Bill wrote:

I'm looking for a fastgrowing shade tree for my front yard. I live in
Florida. Any ideas.

Try asking at some local garden centers. Then look up the
results in the library (or even on the net) to see how they
look -- do they meet your needs; do they have any drawbacks?

Another source of knowledge would be the Marie Selby Botanical
Gardens in Sarasota. Beautiful spot.

I'm not a Florida expert, but I would suggest a live oak.
They are not the *fastest* growing, but with proper water and
fertilizer, they will grow much quicker than many folks think.
More importantly, they are TOUGH. You need to consider those
late-summer zephyrs that blow through your area occasionally.
You know, the ones with names in alphabetical order. Many
fast-growing trees are not particularly wind resistant. Oaks
are about as good as it gets.

We lived in Coral Gables during Andrew. All the beautiful
ficus trees in front of our house blew down. The town
replaced them with oaks.

I hope that helps.


Mike Prager
Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a)
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