Adding tree to back yard **Update with trees**

[Sugarbug]

Well my backyard is completely devoid of trees (other than a few oaks along the property line that my neighbor assures me are his even though they're on my side of the fence...? I digress). I'd like to get some shade back there. Was wondering if you guys had any recommendations on type and how it should be done. I've got that puppy coming in a couple months so I'm not looking to start from a seedling, but something that is around 5+ feet already.

Thanks.

**UPDATE**

Big thanks to Golden-Eagle who donated a couple Red Maples to my back yard. Had to fight some ants for a while (I lost), but I got a couple. Also picked up a couple from Home Depot: a citrus tree and a flowering pear.

Pictures:


Before:

After:

Couldn't get a wide enough angle to show, but there's also a small red maple further to the right corner near the house.

 

[charliepapa]

a river birch grows pretty fast and IMO is a good looking tree that makes pretty good shade. mine is a triple.

 

[Sugarbug]

How are the roots? I'd like a tree that has deep roots that don't spiderweb out on top of/just under the ground. Not sure if that's possible with the soil here or not.

 

[Leonidas]

Might as well get double duty. See if you can find fruit trees that fit your shade needs too. We had pecan trees. Don't know how deep the roots were, but they weren't on the surface.

 

[Sugarbug]

Might as well get double duty. See if you can find fruit trees that fit your shade needs too. We had pecan trees. Don't know how deep the roots were, but they weren't on the surface.

Excellent idea.

 

[killdee]

River Birch is fast-growing tree, and it looks nice without a lot of root problems. But River Birches generally don't hold up for the long-term. Many or most of them start to lose major limbs or even have broken trunks in a fairly short time. There are exceptions, though. I planted one in my front yard that is very tall now, and has even survived our hurricanes with minimal damage.

If you have the room for it, something like a Cherrybark Oak or Shumard Oak will usually be a strong, healthy tree, but they will eventually grow to be huge. A Chinese Elm is another possibility that you might ask about at a nursery. Shouldn't get as large as the oaks, but fast growing and structurally sound.

 

[charliepapa]

How are the roots? I'd like a tree that has deep roots that don't spiderweb out on top of/just under the ground. Not sure if that's possible with the soil here or not.

I only have one now and it's in a bed. at our last house there were three of them in the yard and I don't recall any issues with roots. there was grass around the trees and I had no problems mowing around them. they are like a cypress in that the roots tend to soak up water so I'd assume they would be more into the soil than on top, but I could be wrong.

 

[Booseman]

Willow trees grow really fast and will also suck up any standing water you have in your backyard!!

Fastgrowingtrees.com

 

[bassicpackrat]

Avoid Russian Olive trees at all costs unless you love allergies and having to trim them eery month to keep them from growing at a abnormal rate!

 

[Bearco]

I love river birch trees as well. The grow quickly, but do drop leaves during the winter.

 

[LONTON]

Giant Bamboo - I will post pics later but it is a clumping not running bamboo that is not invasive but by one summer you will have a 15' privacy/shade hedge, the next summer you will have a 25' hedge and the following you will be approaching 35-40'. It really is a super fast grower. I put it up to block some apartments 300 yards away. Oldhami is the species and there's a guy in Bridgecity that sells it.

 

[Sugarbug]

Thank you for the recommendations. Not looking for a huge tree as it isn't that large of a back yard, but right now it's completely open with good grass.

 

[CrkdLtr]

Before Gustav took it out, I had a Green Ash in my front yard that was growing very well. Was planted at about 2 years old and 4 or 5 feet tall. IIn 4 yeras time it was twice that height and the base went from 1" diameter to about 3 or 4 inches diameter. Very good shade tree.

Might as well get double duty. See if you can find fruit trees that fit your shade needs too. We had pecan trees. Don't know how deep the roots were, but they weren't on the surface.

To this recommendation I would submit a Fig Tree.

 

[Cat]

I second Boose… We have a curling willow rather than a weeping. Two years old I guess, maybe three and it's really taken off in the last year. My aunt has one that's nine years old and it's as tall as her doublewide trailer now. Small trunk and very pretty for a small back yard.

 

[N4sir]

Check out this link. http://energysavingtrees.arborday.org/#!prettyPhoto/1/
It's something Entergy put out and might help you with your decision.

Note: I didn't watch the whole thing so it could be nothing.

 

[Golden-Eagle]

Check your mail.

 

[Metryshooter]

I have a live oak growing in a place I don't want. It's about 15' tall with a 3.5" caliper. You are welcome to it.

 

[CEHollier]

Live oak. They are sturdy and fare well with hurricanes. River birch trees drop leaves all summer and are messy. Bradford pear trees split and fall in hurricanes. Seriously. We just built a new home and the only two trees we have are the live oaks we planted. I speak from experience.

 

[LACamper]

More of a bush than a tree but Blue Harvest Farms in Covington is selling some of their blueberry bushes. when I lived in Slidell I tried fig trees but didn't have any luck (in Laplace they grew great).
Don't put a pecan tree any where near your house, they tend to drop branches when they get older. They also get caterpillars.
I've always liked red maple for shade trees. I have two swamp maples now but they put up knees- I've wrecked two lawnmower blades and hubs...

Maybe call the st tammany county agent? Or the LSU Ag center? They can tell you what will grow and what won't.

 

[3fifty7]

Live oaks are great shade trees but you will have roots above ground and the grass will struggle to cover underneath them. I am also looking for a few shade trees, I have some huge red tips on the west side of my house that shade very well. There are also four cedar trees that I need to remove and replace with something yet to be determined.