| I am looking for suggestion on what tree to plant for backyard shade in Prescott, Az. It will be thirty feet from north of the house, 15 feet from a leech bed, 20 feet from septic tank. I prefer a low maintance tree in the fall, non-invasive root system ( I just had to remove several cottonwoods ),and possibly an unbrella shape. It will be sharing the yard with a ponderosa pine, 3 aspen, and a cherry tree. |
| The site you describe is a little small for a shade tree - in most cases the roots of a tree will travel out nearly twice as far as the canopy is wide. This would compromise your leach lines and septic tank. I'd recommend a dwarf tree such as one of the following: FRUITLESS WEEPING MULBERRY Morus alba 'Chaparral'Small deciduous tree is robust-growing and produces no fruit. Numerous cascading slender branches drape to ground and are covered with bright green deeply cut leaves. A very attractive accent. Fast-growing. Full sun. Trunk 6 to 8 feet tall with 8- to 12-foot-wide crown. SHAINA JAPANESE MAPLE Acer palmatum `Shaina` New tree selection displaying a dwarf, compact form. Bright red new foliage matures to deep maroon-red. Freely branching growth becomes dense with maturity. Deciduous. Filtered sun. Slow grower to 6 to 8 feet tall, 8 to 10 feet wide. EVER RED JAPANESE MAPLE Acer palmatum `Ever Red` (A. p. dissesctum `Nigrum`) Dwarf tree with delicate weeping effect. Foliage holds beautiful deep red color throughout summer before dropping in fall. Well-suited for use as a small lawn tree or on patios and entryways. Filtered sun. Moderate grower to 10 feet tall and wide. CRIMSON QUEEN JAPANESE MAPLE Acer palmatum var. dissectum `Crimson Queen` Low-branching, dwarf tree with delicate weeping effect. Holds beautiful crimson color throughout summer before dropping in fall. Well-suited for use as a small lawn tree or on patios and entryways. Filtered sun. Moderate grower to 10 feet tall and wide. DWARF SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' A dwarf Southern Magnolia with smaller dark green foliage and very compact narrow form ideal for smaller gardens. The leaves of this evergreen shrub or small tree are rusty-brown on the undersides. A heavy bloomer, white flowers appear early and again late in summer. Evergreen. Full sun. Moderate-growing to 20 to 25 feet high, 10 to 15 feet wide. TWISTY BABY? DWARF BLACK LOCUST Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady' Unique dwarf multi-trunked shrub with interesting twisted zig-zag branches. The contorted form makes an excellent small patio specimen and conversation piece grown in large containers. Prune long spurts of growth back to encourage twisting branches. Deciduous. Full sun. Moderate-growing to 15 feet tall and wide. Hope one of these trees is just right for your landscape! |
