Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
querorz

What species would you suggest for me?

Querorz
9 years ago

Hey guys,

I want to get some tree seeds to plant in my future pond house.

I love fast growing, very big shade trees. I want to have a fully shaded forest environment. Not interested in small or decorative trees.

I live in 8B zone, which is the same as Central Texas. So, your suggestions are soooo important for me. Out altitude is 2500-3000 Ft.

Here, soil is ;

7,6 PH ( Slightly Alkaline)
Well-drained
High in clay
Fertile

Only 25 inches of rain annually. Droughty summers. Semi-desert.

In my city, best quality pistachios in the world are grown.

I don't want to be watering the trees. Maybe once a month and that's it.

Some of the species i consider:

American Elm
Chinese Hackberry
Southern Live Oak(Or Bur Oak. I love spreading Oak species)
American Sycamore
Bald Cypress

Are these suitable species for my situation? Any other species you want to add? . I care about every comment.

Thanks.

Comments (11)

  • wisconsitom
    9 years ago

    Queroz, just to get started here, I think american elm could work for you. Here, I'm making the educated guess that Dutch elm disease is not present in your area. Am. elm is a funny thing, in that while it normally occurred in nature as a floodplain species, it can handle pretty much any set of conditions including growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. Not at all a fussy plant.

    Of the oaks, I will restrict my comments to the bur, as I'm not at all an expert on southern oaks. Bur oak is also quite adaptable. 25 inches of rain in a year is at the low end of what that species sees in its native homes, but I think that, should you get it established, it would do okay. Chinese hackberry I'm not familiar with. Sycamore is another floodplain species, yet quite adaptable. May well be worth a try. I'm thinking the combination of semi-aridity and high pH soil would not be good for Taxodium (bald cypress). They grow in a lot of places folks might not expect them to, but that might be pushing it.

    Not sure why, but I'd like you to consider eastern cottonwood. It's far from my favorite tree! Yet it is quite adaptable. And once again, even though it is a floodplain species here, it can be seen to grow across a wide swath of the american west, which is mostly all dry country. It gets big fast and does not have an excessively short lifespan, some specimens growing for hundreds of years. Just something to think about.

    Good luck!

    +oM

  • Huggorm
    9 years ago

    There are some very interesting trees that are more or less native in Turkey. The oriental sycamore (Platanus orientalis) should fit the climate better than the american. And there is also a hackberry tree in Turkey (Celtis australis) that should be better than the chinese hackberry. You could also consider the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) if that isn't too common already.

  • gardener365
    9 years ago

    Quercus kelloggii
    Quercus muehlenbergii
    Quercus macrocarpa (ph of 7.5+ may cause come iron chlorosis but should still be planted - will look fine)
    Gymnocladus dioica
    Sophora japonica
    Gleditsia triacanthos

    All are suitable for your ph and rainfall.

    Dax

  • Querorz
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Guys , i see only 3 answers. But all of them are extremely useful. Thank you.

    wisconsitom, all what you said are so true. Oh great! That cottonwood tree made my day. Another great addition to my list. Thank you.

    Huggorm, i am trying to have my own American Dream house. So i am mostly interested by American species.

    gardener365, thanks so much sir. First of all honeylust and japonica trees are everywhere here. I guess that tells us that you are an expert :) . However i am bored of these species. I don't wanna see them in my property.

    However i am very interested in consulting you about Oaks. I want to have an Oak species which spreads to everywhere. Just like Live Oaks do. You know live Oaks have lots of branches and most of them almost touch the ground. I love that look. And i wanna also have one of the fastest growing Oaks. Now, which one should i go with?

  • Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
    9 years ago

    Fast growing oaks need summer moisture which you lack.

    Live Oak is native to very humid areas with lots of summer rain. Try the Californian Oaks instead.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Las Palilitas Nursery

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    9 years ago

    Mediterranean oaks, such as Quercus ilex might work for you!

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    9 years ago

    The Quercus agrifolias in California can be quite stately. Not looking exactly like the southeastern live oak, but similar. However, the ones at the Huntington are dying. Why? Because of the irrigation used for the Asian camellias planted underneath them! So, if Querorz has access to irrigation water and is planning to irrigate a part of his garden, for good, might be best to skip the California trees. Mediterranean oaks like Q. suber or Q. ilex would be more flexible in this regard. However all 4 species take a very long time to take on their characteristically desirable appearance. So, get planting! If Turks can legally order plants from the UK and get them delivered for a reasonable cost (should be feasible in winter by a southern route, though I don't know how the "UPS of Europe" works) the "world is your oyster" as the saying goes. I suspect the Lucombe Oak would do well for you and the true, grafted form will form a magnificent tree, faster than any of the others.

  • gardener365
    9 years ago

    Hello Querorz,

    For speed I would select Q.macrocarpa as your main choice.

    Also, my friend in Hungary grows macrocarpa in ph conditions 8.3+ with green leaves. I will link you to his website. His soil is not as good as yours is.

    You may also seek acorns and advice from Dirk Benoit of Pavia Nurseries, Belgium. I would strongly suggest Quercus x sternbergii if he has them. Otherwise Q. buckleyi and Q. shumardii should be considered. Q.x sternbergii = buckleyi x shumardii.

    Dax

    Here is a link that might be useful: Arizonica Arboretum and Nursery

  • corkball
    9 years ago

    how about Eucalyptus? If they can take it in Australia, they should be able to handle Turkey.... Includes some of the tallest trees in the world.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    9 years ago

    corkball...original poster said:
    "Huggorm, i am trying to have my own American Dream house. So i am mostly interested by American species. "

    Though there are probably very few American Dream houses in America that are landscaped with 100% native species.

  • Querorz
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Guys, sorry i couldn't reply your messages. I was off the town.

    smivies, check that out. http://ucanr.edu/sites/oak_range/Californias_Rangeland_Oak_Species/ Which California Oak are we talking about? Scientific name?

    dave_in_nova, i will check that tree. Oh, they exist in Turkey. That might work. Thanks.

    david , thanks for your words. Is Agrifolia dying because of excessive water? Is that it? If that's the reason, no problem in my region... No flood ever. Lucombe Oak must be the one i am looking for but when i checked photos , haven't seen one in a dry climate. How are they in droughts?

    gardener365, i can't find no photos of these hybrids, other than the photos you shared :) . Bur Oaks have a lot of fans. I wonder why...

    corkball i will definitely have some Eucalyptus.

    David, i don't care whether the species are native to the USA or not. If it exists in the USA, that's enough. Hehe :) .