First time visitors to the Austin and Hays County area are often astonished by the number of trees that we have in our gardens and parks. “National Geographic” magazine noticed recently, and ranked Austin as a city with the second highest urban tree canopy in the nation, with 37% coverage.
Maybe we take them for granted, but the presence of these glorious oaks, elms, mesquites and pecans creates a beauty, and a quality of life that we should be thankful for every day.
With cooler temperatures and the recent rainfall, this month is the perfect time for us to introduce more trees into our landscapes. Below is a list of some of my favorites. Once established, these trees are drought tolerant and thrive in our central Texas landscapes.
Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) – One of the leading native trees of our area. It can grow to 30 to 40 feet in height by 50 feet in width. Its evergreen canopy provides generous shade as well as a windbreak from the winter cold when planted on the north side of the house.
Mexican White Oak or Monterrey Oak (Quercus polymorpha) – Another evergreen oak from northern Mexico that’s gaining in popularity because of its large leaves and great pyramidal shape. It has the added benefit of being resistant to oak wilt disease which has taken many a tree in our south Austin and northern Hays County neighborhoods.
Red Oak or Spanish Oak (Quercus shumardi and Quercus texana) – The Shumard red oak reaches a height of 50 feet in time, and can make a magnificent specimen. They are deciduous, and turn a brilliant red in the fall.
If you plant one on the south or west side of the house, it will provide shade in the summer months, and in the fall and winter months it allows the warming sunshine to heat your house.
Quercus texana is a smaller version of this oak. It grows to a height of 20 feet and is a good choice for a small area. It also has a showy display of red leaves in the fall.
Bur Oak (Quercus macrophylla) – A stately, deciduous shade tree that’s named after the large acorns it produces. (It is also called mossy cup oak.) It can grow to a height of 50 feet and is very drought tolerant. They form a taproot, which makes them a little slower in the beginning, but they always catch up after a few years. To flourish, this oak needs lots of space.
Chinquapin Oak (Quercus mulenbergia) – My favorite oak because of its large and shapely leaves. It is a moderate grower that can reach a height of over 35 feet. Chinquapins have a beautiful white bark and turn a reddish bronze in the fall.
Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia) – An under-used native tree that’s tolerant of rocky soils and thick clay. They grow 25 to 50 feet and about half as wide. Their small leaves turn a gold color in the fall.
Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) – This ever-present, although hard to find native, is a very drought tolerant tree. It has beautiful yellow flowers in the spring with light green foliage and a weeping character. The bean pods provide forage for wildlife and flowers are a great nectar source for butterflies.
Remember, for these newly planted trees, they need to be watered on a regular basis. I let water trickle at the base for half an hour to an hour once a week when we have rains, and for two hours when we don’t. The establishment period is getting them through their first summer. The more consistent and regular the watering, the faster they will grow.
Let's all plant a tree, and take our tree canopy to the 40% mark.
Happy gardening everyone!
If you have a horticultural question, send it to me via email: [email protected]. (Please put ‘Ask Chris Winslow’ in the subject line.) Or mail your letter or postcard to: Ask Chris Winslow. It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748
