This month our friends at Sunshine Landscaping discuss Shade Tree planting.
Shumard Red Oak
Hello friends, in this month’s blog we are going to talk about the trees that are best for shade.
When it comes to choosing a shade tree, there are a lot of factors to consider. The most important should be its toughness against inclement weather conditions. We know how dramatic are our temperatures here in Texas, especially during the Summer months.
What you want is a tree that can survive both cold and extremely hot temperatures. There are quite a few trees that can do very good in Austin and surrounding areas. Today I’ll give you three shade trees to consider.
The first is a Monterrey Oak. This tree is considered to be a medium size. It can grow 30-40’ tall with a canopy spread of up to 40’. All it needs is deeper soil and lots of sun.
Monterrey Oak
The second is a Bur Oak. This is an enormous tree. It grows up to 70+ feet, sports large leaves and extra-large acorns. Make sure you give this one plenty of room to grow. Just like the Monterrey Oak, it requires deep soil and lots of sun.
Burr Oak
Our third and last candidate is the Cedar Elm. This is one of our favorites. It grows 30-50’ tall and has gorgeous buttery yellow leaves. Cedar Elms are very drought tolerant and can grow in the shallow rocky soils of the Hill Country. With a Cedar Elm you get the benefits of shade, vibrant color and drought tolerance.
Cedar Elm
Whether you pick the most colorful tree, the largest tree or just an average size tree, we are sure you are going to love the shade and beauty of your tree for many years. Remember to research and follow the proper guidelines when planting your tree. If you are unsure of how to do it, give us a call we are glad to help. This is all for today my friends, stay tuned for next month’s blog.
Thanks Ben! For more information about tree selection, visit the Texas Tree Planting Guide from the Texas A&M Forestry Service.
