn tree in warm dry climates and a good screening tree, but you'll have to occasionally prune it to enjoy the shade it gives.

I want to say I love the shrub, however it takes forever to get the darn thing to grow to a sizable shrub so you can make a clipped hedge...Read More. They are quite picturesque when sheared into any shape. I recommend getting a larger plant or growing old waiting for it to be large enough.