Fast Growing Trees? (Houston, Center: house, buy, live)

[Sampaguita]

We are ready to start setting roots down (hah) at our house and would like to start planting trees that will eventually provide shade in our backyard.

There are tons of lists out there supposedly specific to Houston but rather than research every tree, I was wondering if you could share what trees you have planted and that have done well over the years.

Would like to avoid oaks (we have enough of those in our front yard) and trees that drop berries.

Also, has anyone actually had luck with planting jacaranda trees? I saw it on a Houston specific list but am dubious that it would survive our winters.

Thanks!

[Social D]

Bald Cypress, Cedar Elm, & Drake Elm (aka Lacebark Elm or Chinese Elm). All are deciduous, so you will be raking leaves. Yellow fall color on the elms and copper color on the cypress. The elms will require a little more pruning when young to keep a nice form.

[Schumacher713]

There are more factors to take it. Like the size of the canopy. You don't want roots that will crack your slab. You don't want something that drops acorns. You need to just go to a nursery and talk to someone. That are usually pretty knowledgeable.

[fnh]

Our neighbors planted two sycamore babies in their front lawn since we moved in, so less than ten years ago. Already they are huge, beautiful trees. I'm not sure of their height but they tower above the roofline of their high-roofed single-story home.

They are very pretty and shimmery and seem to have a much shorter leaf drop than my other neighbor's maple, another small tree that has grown sizable in that time though not quite as rapidly. The maple has showier fall color though.

[Rip808]

Fast Growing Trees - Buy Trees Online - 1-888-504-2001

[PedroMartinez]

Have you looked at bradford pear trees?

[analogkid84]

I would also consider trees that are not high on water requirements. We've been behind average in annual precip for the past three to four years straight. I would think if this continues, even with years where it is not as bad, that trees that used to grow here with better precip conditions will struggle to survive.

[Meyerland]

Bradford Pears grow fast, but they live a very short time and storms can damage them fairly easily. If you cut them down, they will re sprout from the trunk. So you have to dig them out.

Pretty fall color though.

[Social D]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

There are more factors to take it. Like the size of the canopy. You don't want roots that will crack your slab. You don't want something that drops acorns. You need to just go to a nursery and talk to someone. That are usually pretty knowledgeable.

Most of the people working in plant nurseries around here don't know squat, especially at places like Lowes, HD, or Houston Garden Center. The OP is better off doing a little internet research on proper planting and selection. It is really pretty simple; don't plant too close to your own house or your neighbors house, know where the property easement lines are, green side up, remove the plant from the container, don't plant too high or too low, don't mound mulch way up on the trunk, water in, have a beer, enjoy.

[Meyerland]

We have planted red oaks, water oaks, magnolia trees, and red maples through the years. The water oaks and the magnolias grew the fastest and stay green all year. If I had to plant a tree right now, I would pick a water oak.