I bought a property last summer in 3rd Ward and built a house on it for me to live in. When I bought it, it had a huge and old Willow Oak on it. Unfortunately, the tree was sick and an arborist told me it would fall in the short-term, so we cut it down before we started building. Now, the construction is all done and I have no trees on my lot. I have a spot on my front tree-lawn for one tree. And, because it is basically the only tree I get to have, I want the best damn tree possible. So, naturally, I turn to the BBS for advice. My favorite tree in the whole wide world is a live oak. I'd give my left nut for a live oak. Unfortunately, regardless of any personal sacrifice, I just don't have the space for such a tree. So, I have to pick a different tree. But, I have a lot of restrictions on my choice. I spoke with a nurseryman at Tea's who told me my 4 feet would accomodate something the size of a crape myrtle, bradford pear or a redbud. I couldn't fit a large tree without busting the sidewalk and street and compromising the health of the tree. Things I want from the tree: Shade the street: My particular street and much of the neighborhood needs more trees to shade the street and the sidewalk. It'll make the place look a lot nicer. Shade the house: The tree would be to the south of the house, so it should be able to give me some shade and cut down on the AC bill. Add value: I want a tree that is a good long-term investment that will add value to the property and neighborhood. I don't want something with a short lifespan or major health problems or things like that. I'm willing to invest the time and energy to have a top-notch tree. Not thirsty: I don't want a willow or something that will bust into my water pipes because it is so thirsty. I don't want it breaking through my windows, so a 40 foot spread is the max. Confines of the planting area: Tree lawn is about 4 feet wide and 36 feet long. Sidewalk is about 4 feet wide. The sidewalk is already in poor condition and I don't care if the tree makes it worse. The City of Houston might think differently but I haven't asked them. There is a 7 foot tall wrought-iron fence about 9 feet from the planting spot on the north side. I doubt it would be an obstacle. The house is about 20 feet to the north. It is about 30 feet tall. Water pipes run about 15 feet from the planting spot. I see two possible strategies: One, I could plant a tree that is too large for the 4 foot space and let it tear up the sidewalk. I think this is possible because: (1) it may be worth it to have a large tree, (2) sidewalks broken by trees are quaint, (3) it's not a thru-way, people can (and do) walk on the street, (4) the sidewalk's busted up already, (5) I doubt it impacts the health of the tree that much since I've seen it done many times before with good success, (6) On the north side, the roots only have to go under 4 feet of cement before returning to normal ground, (7) I doubt it will do much damage to the street, which could use a repaving as well anyway. Or two, I could plant something that will fit and learn to live with my itty-bitty little tree. If I take this route I still want to choose a tree that will fill my desires as far as possible given their dimunitive size. So, the questions: (1) Should I go for over-sized or appropriately sized? (2) If I go over-sized, I still can't go nuts and plant my live oak. What's a good smallish big tree? I was thinking perhaps a Pin Oak or a Post Oak or a Sycamore. (3) If I go appropriately sized, what tree would suit me? Possibilities I know about include a Natchez (or other) Crape Myrtle, a Bradford (or Aristocrat) Pear, a Redbud (Forest Pansy), a Mimosa, and a Texas Huisache. Also, there are plenty of sites that will tell me why a particular tree is so great, but not so many that will give me a very balanced evaluaiton. So, if anyone knows of a good database, gimme a link.
If you want a "filler" tree that looks good and is a little different, try a river birch. Just keep it well watered and it will flourish in Houston. We had one on our back porch, and while it keeps pretty small trunks (multiple trunks) it grows and fills in very quickly. Plus it has a very unique look while it sheds its bark in the spring and the fresh bark comes out from underneath.
Since you like Live Oaks. I would go with a Pin Oak or Post Oak and just keep it neatly trimmed. It's your house. Get what you like. Why compromise?
Obviously a Live Oak is out of the question, but I don't think you have to go as small as a Redbud or Crape Myrtle -- those will never give you the size and shade you really want. The Heights is filled with examples of larger trees planted in relatively tight spaces -- and they seem to do just fine. In our tiny little patch of a front yard we have a Water Oak. It was only a couple of years old when we moved in seven years ago. It's now maturing into a beautiful tall shade tree. We also have five very large old pecan trees and an elm all on our tiny (less than 1/4 acre) lot, not to mention several smaller ornamental varieties (vitex, crabapple and buckeye). Check out this webpage for more info: http://www.houstongardening.info/treercmd.htm
Southern Magnolia It will eventually tear up the sidewalk, but hey...you probably won't see it. I wouldn't really worry about planting ANY tree there. If you want the Live Oak, go for it. Just keep it's lower branches trimmed so it grows tall. As for any root issues, I'm sure by the time it's old enough to cause any, the world will have placed a much higher premium on the lives of trees in the inner city.
Why not the Live Oak? They're not overly fast growers and it sounds like you have pretty decent space there. Are you concerned about branches blocking the street? The Bradford Pears have great spring and fall color, but the limbs are notoriously weak (do to the angle that they join the main trunk) and could cause damage. One of the other Callery Pears has stronger limbs, but I don't recall which. The Forest Pansy is nice and striking, but not much of a shade tree. If you get a Crape Mrytle, make certain that it is powdery mildew resistant (I think Natchez is). Also great fall color, and would be better to get multi-trunks. The bark is pretty cool. A couple of favorites in central Texas (that I like) are the Cedar Elm and Chinese Pistache (great shade tree after only about 3-4 years; good fall color). Both deciduous. Not sure how they do in Houston. Be careful about overhead wires. The utility companies can massacre your tree.
Thanks for the input so far. AstroRocket's suggestion is particularly interesting. I'm not sure how much shade a shoe tree would provide though. Cohen, my wife will kill you for bringing the live oak back to the table. But, really, the problem with the live oak that some other oaks don't have is that it is a fairly squat and broad tree (when done right). To achieve its customary majesty, it would have to pretty much knock my house over. I could cut it back, but I think that would defeat the purpose of having one in the first place. I think I will buy a live oak and plant it in one of the long-vacant lots a couple of blocks over. Then I can go visit him on weekends (or I can ride my bike down to Rice or Hermann and see all the live oaks I can stand). Pole, my wife likes the Southern Magnolia, so that is an option. I feel like the flowers aren't sufficient payoff for all the tough leaves and cones it drops. I haven't really heard of a river birch, and don't know much about cedar elm. I'll look them both up. The Chinese Pistachio I understand does well in Texas and is an all-around good tree. I'm pretty sure I'll have a small peachtree in my backyard, A-train.
The Tree I have outside is freaking huge. I remember when it was small too. I think it's been eight or nine or ten years since we planted it. Now it's over 17 or 18 feet tall, and about 12 feet in diameter in all areas. I don't know the name of the tree though, but it hopefully will provide alot of shade. The Branches on it feel pretty strong. Eventually, I may have to cut the branches so it doesnt hit the house. Go with a palm tree. Infact go with two of them, and put a pool in your front yard, and a bar in your front yard. That would look pretty nice. Also, have some ladies with a grass skirt, and a coconut top serve you Pina Coloda and mixed drinks. Now that's a nice front yard. And have some Pink Flamingos in your yard too.
Kam, I think a coconut fell on your head... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Papaya tree is the way to go!!! Seriously though... I have to start choosing some trees for my new front yard as well and I really appreciate the info in this thread.
Is "beg" the operative word? Okay.....I'll shut up now. No sense projecting my own issues onto someone else.
A poster named Pole is discounting the importance of nuts? Sugar (that'd be my wife, not you, Pole), it's only an expression.... Honest!
Dragging this thread back on track.... We placed a red maple in our front yard two years ago. This isn't it: It can be pruned to grow wide or tall, depending on growing room. Easy to grow in many soils, and will last 70 to 100 years.
Get a bunch of banzai trees and try to lure The Littles into your neighborhood. When they come snatch 'em up and eat em. They are yum---my!!
Magnolias actually kick @ss. They plume up with those big waxy dense leaves and so would provide shade, and they do it in such a way that they don't seem to snake out in all sorts of strange directions, or grow particularly heavy roots out all around. But by far the best moment is when they start blooming with those massive white incredibly fragrent flowers. Magnolia blossoms are one of the indeliable scents of my childhood. The only problem is that those evil magnolia fruit cones that fall down and get launched like mortars all around the place every time you try to mow...
