I'm familiar with the Southern Live Oaks - you see a lot of them in Tempe near ASU's campus. They have kind of leathery leaves shaped something like holly. I guess they can get pretty big, but it takes a good long time for them to get there. They're evergreen and pretty tough.

Here's what Mountain States sez about Az Ash (Fraxinus velutina):
Arizona Ash is a large tree that can grow to 60' tall by up to 40' wide. Fast growing, this tree will flush out in the spring and drop its compound leaves in the late fall. Flowers are inconspicuous. Drought tolerant once established. Full sun is best.

So, you will have to get a rake if you don't have one!

You probably know all about the willows, but just a suggestion, you might want something evergreen behind them - they can look kinda scraggly in the wintertime.

HTH, good luck!

Pagancat you clever girl, You're so right about the Desert willow not looking its best in the winter. I hadn't thought of putting something behind them. That education is really paying off for you, isn't it.;-) Well, if not for you, it's good for us.

aztransplant, I'm a big fan of mesquites, but they're not at their best in winter, either. Maybe an evergreen, like the oak, would be a good choice for your third tree.

For long term healthy trees the southern oak and the pine are superior trees. The more you water the oak the faster they will grow-they grow their best in very moist-almost swampy areas of the south. If there is a tree that is impossible to overwater in Phoenix it is the live oak. The Eldarica pine also do extremely well here in Phoenix. Once established they will survive on one really deep water once a month in the summer and maybe once or none at all during the winter depending on how much rain we get. To push growth to the max you can deep water them once every two weeks during the summer. Pines also really like cow manure for fertilizer.

How big is the place you have for the trees?

The Eldarica pines get HUGE, and are messy. Don't plant one anywhere near a pool, a roof, or a fence.

I have a Fan Tex Ash which is an improved version of an Arizona Ash. I love it. Beautiful tree that takes the heat and sun well. It has a full western exposure with reflected heat and it doesn't look burned at all. It is also nice that it turns a golden yellow in the late Fall/ealry winter before losing it's leaves because it gives a little idea of autumn in the desert. My mesquite is a far messier tree then the Ash.

I think that I'm gonna go for the mesquite. One thing's for sure, I'm not going to stake it like the mesquite tree at my old house was...that caused nothing but problems. :-)

Great choice!

Thanks Judy, LOL. You guys gonna chip in on my loans?

Do you have a choice on the species of mesquite? The thornless Texas Honey Mesquite that Mountain States grows is stunning. It has larger leaflets and the branches droop a bit giving it a graceful appearance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thornless Honey Mesquite

Texas Live Oak (quercus fusiformis) is supposed to be a better alternative to the southern live oak (quercus virginiana). It tolerates arid conditions and alkaline soil better. I wonder why they don't offer that instead.

Probably because they're buying them buying them from MV...

No one asked the most pertinent question: *Which* electrical company is this?! Sounds like a good deal.

ditto, was wondering the same ... do tell the details TIA

Ooops - Steph lives in Tucson, now, which is the only reason I didn't ask! It's probably TEP (I believe!).

It's Trico Electric. You can get up to 3 trees for $10 each. They don't give you a choice on the type of oak or mesquite tree, though. However, it's a much better deal than the going rate at local nurseries!

I bought and planted three Fantex (Arizona) ash trees last year. They are still living and seem quite healthy, but they won't grow! How can I get these to grow?

I am needing to replace a very large, not so nice olive tree in my backyard. I would like something with good canopy that does not drop any "fruit" and is an evergreen. Can you suggest something?
Thank you,
deb

Sounds like Mesquite would be a good choice.

Ficus might work although some do have small berries, but very small.

Not sure why your current tree is "not so nice" but if it is just the fruit you can have it sprayed once a year to kill the blooms so you don't get fruit.

All this info is most interesting as I'm having to replace 10, yes that many frost-sickled ficuses after hand-watering for four years - not doing that again. In reaseaching for evergreen, mostly clean, medium-thirsty trees, the live oak seemed to be ahead by a branch, maybe. My quesstion is there exists two diff beliefs of size, one that they only reach 15' here locally the other says they reach 30'+ but grow slow, key word 'grow' has become # one. Really would like anyone knowing about a tree with a bit of age and it's size along with any bits of wisdom regarding these trees and is it now too hot to plant one?

my 2 cents....
The nursery folks will say you can plant anytime as the trees in nursery are sitting in yard in hot summer and wont be a big diff if planted in your yard. But they water them a lot and all the trees are kept together there is shade in nursery and its humid there with trees getting watered all the time. or the tree might have arrived from out of town to nursery just few days ago. some trees are picky about transplanting, might be better not to plant them in summer.
Another thing i have noticed is small trees (5 gallon type) grow faster when planted in ground than the big ones. The bigger trees have roots going around in circle in their container and the big roots stay that way planted in ground. 2 of my ficus died in the freeze temp and when i pulled them out i noticed the big fat roots about size of garden hose were wound up in a circle. They had been in the ground for 3 years.
Trees have different growth rate depending on living conditions/genetics. some grow too fast and big, some can grow real slow. Some fast growers need to be trimmed thinned out regularly so that they dont get top heavy and fall down during the strong windy conditions.