I'm building a house in the Dallas area and have a 5 foot extra long drive
way which I'm going to put
Mimosa trees 3 on each side so they can grow and touch each other over the
drive way and I'll trim them to create a tunnel effect so when I drive my
car into my garage I'll be driving through a tunnel of flowery

Mimosa trees. Sounds pretty nice. What's the downside?



Richard

In article 0QTXf.746$up2.584@fed1read07, says...
Mimosa trees. Sounds pretty nice. What's the downside?


They can be a messy tree, constantly dripping sap...they are a low
branching tree so it may be some work to train it to look like you
want..they are considered a short lived tree so if one dies 10 years
from now it can mess up the long term look you pictured...if you are
planting close to the structure they will constantly be in need of
timing away from the structure to help keep branch rubbing damage along
with a number of ant species that live in the trees that will now bridge
onto the structure. The smell of the decomposing blooms from one tree
can be an issue much less numerous trees that will probably now build
up against the garage in a thick blanket.

What would you recommend?

"Lar" wrote in message
t...
In article 0QTXf.746$up2.584@fed1read07, says...
Mimosa trees. Sounds pretty nice. What's the downside?


They can be a messy tree, constantly dripping sap...they are a low
branching tree so it may be some work to train it to look like you
want..they are considered a short lived tree so if one dies 10 years
from now it can mess up the long term look you pictured...if you are
planting close to the structure they will constantly be in need of
timing away from the structure to help keep branch rubbing damage along
with a number of ant species that live in the trees that will now bridge
onto the structure. The smell of the decomposing blooms from one tree
can be an issue much less numerous trees that will probably now build
up against the garage in a thick blanket.

They are very invasive. They put up shoots in your yard 30 to 50 ft from
the tree. This is usually overcome by mowing regularly, but I just didnt
like them that much.

Dwayne

"Richard Miller" wrote in message
news:0QTXf.746$up2.584@fed1read07...
I'm building a house in the Dallas area and have a 5 foot extra long drive
way which I'm going to put
Mimosa trees 3 on each side so they can grow and touch each other over the
drive way and I'll trim them to create a tunnel effect so when I drive my
car into my garage I'll be driving through a tunnel of flowery

Mimosa trees. Sounds pretty nice. What's the downside?



Richard

How about some nice vase-shaped crepe myrtles? I assume that they are
perfectly hardy in Dallas, and with fewer unpleasant side effects than
mimosas. There are many varieties - you'd be looking for one of the taller
"tree-form" types, and you'd want to prune it to allow the outer
trunks/suckers to grow. They might not exactly meet overhead, but they'd
cast shade and make a nice flowering entrance to your home for several
months each summer.
Another flowering option would be kohlreutia golden raintree, although the
pods might be messy and the bloom period shorter. Still another would be
redbud. It has a graceful form - although, again, the bloom period is
relatively brief.
"Richard Miller" wrote in message
news:0QTXf.746$up2.584@fed1read07...
I'm building a house in the Dallas area and have a 5 foot extra long drive
way which I'm going to put
Mimosa trees 3 on each side so they can grow and touch each other over the
drive way and I'll trim them to create a tunnel effect so when I drive my
car into my garage I'll be driving through a tunnel of flowery

Mimosa trees. Sounds pretty nice. What's the downside?



Richard