Re: Choosing a tree

Alexandre -

Choosing the right tree is so interesting.  Albizzia julibrissin is perhaps a
good choice - I love the spreading, relatively flat crown and rose flowers. 
There are reportedly deeper rose flowered forms, though I have never seen one
myself.

Here are a few other trees you might consider for your particular use:

Acer monspessulanum - Montpellier Maple
A Mediterranean native, adapted to summer drought, with small leaves that
color brightly in autumn.

Agonis flexuosa - Australian Peppermint Tree
Dense evergreen canopy and rough, dark bark ? looks a lot like a Eucalypt, but
the leaves have a minty fragrance.

Cercis siliquastrum - Judas Tree
Another Mediterranean native ? slow growing deciduous tree with bright magenta
flowers and rounded leaves.

Corymbia ficifolia - Red-Flowered Gum
A well behaved Eucalypt well loved for its dense show of brilliant orange,
coral, to red flowers (select in flower is possible), evergreen narrow leaves
and dark, rough bark.

Gleditsia triacanthos inermis - Honey Locust
An upright, open deciduous tree casting light shade from its pale green,
pinnate leaves.

Lagerstroemia indica - Crepe Myrtle
Handsome spotted bark (some) and good fall color from the small leaves, flower
colors white, red, pink, coral, some desirable cultivars are resistant to
powdery mildew.

Melia azedarach - Chinaberry Tree
An old Victorian tree once grown for the insect repellant leaves (laid between
lines), surviving in many old garden because of its tough constitution, craggy
dark bark and a ?wild? branching habit, tri-pinnate leaves are interesting and
attractive, loose sprays of violet flowers, has some toxicity.

Paulownia tomentosa - Empress Tree
Very large deciduous leaves make a dramatic specimen, as well as the rounded
flower buds which form in fall and stay on the upward-sweeping bare branches
all winter, giving way to large  pale lavender flowers in spring.

Rhus lancea - African Sumac
A dense, willowy, evergreen crown of a drab green color, small yellow green
flowers sprinkled through the leaves, a very tough and drought tolerant small
tree.


I hope this helps!

Seán A. O'Hara
sean(at)gimcw.org
www.hortulusaptus.com
(ask about mediterranean climate gardening forum)

>
>  I'm trying to choose a tree for my garden. I'm looking for a tree that
> doesn't get too big (it will be planted near the house - 3-4 meters from the
> house) and that will guive us some shade during the hot summer months. My
> first choice would be Tipuana tipu, bt I think that with time it will get too
> big. I'm now thinking about Albizia julibrissin. Can anyone sugest any other
> choices that might work?
> Alexandre
> Algarve-Portugal
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