| We live in Houston, TX (zone 8, I believe?) We lost 2 20-year-old pine trees in our front yard last year due to Hurricane Ike. In looking for their replacements, we like the Oklahoma Redbud at our local Home Depot nursery. 1) Are these easy to grow & suitable to our region's weather? 2) We also like the Okame Flowering Cherry. What's your thoughts on this versus the Redbud? |
| ?Oklahoma? Redbud is a deciduous tree, native to southwestern North America including Texas, which reaches 30 to 40 feet in height with a 15 to 20-foot width, and grows slowly into a rounded or vase shape. It must be pruned to keep it in shape as it is rather gangly in youth, but it matures into a spectacular specimen. On the downside, the branches are brittle and can suffer wind damage. Okame cherry grows well all throughout your state, grows 25-30 feet tall and wide and has a spectacular flower show very early in the season. The branches are not as prone to wind damage as the redbud. I think either tree is suitable for your property, especially if you are willing to prune the redbud to help it develop a thick scaffolding of heavy limbs so it is not so apt to suffer wind damage. Best wishes with your new tree! |
