Trees are the ultimate landscape accent pieces to set the tone of your outdoor space. And now is the ideal time to plant them and their smaller cousins, shrubs.
While standards such as oaks, maples and birches provide shade and sanctuary, don’t forget to add varieties that lay the foundation for future wow-worthy displays. These sometimes forgotten additions can add gorgeous foliage, flowers and fruit.
Monrovia Nursery suggests these that are appropriate for Southern California –
- Teddy Bear Southern Magnolia: A compact, evergreen tree with large fragrant spring flowers and shiny, dark-green leaves with reddish-brown undersides. Great choice for a lawn tree. Reaches up to 20 feet tall and 10-feet wide.
- Summer Chocolate Mimosa: Extremely popular in the hot and humid South, the tree produces chocolate/burgundy leaves and sweet-smelling pink powder-puff flowers that bees, butterflies and hummingbirds love. Reaches 20 feet tall and 15-feet wide.
- Fragrant Himalayan Champaca: Projects a scent said to combine the fragrances of freesia, plumeria, orange blossoms and Southern Magnolia. The evergreen retains its fragrance from spring to summer. Reaches up to 30 feet tall.
- Arapaho Crape Myrtle: This tree explodes in late summer (July to September) with red flowers. It doesn’t seem to mind high temperatures. Reaches 20 feet tall and 10-feet wide.
- Kadota Fig: Displays large sculptural leaves and produces sweet late-summer fruit. Doesn’t mind containers. Reaches up to 25 feet tall.
Fall provides the ideal time for trees and shrubs to get established now when it’s relatively cool before temperatures heat up again. Nurseries soon will be stocked with both. Arbor Day officially is observed in the spring, but tree fans want them celebrated all the time.
Kate Karam thinks so. She works with Monrovia Nursery in Azusa and is an outspoken tree lover. She’s mourning the loss of so many local ones because of drought, pests and disease. “The deodor cedars on Christmas Tree Lane are dying one by one. We have to keep planting trees,’’ said the Altadena resident.
It’s not just the deodors. California trees are under attack on a variety of fronts and one way to combat the carnage is to plant in your own yard.
“Remember we live in a unique environment here,’’ she said. “Whether we have rain or not, plant. Try to find new California compatible trees, too, since we have a Mediterranean climate, so plant citrus and pomegranates but don’t force exotics. I’m willing to risk a little money and garden space for exotics, but if time is the necessary issue, I would go with what works.”
And that would be sycamores, lemon and fig trees. The black tulip magnolia is another good choice. “We all have heritage trees, trees we inherit, and if they’re healthy we’re not going to cut them down. But think about others. All garden success is based on layers. Include small trees.”
Placement is crucial. The canopy and the roots of a tree will try to be about the same size, so plan accordingly. Research to find out the tree’s potential, Karam said, and then add 10 extra feet.
Years of drought, despite last winter’s rains, have left their marks on lawns, landscapes and trees, said Theresa McLemore, University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens manager. During the drought, trees should have been soaked or irrigated deeply at least once or twice a month. But how many homeowners did that?
“The cost of removing a dead tree is far more expensive than tending to that tree and seeing that is it taken care of and gets deep watering less frequently,’’ she said.
Stress can affect a tree’s health, making it susceptible to insect infestation. An arborist can determine if a tree must go. If you’re replacing a dead tree or planting for the first time, check to make sure a tree you’ve purchased isn’t root bound from having been in a container too long. Install an irrigation system devoted to your trees since turf, lawn and shrubs have different requirements. Newly planted trees need more watering until they’re established.
Everyone has their favorites, but McLemore likes the Prosopis Chilioenis (Chilean Mesquite); Parkinsonia cercidium (Palo Verde); Chilopsis linearis (Desert Willow); Lagerstromia indica (Crape Myrtle); citrus; Cercis occidentalis (Western Redbud); Cotinus coggygria (Smoke Tree); and Koelreuteria bipinnata (Chinese Flame Tree).
Resources
Monrovia Nursery: 817 E. Monrovia Ave., Azusa, 626-334-9321; hmonrovia.com
University of California Riverside Botanic Garden: 900 University Ave., Riverside; 951-784-6962; gardens.ucr.edu
Paradise Nursery: Specializes in a huge variety of fruit trees as well as others; 10943 De Soto Ave., Chatsworth; 818-701-5656; paradisenursery.com
