Can anyone recommend a tree that provides shade, is not too overly tall, and is a "clean" tree. We are removing a palo verde tree. Love the looks of the tree, just hate the mess, unruly growing habit and fear of branches breaking off on our home.
We put in a California Pepper about 4 years ago and have been very happy with it. It's not messy, drops very little on the ground, provides good shade, has an interesting rough/loose bark. It grows fairly quickly, but tops out about 15 to 20 feet. We keep ours trimmed up from the bottom, but it can be left untrimmed and will resemble a willow.
I had a beautiful tree in my yard when I moved here 5 years ago.....Big Lush, it shaded the entire front yard...not sure what it was - - but neighbors said it had been here forever -- probably 4o years plus - -The roots of this tree found my Sewer pipe line twice within 3 years - -after I moved here -- roots got into the couplers of this large pipe. So - - I was forced, finally to replace this very large sewer pipe going from my front yard to the street - - what a nightmare -- what an enormous large hoe that was dug. This was a 10 hour job with 4 men working on it....not to mention $3,000.00 cost to me ! ouch ! I then decided that this tree was just too smart for me - -I had it taken down - -I then got the magazine on Desert Landscaping "Landscape Plants for the AZ Desert"...t one of the local nurseries. or go on line www.amwua.org - I have planted two beautiful Oleanders in my front - 2years ago -- close to windows - -for shade and also TX Sage in front. No more trees for me -- two years ago my beautiful 2 large & green Ficus trees were killed by the freeze we had. This booklet will also explain trees, shrubs, bushes, succulents.... Pictured is my front yard with Oleanders, TX sage and Bird of Paradise (far left) -- Red Oleander Flowers Pic was taken in early APRIL -- before I had my home stuccoed. The plants- all use minimal water.
Thanks - Archer -- this I am totally aware of -- and there are many other bushes, shrubs that are dangerous to doggies as well as other pets....When I trim my oleanders - -I really wash up when done - that liquid from the stems can be nasty even to us humans !
$3,000 for a sewer pipe. Lucky you. I have 3 on my property that meet at a point (I own 2 rental units behind my house) and each replacement cost me $14,000. One a year for 3 years..a painful chunk of retirement savings. 2 weeks work for each and lots of jack-hammered concrete. Even when I once choose to do the trench-less method (really a Less dig method not no dig) it took long too. In hind-sight I would not do the trench-less method again. I would just replace the driveway. That way I would know what's under the whole thing and get a new driveway to boot.
The oleander tree is very pretty. I definitely don't want to plant another nuisance tree. Will look into the magazine you recommended. Anyone else make recommendations?
I, too, am looking for a good shade tree to plant in my back yard to shade my picture window facing the South. Will need something fairly fast growing if I want to benefit from it!
"Landscape Plants for the AZ Desert"... get it at one of the local nurseries. or go on line www.amwua.org - You might be able to find your perfect tree - -that has shade-fast growing, etc.
Replacing sewer and/or water lines can get very, very expensive. That is why I recently took out insurance to cover such problems. Information available upon request. No, I do not work for the company. I just believe in insurance.
I am considering installing a retractable awning over my courtyard that faces east. The windows facing that direction already have sunshades. Anyone have one? Like it? No worry about roots or droppings!!
We had a pepper tree when we lived in California. It was very old, VERY LARGE, and very messy, this thing was 80 feet tall and 40 ft wide. It was full of pepper corns every year and the birds loved them and made a mess with them. The roots got into our sewer pipe many times. Unfortunately the tree was next door to us and they would not cut it down. Fortunately for us the city was working on gas lines and they broke our sewer main pipe. I gave the worker $20 to add in a clean out T as he fixed it. Every year until we moved I had roto rooter clean out the roots through the T. Never again will I live near a pepper tree!
I had a retractable awning. Trouble is the sun destroys them quickly, even though I had expensive fabric. It looks dirty and starts to rip. You need to replace it about every 3-5 years and it is expensive to replace. I took mine down and wouldn't have another cloth one because of that.
I don't know if the window sunshades you are talking about are fabric or not. But that is my experience with fabric shades.
I myself -- also - - dislike messy trees... Your pepper tree was not only messy - - sounded like a time-consuming-costly-nightmare ! Check this magazine out on Desert Landscaping "Landscape Plants for the AZ Desert"...sometimes available at one of the local nurseries. or go on line www.amwua.org
I wonder if there are different kinds of California Pepper trees.... We love ours because it drops almost nothing. Its about 25 feet tall, we planted it 5 years ago as a 15 ft tree.The only bird who has taken up residence in the tree is a mockingbird, and I do love listening to him sing.
This was from 15 years ago, but if I remember correctly the city landscape guys said the pepper tree next to us was a Brazilian Pepper tree, much like the california pepper, but much messier. He said the CA pepper still gets some pepper corns, but not at bad as the Brazilian. He also said they both have invasive roots and are pretty aggressive water seekers. My devil tree was really old, the trunk was about 3 ft across at least. The city guys cussed it because it destroyed the sidewalk and was always growing into the power lines above. The city finally removed it a few years after we moved. Sounds like your tree is much more friendly, I have to admit they are a nice looking tree, but I've had a bad experience with Pepper trees.
I love planting... I would go with the Sweet bay magnolia.. They grow fast if you have good soil and they bloom beautiful white flowers... can't go wrong with a magnolia!! Here is some info below.. good luck! (Magnolia virginiana) Zones 5–9 Lustrous dark green leaves with silvery undersides are deciduous in the North, evergreen in the South. Lemon-scented creamy white flowers in spring/early summer. Grows 10–20 feet high and wide in the North, to 60 feet high in the South, where it is happiest. Needs moist, acid soil in sun to partial shade.