if your worried about roots then I would consider planting in large containers....either DIY with wood or use a tin garbage can.

The down side to growing in a container is that the tree must be repotted every few years as the growing medium breaks down. Repotting a houseplant is one thing, but repotting a decent sized tree is something else.

Looking at the situation, I wonder if there's really much need for lots of concern about the concrete. Sure, in a few decades there may be an issue, but will you still be there? Will the trailer still be there? Even if it does eventually raise a small concrete slab, will that be a major deal?

I wonder if anyone has ever tried baking bread on a sidewalk in Bakersfield? It doesn't get that name for nothing!

I agree with the above poster. Don't worry about concrete. Worry about shade. Plant in ground, and let the chips fall.

Enjoy your shade!
Suzi

I think mininum you are talking five years for the craziest silver maple or weeping willow or cottonwood to give ya shade. None of those are great choices either. Week wooded branch droppers.

Oaks make acorns for metal roofs....

Maybe on of the red maple hybrids woukd be acceptable?

cacwoody, check your local library for a book called The Sunset Western Garden Book, and look through the list of trees and the comments they have about what would be appropriate for your Bakersfield location. You need only a small tree or patio sized tree with deep growing, well-behaved roots. A small tree will give you sufficient shade for your home and yet not be a problem for nearby concrete or pipes. A large tree will end up being an expensive problem and could cause you problems with your neighbors. What if it were to fall on your home? Get the smallest tree that will do the job.

A "small tree" is defined as 30'-35' which is likely too large for your lot. A "patio" tree would be something like 20'-25' and would still provide the shade you need. For the size of your yard and height of your home, one or two large shrubs limbed up as trees, or a "patio" sized tree may do just fine and be less likely to cause problems and expense. Getting a tree trimmed costs money. Choose wisely.

Sunset Western Gardening Book shows you as their zone 8 with zone 9 just east and north of you. There are many recommendations listed as poster hoovb says above.

The first pages of the book describe the "western climates and the zones" which are zones different from USDA zones. It won't take but a few minutes to read about Sunset zone 8 & Sunset zone 9 and then go to the corresponding page for: Trees. Those pages for trees list many-many trees available with zonal notes below each. If you send a private message to me, I can save you a trip to the library.

Dax

cacwoody,
Your space reminds me of the limited space available in parking lot islands. What we use successfully in Z8 Tx is small drought resistant trees. Three of the most common are Mexican Plum, Texas or Mexican Redbud, and Desert Willow. These have all done well and are commerically available(at least here they are, hesitate to say they are in California).