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| Hi everyone!
I have been gardening for only a few months now, but I am getting the hang of it. I live in Tucson, Arizona, where it is hot and dry. I live on about 1.25 acres near a wash in the foothills, so we get slightly more rain than they do in other parts of town, but it's still the desert! My house was built in 1984, and I assume that's when all of the trees were planted. Lots of mesquite and a few pines. My front yard has some prickly pear cactus, mesquite, beavertail cactus, saguaro, and a big open space right in the middle. I would love to put a great shade tree right there, but I am SO sick of mesquite and palo verde. Someone suggested a Royal Empress, which I had never heard of. I have seen tall trees around town that look like some sort of birch, and they're very pretty. I'm hoping for something that gets tall and full. I plan/hope to live in this house for many years to come. Any ideas? Also, would it be okay to plant a tree now with 112 degree heat on the way in the coming weeks, followed by a monsoon season? Or should I wait until fall? Any tips from the pros would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!! -Rachel |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by tim_treenut (My Page) on Thu, May 3, 12 at 1:13
| My brother used to live near joshua tree, Ca and he had a huge pinyon pine in his back yard. Definitely worth a thought. Or what about some sort of palm? Sorry Im from Minnesota so this is something I dream about. |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Thu, May 3, 12 at 3:08
| Hello Rachel, I spent a day in Phoenix a few years back. The Desert Botanical Garden blew my mind. Even after spending a whole week in Vegas and Death Valley the diversity and color on display impressed me greatly. Get over there before the temperatures get life threatening. On the day I went employees were driving golf carts around handing out water and offering rides. I assume your next planting season is late October so you have some time to plan. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Desert Botanical Garden
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| I would go to a good local nursery/garden center and ask to talk to someone who is a professional in the field. NOT a big box store, NOT some little dumpy hole in the wall that looks poorly managed, and make sure the person you are speaking with and asking questions of has some training in the field, preferably a horticulture degree and at least some kind of certification from the state Nurseryman's association (assuming Arizona has one, it should). Hopefully, a competent professional should be able to make some suggestions that are meaningful. If the nursery is a dump, and they sic some pimply-faced 17 year old part time high school kid or some kindly but uniformed older lady on you, leave and try the next nursery/garden center. |
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| Rachel, Tall and full can be a bit difficult to do where you are at. Arizona Cypress and Afghan Pine are two conifers that grow at a moderate rate and do well in hot dry areas. Probably some of the pines you are seeing are Afghans. They tend to be more triangular to cone-shaped than full. Prairie Flameleaf Sumac -will grow to 30'(15-20' is more common) and has exceptional heat and drought resistance. Am drawing a blank on more deciduous trees. Most of the nice deciduous trees I am familiar with would need 20" or more of annual rainfall (example : Cedar Elm). The suggestions above are good except that the Pinyon Pine and Joshua Trees (type of Yucca)mentioned are very slow growing. Good luck/Let us know what you decide. |
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- Posted by mackel_in_dfw 8a (My Page) on Fri, May 4, 12 at 11:21
| Pistacia chinensis is said to grow well in Tuscon. You could probably confirm that but I don't doubt it , having one myslef. It makes quite a nice shade tree, and it is the easiest tree you can imagine. It grows three foot a year or more with some irrigation, and has super strong wood. In it's second year, ours survived easily the great drought and heat spell of 2012, in which ten percent of all trees in Texas died. It needs pruning it's first few years due to codominant limbs. It's an ugly duckling that grows up to be a stunner. If you plant the male, there is no chance of it reseeding. It is a true earth friendly tree, needs little input from man, highly disease resistant, and puts on a show in the fall. It's deep rooted, wind resistant, and will survive on twelve inches of rain a year. |
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| You should really check a nursery, not home depot or lowes but a nursery that specializes in plants for the area. Also, Tucson use to have a planting restriction because of the lack of water. No grass. That being said I really like the sissoo tree. It has an Aspen look to it. It is from Australia. It is tall, but not too tall. Just a real pretty tree. |
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| I found this "Arid Plant List: an illustrated guide to common landscape plants used in and around the Tucson area" It features Jacaranda Mimosifolia - lovely shade tree in my experience. The list also features Edible Fig, which can get pretty big and broad, and serve also as a shade tree, though people don't tend to think of it as a shade tree. I also discovered there's a Gardening in Arizona forum on Gardenweb. You may get some feedback there as well. Good luck! |
Here is a link that might be useful: Arid Plant List
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| Quercus Fusiformis is available at Oaks of the wild west in Arizona. Although I have many planted here in the east, they are a low desert native. I am getting 1 ft per year here so far, your climate is what they are adapted for, after a year or 2 of helping them with water til they are established,they may grow fast for you. They are zone 6 hardy for cold. |
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