Re: Small, urban-tree recommendations

Tabebuia impetiginosa and chrysotricha have proven hardy and successful in the 
south Bay Area near the site Carol is describing. 

Cupaniopsis may grow too large. So might Pyrus calleryana and Tristaniopsis 
laurina.
Azara microphylla is a nice moderate-size, slow-growing tree that is suited to 
Sunset zone 17. Parkinsonia aculeata stays rather small and grows slowly. While 
often treated as a shrub, Cotinus coggygria (hybrids, selections, etc.) can be a 
very nice small tree. So can Chionanthus retusus. 

The freeze of 1990 was unusually severe. The previous comparable freeze was in 
1972.




----- Original Message ----
From: Ron <fouquieria@cox.net>
To: Medit-Plants <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Fri, September 24, 2010 10:53:33 AM
Subject: Re: Small, urban-tree recommendations

I have a number of pink Tabebuias (T. impetiginosa) in my yard and I love
them.  I went looking in my old Sunset book and they don't have it listed,
so I'm not sure how it would do in your area.  I know it's supposed to be
cold tolerant to the low 20's.  They are deciduous for a short period (which
is when they bloom).  For me, they have been relatively slow growing but
others have said they are moderate to fast growers.  They are very
drought-tolerant.  Usually they don't get much over 20 feet tall and they
are not a wide-spreading tree.

-Ron-


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pamela Steele" <pamela.steele@re-taste.com>
To: "Medit-Plants" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 1:48 AM
Subject: RE: Small, urban-tree recommendations


> Dear Carol
>
> What about Pittosporum tenuifolium. There are lots of lovely shades from
> silver through to purple with their lovely black stems.  They always look
> good and tolerate many different growing conditions.    One of my
favourite
> small trees is Caesalpinia gilliesii (It does have poisonous seeds though
> and I wonder if that would be a consideration in public areas) .
>
> Albizia julibrissin. It can tolerate low temperatures. It might be
invasive
> where you are although its not at all here.  We don't really have a
problem
> with invasive trees as I think the lack of summer water keeps many plants
in
> check.
>
> Another pretty small tree which does quite well here is Sophora
microphylla
> Sun King.
>
> I have alot of indigenous trees/shrubs in my garden like pistache lentisc
> ( which you can prune into a nice shaped tree),  Rhamnus alaternus which
is
> a bit straggly and quercus coccifera ( again can become tangly and leggy
but
> is prunable in to a bushy shrub).  These three deal with the Mediterranean
> climate very well.
>
>
> Best wishes
>
> Pamela
> Costa Blanca, Spain
>
> Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
> We fell them down and turn them into paper,
> That we may record our emptiness.
> -   Kahlil Gibran
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carol Moholt [c*@mac.com]
> Sent: 23 September 2010 21:04
> To: medit plants forum
> Subject: Small, urban-tree recommendations
>
>
> Hello all,
>
> I'm writing to ask for comments on tree choices for a small community 30
> miles south of San Francisco, about two miles from the southern edge of
San
> Francisco Bay. This is Sunset Zone 17 (USDA 9) although due to the Bay's
> influence, we are more frost protected than many neighborhoods even a mile
> more inland than us.
>
> The setting is comprised of 45 single- and two-story homes built 22 years
> ago on fairly small lots, with winding private (narrow) streets.  Trees
were
> planted as part of front-yard landscaping, and regulations state that
trees
> are not to be removed, although they may be replaced with those on an
> approved list. Some of trees need replacing now due to overplanting,
aging,
> or poor pruning.  We want to update the approved list, taking into account
> that we likely need to include those that are somewhat easily found in the
> trade. FYI, residents can ask for exceptions and we handle on a
case-by-case
> basis. For example, I have a Leptospermum 'Dark Shadows' in my yard that
is
> not on the list.
>
> Most, but not all, trees are planted in lawn areas. The remainder are in
> landscaped beds that require less irrigation.  We want to encourage the
use
> of trees that are slow growing or small in size due to closeness of the
> homes, small front yards, and narrow streets.  Every home has at least one
> tree, many have two, and corner houses have more.
>
> Here are trees we are considering keeping or adding:
> -- Japanese maples
> -- Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle)
> -- Pistacia chinensis (Chinese Pistachio)
> -- Red-leaved flowering plum. We currently grow Prunus cerasifera 'Krauter
> Vesuvius.' People like it but it gets quite large here and we'd like to
> offer a smaller form (that has little to no fruit.) Would you recommend
> Prunus x cistena or another?
> -- Geijera parviflora (Australian Willow)
> -- Pyrus calleryana (Flowering pear) but replace 'Aristocrat' with
> 'Chanticleer' to get a narrower growth pattern
> -- Pyrus kawakamii (Evergreen flowering pear)
> Your opinions?
>
> Two trees  on the original architectural drawing but never planted (likely
> due to availability and contractor substitution at the time) we'd like to
> consider are:
> -- Cupaniopaia anacardioides (Carrotwood tree)
> -- Tristaniopsis laurina (Water gum)
> What are your experiences with these trees in the setting I'm describing?
>
> We also have widely planted Sapium sebiferum (Chinese Tallow tree) that is
> now on many invasive lists. Given that we are in the middle of a dense
urban
> area and nowhere near a riparian corridor, do you think we are OK to keep
it
> on our approved list? (Sunset makes such a recommendation.)
>
> We originally had Pittosporum undulatum (Victorian box) planted, but the
> 1990 severe frost killed all the young trees. Was that a one-time fluke or
> should we keep them off the list? As mentioned above, we are more
protected
> from frost than other neighborhoods in zone 17.
>
> Another question.  Some residents have asked for exceptions to grow small
> fruit trees. We want to encourage this and wonder if there are general
> guidelines we should add that will steer people to the most appropriate
for
> our situation. Can you point me to any sources for positive guidelines as
to
> growing fruit trees in front yards?
>
> I would be most appreciative of any suggestions you may have either for
> substitutions or additions to our list.
>
> Best regards,
> Carol Moholt
>
>
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