Free Gardening Tips

Beautiful Southwestern Shade and Ornamental Trees. Looking for low water type trees? Check out descriptions below. Many are evergreen and some have fantastic blooms and color.

The Afghan Evergreen Pine Tree - Scientific Name: Pinus eldarica It loves full sun but can tolerate some shade. This is a fast growing evergreen tree and can used as border landscaping. It Can grow up to 80ft. tall and 30ft. wide. This is a very drought resistant evergreen pine tree. Trim bottom branches for quicker shade. They do drop numerous pine needles and cones so there will be maintenance involved. This is also called a Mondell Pine and Desert Pine. Can be planted in USDA zones 8-10

Desert Willow tree - Scientific Name: Chilopsis linearis Sun: Loves Full Sun - USDA Zone 8 - 9. The Desert willow grows to about 25ft tall. If you are looking to attract hummingbirds then this is the tree to get. Beautiful light purple blooms very hardy shrub or tree. Very drought tolerant once established. They drop some pods during fall time. Great stand alone or border tree, deciduous in the southwest USA.

Mesquite Tree/Shrub - Scientific Name: Prosopis juliflora Full Sun - USDA - Zone: 7 - 10. Mesquite trees have green foliage and are deciduous. Large sweet edible pods on branches. Very drought tolerant tree. Grows about 15-20ft tall and wide. Has large thorns can be easily trained as a tree. They will grow much taller in a tree form. Or leave alone to use as a border shrub.

Mimosa or Silk Tree - Scientific Name: Albizia julibrissin. Loves Full Sun - USDA - Zones: 6b thru 9. The Mimosa can withstand droughts. They have beautiful pink spike blooms at top. Can grow up to 30ft. tall and sometimes wider. Excellent shade tree. Very little maintenance other than fall foliage.

Vitex Tree or Chaste Tree Scientific Name: Agnus-castus. Full Sun - USDA Zones 6-10. The Vitex tree or shrub. Also called the chaste tree. Can grow to about 40-25ft. tall and wide. Very low water once established. Beautiful spiky dark blue blooms late spring early summer. Very narly looking tree during winter.

Live Oak Tree - Scientific Name: Quercus virginiana. Full Sun - USDA Zones: 8-10 Southern Live Oak - Can grow up to 70-80ft. Live oak is a long-lived, massive, evergreen shade tree. Its horizontal branches form a broad rounded canopy. This tree loves full sun and is a slow grower. Moderate water once established. You can form this tree into almost any shape.

Ocotillo Tree - Scientific Name: Fouqueiria splendens. Full Sun - USDA zone 8 & 7a - 7b The Ocotillo is more of a shrub no real shade but has beautiful bright orange spring blooms. Large vicious type thorns used for border plant. Green foilage in summer and grey in winter about 8-10ft tall. Once established can survive with desert rain only.

Southwestern Trees - photos of these and other trees.

Southwestern Chitalpa Tree - Scientific Name: Chiltalpa tashkinensis Full Sun - USDA zones 7-8 (roots are hardy to zone 6) This tree grows to about 25 - 30ft. tall and wide. Beautiful pink all summer long blooms. Fast grower and very drought resistant. Chinese Pistache Tree- Scientific Name: Pistacia chinensis Loves Full Sun - USDA Zones: 4-10 This Southwestern tree is a desirable ornamental with attractive, umbrella-like crown. Lustrous green leaves turn a brilliant orange crimson color in fall. Very drought tolerant, deciduous and extremely handsome tree. About 30-40 ft. tall and wide. Does well in the desert heat.

Magnolia Trees - Scientific Name: Quercus virginiana. Full Sun/Shade - USDA zone 8b - 10 Grows up to 60ft tall and about 40-50ft wide. Beautiful evergreen tree that will shed leaves in spring. Slow grower, not really drought resistant but has large white fragrant blooms during early summer. Does better with shade. There are numerous varieties/species. They will do quite well in the Southwestern heat but will need additional watering.