What tree should I plant?
February 17, 2022 7:55 AM Subscribe
Please recommend a fast-growing, drought- and heat-tolerant shade tree for Zone 5. I can water it while it's young. Summer temps lately have been going over 110 on occasion and of course will only get hotter; also we are in a mega-drought. This is to shade a single-story house so it doesn't have to be super tall but it does need to start casting some appreciable shade ASAP.
Most trees that can handle those circumstances take f-o-r-e-v-e-r to grow, like oaks. So I recommend an oak, but you are going to have to spend $500+ for one that is already moderately large, because if you get a 2-5 year old tree, it's going to be too small for far too long.
Another option to google is the thuja green giant and the allepo pine. Both are very fast growing.
Another option, which I have and don't like much, is a red-tipped photinia, but they work to shade the west side of my yard. They are more like hedges that can grow as tree shaped.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:16 AM on February 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another option to google is the thuja green giant and the allepo pine. Both are very fast growing.
Another option, which I have and don't like much, is a red-tipped photinia, but they work to shade the west side of my yard. They are more like hedges that can grow as tree shaped.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:16 AM on February 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
None of the plants I listed care a thing about heat, cold, drought, or dry soil.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:18 AM on February 17, 2022
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:18 AM on February 17, 2022
Eastern cedar....grows quickly and extremely tough in dry and heat. Not as photogenic as a hardwood but excellent shade.
posted by Ginesthoi at 8:19 AM on February 17, 2022
posted by Ginesthoi at 8:19 AM on February 17, 2022
Plant something fast-growing for immediate relief, and plant oak, maple or a similar tree. You'll eventually cut down the fast grower, and you'll have a few trees that will give wonderful shade, and be beautiful.
Call the Cooperative Extension near you; this very much their area of expertise. And some towns have arborists, who love questions like this.
posted by theora55 at 8:23 AM on February 17, 2022 [7 favorites]
Call the Cooperative Extension near you; this very much their area of expertise. And some towns have arborists, who love questions like this.
posted by theora55 at 8:23 AM on February 17, 2022 [7 favorites]
Any tree planting now should also consider climate change. I'm not sure which state you're in, but a guide like this may be helpful for exploring tree choices.
Also, it may not seem intuitive, but sometimes, you put on more growth more quickly by planting a smaller bare root tree than a large ball-and-burlap sapling. So much of a tree's early growth depends on healthy roots, which is especially challenging in an urban area. Don't assume that you have to plant a giant tree to see growth quickly.
I'd also like to echo theora55's advice above. All good tips, but I especially like their suggestion to plant a fast-growing tree now, and a slower growing one for later.
posted by hessie at 8:37 AM on February 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also, it may not seem intuitive, but sometimes, you put on more growth more quickly by planting a smaller bare root tree than a large ball-and-burlap sapling. So much of a tree's early growth depends on healthy roots, which is especially challenging in an urban area. Don't assume that you have to plant a giant tree to see growth quickly.
I'd also like to echo theora55's advice above. All good tips, but I especially like their suggestion to plant a fast-growing tree now, and a slower growing one for later.
posted by hessie at 8:37 AM on February 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Whatever you plant choose something native to your area because it will do far more for your ecosystem than a non-native tree. Oaks are especially good for this - literally hundreds of species live on and around them so they make your whole yard a more pollinator friendly. Also native trees are more likely to thrive where planted. Douglas Tallamy has written extensively about this if you want to do a deep dive.
posted by leslies at 8:39 AM on February 17, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by leslies at 8:39 AM on February 17, 2022 [6 favorites]
We planted a fig tree in a similar situation. It gets to about 10 ft by 10 ft in probably 5-6 years. Doesn't need a ton of love after the first few years. Very quick growing. The cons are that I'm not a fan of the figs it produces, so they mostly go to waste, which means there's a lot of figs on the ground in the fall. The ants and birds love the figs.
posted by hydra77 at 8:39 AM on February 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hydra77 at 8:39 AM on February 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Here's another resource for thinking through climate-change-impacts: a visualization (USDA) of planting zone changes as anticipated in the next 50-100 years (scroll down to Plant Hardiness Zones). Based on projections, you should select a tree that can handle zone 5 and zone 6 both (and if you're thinking re: the full life of the tree, which you should, zone 7).
I also recommend asking locals and looking into regional university resources. These will offer expert suggestions tailored to your specific location: this can matter in calibrating zones to microclimates, common soil qualities in the area, likely pests, etc. So yes to cooperative extension! You can check for regionally-appropriate online databases too. As an example, I live in central NY, so my go-to is the Cornell Woody Plants Database. There's also a great native plants nursery in town - they're particularly knowledgeable and attuned to local conditions, so their suggestions tend to work well.
posted by marlys at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
I also recommend asking locals and looking into regional university resources. These will offer expert suggestions tailored to your specific location: this can matter in calibrating zones to microclimates, common soil qualities in the area, likely pests, etc. So yes to cooperative extension! You can check for regionally-appropriate online databases too. As an example, I live in central NY, so my go-to is the Cornell Woody Plants Database. There's also a great native plants nursery in town - they're particularly knowledgeable and attuned to local conditions, so their suggestions tend to work well.
posted by marlys at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
All good tips, but I especially like their suggestion to plant a fast-growing tree now, and a slower growing one for later.
Eh. I don't think it's a great idea, unless you are prepared to cut the other down yourself or pay $200-$1000 (depending on the size), probably leave a stump at ground level that may cause problems with other plants growing, invite bad insects, and be aesthetically ugly. It really depends on how much you care about those things.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2022
Eh. I don't think it's a great idea, unless you are prepared to cut the other down yourself or pay $200-$1000 (depending on the size), probably leave a stump at ground level that may cause problems with other plants growing, invite bad insects, and be aesthetically ugly. It really depends on how much you care about those things.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2022
Go to your local independent nursery and ask them for advice on a tree native to the area.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
This is definitely a question for your state's cooperative extension and/or a local arborist. In DC new trees on private property are subsidized if you go through the right channels and your area may have a similar program.
posted by fedward at 9:09 AM on February 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by fedward at 9:09 AM on February 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
Zone isn't enough to give advice here since that only has to do with frost dates, you need to plant something native, non-invasive, and resistant to locally-endemic diseases and pests. Like others say, doing that increases the chance of getting a subsidy or even free tree and installation, plus it's the right thing to do.
You should also check with your electricity provider and whatever other city/county resources might be available to assist you with mechanical shade options - like UV-protective window screens, reflective exterior treatment, insulation improvement, a sailcloth or other material awning, or fence extensions etc that will provide shade within weeks rather than years and require no additional water.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:48 AM on February 17, 2022 [4 favorites]
You should also check with your electricity provider and whatever other city/county resources might be available to assist you with mechanical shade options - like UV-protective window screens, reflective exterior treatment, insulation improvement, a sailcloth or other material awning, or fence extensions etc that will provide shade within weeks rather than years and require no additional water.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:48 AM on February 17, 2022 [4 favorites]
Just a follow-up note about planting by future planting zone vs. planting natives. As climate change causes shifts in temperatures, planting native is not going to be as reliable as it once was. There is currently discussion in forest management communities about this issue - already there is die-back of certain tree species in natural areas because rising/fluctuating temperatures are impacting their abilities to survive in southern parts of their native ranges.
All this said, it shouldn't be difficult to find a tree that is both native in your area and can tolerate a broad range of zones. The basic message on zones and climate change is this: don't plant something that skews 5 and colder - instead preference trees that are hardy to 5 but can also handle warmer zones up to two numbers higher.
Forgive me if this is too much detail - I realize I'm diverging a bit from "name me a tree please." I do think it is relevant though, because your local arborist may or may not be tuned into climate change ramifications (my area has some wonderfully knowledgeable, careful arborists and some who are, um, not so sensitive - yours probably does too). If you do talk to arborists (or nursery people), I'd ask them expressly about shifting/future temperature zones (or at least double-check the tree's zone range yourself before making your purchase).
posted by marlys at 11:12 AM on February 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
All this said, it shouldn't be difficult to find a tree that is both native in your area and can tolerate a broad range of zones. The basic message on zones and climate change is this: don't plant something that skews 5 and colder - instead preference trees that are hardy to 5 but can also handle warmer zones up to two numbers higher.
Forgive me if this is too much detail - I realize I'm diverging a bit from "name me a tree please." I do think it is relevant though, because your local arborist may or may not be tuned into climate change ramifications (my area has some wonderfully knowledgeable, careful arborists and some who are, um, not so sensitive - yours probably does too). If you do talk to arborists (or nursery people), I'd ask them expressly about shifting/future temperature zones (or at least double-check the tree's zone range yourself before making your purchase).
posted by marlys at 11:12 AM on February 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
10 years ago I moved into a house that had 6 mature shade trees: 5 ash and 1 Norway maple. By year 7 all had died. I saw it coming and planted a maple around year 3, but it’s nowhere close to shading my house yet. So I want to gently warn you that even fast growing trees take years to grow - you are playing the long game here, and there is no immediate tree solution. To that end, I would encourage you to do some research on trees that can withstand the next big invasive pest (Asian long-horned beetle for me, but any arborist in your area will be able to tell you what is on their radar). Also, one trade-off of fast-growing trees is that they are often more susceptible to storm damage than slower growing, stronger trees. So you may want to be careful choosing a tree planted near your house (don’t pick a silver maple or a tulip tree, for example).
Knowing what I know now, I wish I hadn’t picked a maple for my main shade tree - it is over planted in my area, highly susceptible to the Asian long-horned beetle, and I should have picked something wider with more dappled shade. My city is trying to diversify its tree canopy, and this is what I’ve seen as ash replacements (I’m in zone 4): Kentucky coffee tree, catalpa, swamp white oak, heritage oak, river birch, hackberry, some new disease-resistant elms, ginkgo (not native, but planted with future pest resistance in mind), and London plane tree (again, not native but pest resistant).
I’ve replaced our old shade trees with river birches and swamp white oak in the wet areas, the city planted a ginkgo and a serviceberry (not a shade tree) on the boulevard, and I planted a couple ironwoods and some smaller trees closer to the house. I liked reading the Morton Arboretum website descriptions of trees when researching my options, as well as local native plant websites - I’m sure there are native plant organizations in your area that have descriptions as well.
posted by Maarika at 1:32 PM on February 17, 2022
Knowing what I know now, I wish I hadn’t picked a maple for my main shade tree - it is over planted in my area, highly susceptible to the Asian long-horned beetle, and I should have picked something wider with more dappled shade. My city is trying to diversify its tree canopy, and this is what I’ve seen as ash replacements (I’m in zone 4): Kentucky coffee tree, catalpa, swamp white oak, heritage oak, river birch, hackberry, some new disease-resistant elms, ginkgo (not native, but planted with future pest resistance in mind), and London plane tree (again, not native but pest resistant).
I’ve replaced our old shade trees with river birches and swamp white oak in the wet areas, the city planted a ginkgo and a serviceberry (not a shade tree) on the boulevard, and I planted a couple ironwoods and some smaller trees closer to the house. I liked reading the Morton Arboretum website descriptions of trees when researching my options, as well as local native plant websites - I’m sure there are native plant organizations in your area that have descriptions as well.
posted by Maarika at 1:32 PM on February 17, 2022
Without a better idea of context, eg soil type, space available these are more general ideas. In the short term setting up a trellis and training a climber might be an alternative that is faster to achieve. Annual plants will give shade this year and still support longer term solutions. Growing edible plants is a good idea so think beans or even indeterminate varieties of tomatoes.
Mulberry trees cast beautiful shade and will also give you fruit but will still need water In future years. If you are not capturing grey water off washing machines and showers this is a good opportunity to use that to establish a tree and supplement water in future years.
Tagasaste (tree lucerne) is from the Canary Islands not native to you but it might fit the bill for fast growing and relatively drought tolerant. Using a faster growing, nitrogen fixing tree like this as a nursery for something slower growing like an oak but then you need to consider what space you have available longer term and also be considering varieties suitable for future conditions.
As others above have mentioned, planning / planting for future conditions is super important. What you want to look for are broad climate analogues worldwide as will as what grows in regions nearby. Here in Australia we have online tools that work by postcode to tell you what towns currently have your future conditions
posted by pipstar at 6:16 AM on February 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Mulberry trees cast beautiful shade and will also give you fruit but will still need water In future years. If you are not capturing grey water off washing machines and showers this is a good opportunity to use that to establish a tree and supplement water in future years.
Tagasaste (tree lucerne) is from the Canary Islands not native to you but it might fit the bill for fast growing and relatively drought tolerant. Using a faster growing, nitrogen fixing tree like this as a nursery for something slower growing like an oak but then you need to consider what space you have available longer term and also be considering varieties suitable for future conditions.
As others above have mentioned, planning / planting for future conditions is super important. What you want to look for are broad climate analogues worldwide as will as what grows in regions nearby. Here in Australia we have online tools that work by postcode to tell you what towns currently have your future conditions
posted by pipstar at 6:16 AM on February 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Rich people have mature trees planted. Just saying, since you did not tell us your salary or net worth. The people who plant the mature trees will suggest which tree to buy.
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:10 AM on February 18, 2022
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:10 AM on February 18, 2022
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posted by janell at 7:56 AM on February 17, 2022