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Florida Gardening

Suggestions for a medium size shade tree?

nativefloridian

14 years ago

I'm looking for any suggestions for a nice Florida shade tree.

Ideally I'd like something that:

1) Isn't messy

2) Grows quickly

3) Can be planted within 15'-20' of the house

4) Somewhat hurricane "safe" (Yeah, I know it doesn't go with #2, but I can hope, right?)

5) doesn't get bigger than 30' or so

I know I probably won't find something that is an EXACT match to my fantasy tree, but I'm hoping you knowledgeable guys and gals can get me closer to the mark than I could on my own.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

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Comments (7)

imagardener2
14 years ago
Bauhinia blakeana aka HongKong Orchid Tree

Betrocks book says 20-30 ht, fast growing shade tree. No fruit (no mess)
However it gets 30-40 wide so be careful where you plant.
fawnridge (Ricky)
14 years ago
There's no such thing as a tree that isn't messy, unless you're talking about a plastic Christmas tree. You have two essential requirements here, after you brush away the fluff. First, that it provides shade, and second, that it stays in the ground through a hurricane.

Tipuana tipu has always been my first choice for a shade tree, as it's a deep rooter and it holds its foliage throughout most of the year. It does have small yellow flowers that don't stain and will be blown away with the wind. The seeds rarely germinate on their own, so it's not invasive. Most of the ones I've used on landscape jobs have topped out at around 30' to 40'. I've recommended this tree to many posters here and the reports I've seen are all positive.
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Were you looking for a minimum height of 30'? Flowering cherries usually don't get that tall. And they do best in a more moderate climate. They tend to be virtually leafless towards the end of the growing seasons in places with hot summers, As for the bradford pears, most often when they break, they aactually split down the middle so if you're looking for some broken ones, they usually get carted away after they "self destruct". There are other reasons why they are undesirable however. Crepe myrtles are usually a large shrub or small tree depending on the cultivar and there are many of them.Not a good choice if you want a 30' shade tree. Quaking aspen won't grow there. They don't like the heat. Unfortunately you're asking for a rapidly growing medium sized tree and that's something that we have a real shortage of. I think that you'd be quite happy with an October Glory red maple or maybe even a Lacebark elm cultivar. Those are both very adaptable and usually readily available in NC.
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I don't know if you will consider it, but we have a similar shade problem in the dining room which is on the side and backside of the house. We planted banana trees. They shade us from the sunner sun abd die back in the Fall so we get the sun in Winter. If bananas wont' work, try a sweetgum. They grow fast and have beautiful Fall color. Caution, they drop seed balls and sucker from the roots but make good shade.
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Wow, thanks for the recommendations to all of you. I do like the idea of Ribes, it has flowers similar to fuschia and the birds will love it. Many of your other recommendations I planted at my parents' home during the last few years, so I can easily make cuttings. I might have to grow some of those full sun species in pots up on our balcony where some spots get full sun year round. Carpenteria may be nice, too. Some white to brighten up the shady spot. Calycanthus is a nice flower morphology, and I love the fragrance of it. Yerba Buena would be a nice groundcover under the trees by the street, and again, I like that it has fragrance. It will like the fog in Summer, too. Phacelia campanularia is one of my favorite flowers, the blue color is amazing. I only worry about the kids in the neighborhood touching it, it gave me a pretty bad dematitis a few months ago when I collected seeds from them. I've been trying to estimate how much sun that area will get in the peak of summer, in June. I think one strip will be filtered/dappled shade, and half of one will be in direct sunlight for a few hours when the sun is highest in the sky. The Las Pilitas site is basically my encyclopedia for getting info about plants, especially their hummingbird and butterfly plant lists. That, google image searches and the online Jepson manual. And even though they aren't natives, I've always wanted to grow Hellebores, so maybe that will go in somewhere too. Thanks again, and happy gardening.
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Woodnative, that's a nice spot you've put together. My Chionanthus are still a few weeks away from flowering, but you've reminded me what I have to look forward to. In these parts, Carpinus caroliniana is an understory tree with a strong preference for moist soils. They can handle more sun, but moist soil is a consistent. They will also look much different in full sun than in their natural shady conditions. Personally, I think they look better when grown in shade. The canopy is more open and with horizontal branching. I've got two growing here, both of which I've sited at the woodland edge. To get a real appreciation for this tree you need to venture into a moist woodland.
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trini1trini
14 years ago
I like Michelia champaca. Smells nice too.
gusolie
14 years ago
I'd second the recommendation for Tipuana tipu.

But, perhaps more suited to the south Florida hurrican lands would be your native Fiddlewood. Definitely a fast grower and yes, indeed a tree!
sharbear50
14 years ago
I need shade too. Does anyone have a picture of the Tipuana tipu and will it live in zone 10?
sharbear50
14 years ago
Does anyone know where to buy a Tipuana tipu tree?
fawnridge (Ricky)
14 years ago
sharbear - I've planted at least 50 of them in zone 10. This one is in our garden, the picture is from 2008 and the tree is even larger now. Several wholesale nurseries sell them. Contact me by email if you're interested.

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