skip to main content

California Gardening

tree recommendation under oaks

14 years ago

Hi there,

I need to plant a fast growing screening tree under several large oaks. I don't want to water the oaks so it needs to be drought resistant and able to grow in shade. I already have many california bays and don't want to use more.

A local nursery sold me a bay laurel, but on reading about it I find it likes rich loamy soil and water! I should probably try to return it?

I do have some 6' pittosporums that I could transplant there, although they would probably get leggy because there is quite a bit of shade. I also have been bringing up a strawberry madrone to plant eventually, but it is still very small.

Any ideas?

Thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

deep___roots
14 years ago
Trees, I don't know. But some large shrubs in my yard that exist under or near oaks that are drought resistant and provide some screen are: cottoneaster, privet, sweet olive.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
14 years ago
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia).
Related Discussions
Help w/plant recommendation for under an elm tree?
Q
Comments (2)
What about a japanese fern tree? I have 4 of them and love them. They are not real fast growers, but in 3 years you could get dense screening in a very pretty way. They tolerate shade, sun, whatever and always look good except with freezing weather. Mine recovered nicely from 27-28 degrees a few nights the last two winters. They are not terribly easy to find, but crowley's down here and sometimes Farm and Garden have them. I cannot get enough of this little tree. I have one of mine planted under an oak and it does well with lots of root competition and shade. Just one idea. Anna
...See More
Beetles Found Under Bark of An Oak Tree
Q
Comments (7)
OK, I don't think that your bug is the problem. It looks to me like the non-lighting, daytime "lightning bug" Ellychnia corrusca. The adults overwinter by crawling between the cracks in tree bark. Here are a couple of highlights from what I read about them, both from the blog linked below: "The larvae of Ellychnia corrusca, says the E.H. Strickland Entomology Museum, live in rotting wood and are predators, likely eating grubs and slugs that are also found in or on rotting wood. Diet: Adults live on plant liquids such as maple sap, maple flower nectar, and possibly fluids from flowers during the fall before they find a winter hiding place, according to the E.H. Strickland Museum." Here is a link that might be useful: What Lives in my Yard?
...See More
What grows well under an oak tree?
Q
Comments (18)
Um, okay, I will just say to the original poster, I hope you didn't have this nice oak that is providing all of this shade removed. I just don't know why somebody would buy a plot of land or a home with a bunch of shade trees IF that isn't the kind of yard you wanted, there are so many people (me included) that would just LOVE a yard with mature oaks to shade most of the yard, to think somebody bought that property and they hated a shaded lot, I am just boggled by it. I say this because the OP seemed to be okay if this big ole oak were to rot and die, and there is no mention of this tree having any rotting wood, or that's what my take is. Did I miss something? I would love to have a big ole oak in my yard, I have acouple that provide some decent shade, but, I would love to take this giant oak off the hands of the OP.
...See More
Planting hydrangeas under oak tree in massachusetts
Q
Comments (3)
"I have been reading some forums that hydrangeas can cause issues with the tree's roots so I didn't know if anyone had experience with this." All kinds of claims that are not true are made on forums. Is there any corroboration of such claims by a viable source? It's not realistic in my mind that a couple of Hydrangeas are capable, or even have a hope of, killing or harming an oak tree. But as Babs says, it's pretty dark in there. Unless you remove some of the bottom branches and let light in, I don't think you're going to get a great display. A huge part of an older tree's magnificence is its trunk. Removing lower limbs exposes this great feature.
...See More
tressa
14 years ago
My first thought was sugar bush or manzanita. Check out what grows under oaks in your area.....it should probably be a native.
crazymary_2009
14 years ago
Look on the Las Pilitas website to get ideas. I think Garrya, which is a large growing shrub with tassels on it, native coffeeberries or Ribes (gooseberries).

Snowberries might work too. These are large shrubs, not trees, but are quite large. Whatever you do, you don't want to start watering near the tree. Good luck!
pbwillow
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you so much for your ideas. I have some manzanitas in the yard - beautiful, but very slow growing. This site is under 3 dense oak trees, so I am concerned that there is not enough sun for sweet olive or manzanita to grow well. I have a couple of lovely ribes, they also like more sun I think than this site would offer. I need something that might reach 10 to 20 feet..

As for the bay laurel that the nursery already sold me, does anyone know if it CAN grow in poor soil and very little water and not much light? The californa bays can do ok, but my reading says the bay laurel likes rich soil, some water, and does better with sun.

I prune my oaks to allow filtered light, but 2 of these oaks are base in the neighbor's yard, and so they are thick and dense and unpruned.

I have a few coffeberries also, they are languishing in the lack of light...

I will look up privet and cotton easter. Do you think the pittosporums could be transplanted? Would they languish in the shade too?
Axel
14 years ago
I have a whole hedge of pittosporum undulatum under my oak trees. They are not leggy but they do require pruning, otherwise they get leggy. They need to be consistently topped so that they don't try to grow above the oaks. That keeps them nice and bushy.

undulatum seems to be quite content to grow in this setting. The oaks are pruned to allow filtered light. I even get very nice fragrant blooms in the Spring.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Prunus Virginiana Thrives Under Deciduous Trees

By Pollination Press LLC

Plant chokecherry for showy white flowers favored by native bees in spring, and to provide nesting habitat and food for birds

GARDENING GUIDES Celebrate Eastern Oaks for Wildlife, Longevity and Seasonal Interest

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

There might not be a more important tree to have in your eastern U.S. landscape — if you can fit one in

CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS Great Design Plant: Coast Live Oak

The stuff of legends and memories, this California tree is one to build a whole landscape around

WOOD Woodipedia: Make a Solid Choice With Oak

By Marci Crestani

Forget those low-end products of old. Red and white oak today are beautiful, versatile and relatively inexpensive

HOLIDAYS Holiday Decorating: Natural Looks From Down Under

Native greens and craftsy touches give an Australian stylist's home festive flair with an organic feel

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Island Alumroot

By Annie Thornton

Shade tolerance and resilience make this California native a natural for planting under oaks and other canopy trees

ARBOR DAY 8 Reasons to Plant a Great Tree

By June Scott Design

Beauty is its own reward, but the benefits of planting the right tree in the right place go way beyond looks

GARDENING GUIDES Tree Care: Common Tree Diseases and What to Do About Them

By Falon Mihalic

Learn to recognize trees that may be affected by diseases or pests so you can quickly take action

GARDENING GUIDES When and How to Plant a Tree, and Why You Should

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Trees add beauty while benefiting the environment. Learn the right way to plant one

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Pretty Trees for Patios, Paths and Other Tight Spots

Choose trees for their size, shape and rate of growth — or shape them to fit your space. Here's how to get started

Sponsored

More Discussions

Year of the Wood Dragon

13

suburban raccoon - should I do anything?

1

Do you defoliate your roses?

18

Cercis occidentalis from seed collected today 2/14/24

5

My California Rose Garden 2024

72