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

Thanks,
Bill

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

Thanks,
Bill


Can kudzu be trained into tree form?

Duckingly,
Bob

Need to get Ricky's input here!!!


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

Thanks,
Bill

We need to know *which* part of Florida you're in - there's a big difference
in climate between N and S.

If in North or Central Florida, several species of maple do well and grow
fast. Red maples are fast growers and are popular in NW Florida where I am.

They are colorful most of the year. They have red flowers in late winter
(February or so). Then, the new leaves are red, (the leaves turn green as
they mature). Fall foliage is also red (to be sure of pure red fall color,
get a named cultivar from a nursery; the wild volunteers can vary from
yellow to orange to red, or a mixture of these). Twigs are red year-round,
so you even have a little winter interest.

They'll get to 40-50 feet on average, and tolerate a wide range of soil
conditions, from near-bog to sand.

I believe that they grow well as far south as Ocala, possibly a little
farther south than that. But they won't grow in S. Florida - they need a
little winter rest. :-)

Good luck,
Laura


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

Thanks,
Bill

On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 17:04:33 -0600, "Laura Stanley"
wrote:

We need to know *which* part of Florida you're in - there's a big difference
in climate between N and S.

Bradenton/Sarasota area.


Those Maples are great...but,I'm not sure in my area.

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

Thanks,
Bill

You should be able to grow tulip poplar (liriodendron) in Sarasota, I would
think. That is an extremely fast growing tree in Florida, and yet reasonably
long-lived with pretty flowers. Water Oaks are extremely fast growing as
well, but they get to be massive trees by age 50 and then don't live too
long after that, meaning an expensive removal job for somebody. Live Oaks
are actually pretty fast growing in youth, then slow down as they develop
their huge "arm" branches. They are very long-lived trees. However, they
won't look like the picturesque ones dripping with spanish moss in the
postcards until they are 75 years old or so. In the meantime, they'll still
cast good shade for you.
"Bill" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a fastgrowing shade tree for my front yard. I live in
Florida. Any ideas.

Thanks,
Bill

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


"Heritage" River birch is superfast; I don't know if it can handle Florida
heat.

~flick

Yes, I think you're too far south for red maples. Sorry, I don't have any
good suggestions for S. Florida.

You can look at this link for some ideas:
http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/progr...arge-trees.htm

Also, I got lots of hits from a google search on the words "fast growing
shade tree South Florida". Maybe if you look through those links and find
some likely prospects, you can ask around for others' experiences with those
particular trees.

Good luck,
Laura

"Bill" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 17:04:33 -0600, "Laura Stanley"
wrote:

We need to know *which* part of Florida you're in - there's a big
difference
in climate between N and S.

Bradenton/Sarasota area.


Those Maples are great...but,I'm not sure in my area.

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

Thanks,
Bill

Yes, I think you're too far south for red maples. Sorry, I don't have any
good suggestions for S. Florida.

You can look at this link for some ideas:
http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/progr...arge-trees.htm

Also, I got lots of hits from a google search on the words "fast growing
shade tree South Florida". Maybe if you look through those links and find
some likely prospects, you can ask around for others' experiences with those
particular trees.

Good luck,
Laura

"Bill" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 17:04:33 -0600, "Laura Stanley"
wrote:

We need to know *which* part of Florida you're in - there's a big
difference
in climate between N and S.

Bradenton/Sarasota area.


Those Maples are great...but,I'm not sure in my area.

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

Thanks,
Bill

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)
(Remove spam traps from email address to reply.)

"chaz" wrote in message
...
Need to get Ricky's input here!!!

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

Thanks,
Bill

Here I am. Just got back from running a barbecue contest in Macon, GA.
OK, shade trees for Florida, eh?

Well if you can plant it at least 30 feet away from a house, plant a Ficus.
Just plan on root pruning twice a year.
Bulnesia arborea (Verawood) is a moderate to fast grower with a terminal
height of around 50 feet. Also Tipuana tipu is a moderate to fast grower.
Both have yellow flowers for at least 4 months of the year.

Someone else suggested Oak - nah, this tree looks like Phyllis Diller on a
bad hair day.

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) is a beautiful shade tree that goes
deciduous twice a year. Can't beat those orange flowers!
And last but not least... take a ride around your neighborhood and see what
you like. Anything big and shady has been there a long time and it should
work on your property as well.

"Laura Stanley" wrote in message
...
Yes, I think you're too far south for red maples. Sorry, I don't have any
good suggestions for S. Florida.

Laura,
Acer rubrum (Red Maple) grows down in the Keys. They don't look as good
or get as big as they do as you move north, but they are all over Florida.

Ricky

"chaz" wrote in message
...
Need to get Ricky's input here!!!

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

Thanks,
Bill

Here I am. Just got back from running a barbecue contest in Macon, GA.
OK, shade trees for Florida, eh?

Well if you can plant it at least 30 feet away from a house, plant a Ficus.
Just plan on root pruning twice a year.
Bulnesia arborea (Verawood) is a moderate to fast grower with a terminal
height of around 50 feet. Also Tipuana tipu is a moderate to fast grower.
Both have yellow flowers for at least 4 months of the year.

Someone else suggested Oak - nah, this tree looks like Phyllis Diller on a
bad hair day.

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) is a beautiful shade tree that goes
deciduous twice a year. Can't beat those orange flowers!
And last but not least... take a ride around your neighborhood and see what
you like. Anything big and shady has been there a long time and it should
work on your property as well.

"Laura Stanley" wrote in message
...
Yes, I think you're too far south for red maples. Sorry, I don't have any
good suggestions for S. Florida.

Laura,
Acer rubrum (Red Maple) grows down in the Keys. They don't look as good
or get as big as they do as you move north, but they are all over Florida.

Ricky

I didn't know that - I guess I didn't think to look for maples when I
vacationed down there. I was too distracted by the hibiscus TREES dwarfing
the houses! :-)

Thanks,
Laura

"Ricky" wrote in message
...
"Laura Stanley" wrote in message
...
Yes, I think you're too far south for red maples. Sorry, I don't have
any
good suggestions for S. Florida.

Laura,
Acer rubrum (Red Maple) grows down in the Keys. They don't look as
good
or get as big as they do as you move north, but they are all over Florida.

Ricky