Tag Yaupon Holly

Can Christmas Trees Grow in North Texas?

by Texas Tree Surgeons Resources, Tree Recommendations

While Christmas tree farms are not a common sight around North Texas, and many traditional evergreen trees do not thrive in our urban forest, there are several native evergreen species that can be used to give your yard some year-round color. Additionally, we’ll mention some introduced species that are popular, but don’t always do well in our environment.

Native Texas Evergreens

  • Eastern Redcedar

The eastern redcedar is the closest thing we have to a native Christmas tree in North Texas. With many different cultivars and growing patterns, the eastern redcedar can be a large shrub with a conical shape or be allowed to grow into a larger shade tree. Hardy in a wide range of soils, the eastern redcedar can survive both our sweltering summers and freezing winters. Some people are allergic to eastern redcedar, so it is, unfortunately, not the best choice for every situation. But if you are looking for a live Christmas tree to adorn your yard, eastern redcedar is your best bet.

  • Nellie R. Stevens Holly

There are a wide variety of hollies that are native to Texas, but perhaps the most classically “holly-like” is the Nellie R. Stevens holly. This versatile shrub can grow to as much as 30 feet tall, or be regularly trimmed for a low hedge. The Nellie R. Stevens holly features deep green, glossy foliage and the female specimens produce bright red berries. If you want a winter classic that looks marvelous against snow (when we get snow), the Nellie R. Stevens holly is perfect. Plus, the branches, leaves, and berries can be harvested to make great additions to holiday decor.

  • Yaupon Holly

The yaupon holly doesn’t have quite the traditional holly features of other species, but still features green leaves and red berries. In North Texas, yaupons are more often seem as small ornamental trees, rather than in a hedge, as they have smaller leaves than other shrubs, and can sometimes appear uneven. Different varieties of yaupon have been bred for various landscape uses, including a visually-striking “weeping” cultivar. While the leaves and branches may not be as suitable for holiday decor, the leaves can be brewed into a strong tea that has nearly as much caffeine as coffee. Avoid eating the berries, however, which are mildly toxic.

  • Magnolia

Magnolias are not often thought of around Christmas, but these southern staples are some of the most common evergreens in the area. Magnolias can range in size from majestic, 40-foot-tall examples, with foliage draping the trunk all the way to the ground, to small cultivars that can be used as shrubs. While magnolias are generally well-suited to North Texas, to really thrive, some varieties need extra care. With their large leaves, magnolias can also cause quite a mess during leaf exchange. Still, it is hard to go wrong with magnolias, which is why they are a Texas classic.

Introduced Evergreens

  • Pines (Afghan/Eldarica, Austrian, Japanese)

While there are pine trees native to Texas, they are found in different ecoregions, and are not naturally features of our North Texas blackland prairie. Still, some pine species have been imported to the area, with varying success. Most pines prefer dry, sandy, or rocky soils over the denser, clay-heavy soil of North Texas. A lack of proper drainage can lead to moisture retention in the soil, which can cause some species of pine to develop fungal infestations. With proper monitoring, pines can be cultivated in North Texas, but they rarely thrive, and may be more suited to shrub or ornamental usage.

  • Italian Cypress and Junipers

Once a ubiquitous feature of North Texas landscaping, Italian cypresses and their cousins in the juniper family have developed many health issues in the past few years. Like pines, Italian cypresses are well-suited to sandy, rocky, dry soil, and need proper drainage. This makes them drought-tolerant, and ideal for their Mediterranean home, but also leads to high susceptibility to fungal issues. With high rainfall, cypresses and junipers can develop fungal cankers and brown out quickly. Because of the presence of the responsible fungi in the natural environment, treatment is often ineffective. If you have Italian cypresses or similar species, and have been noticing a decline, it may be time to consider replacing them with evergreens better-suited to our environment.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees (evergreen or not) and we love our customers! There are other native Texas trees that are evergreen, such as the Texas mountain laurel and our local favorite live oak, but we thought these would be a good place to start if you are looking for some winter color as a gift or want some landscaping ideas. As always, we are happy to have one of our certified arborists discuss which evergreen would be best-suited for your particular needs. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with those or any other questions you may have, and we hope this holiday season and the year to come are filled with joy for you and your loved ones!

A Master Arborist’s Top 10 Ornamental Trees – Part 2

by Texas Tree Surgeons Resources, Tree Recommendations

For our full list of decorative tree recommendations, start here!

If it’s time for a new look in your yard, or you recently lost some trees due to storms and are looking for replacements, our owner and ISA Board Certified Master Arborist Amy Langbein Heath has put together a list of her ten favorite ornamental trees for North Texas. Here is the second installment. If you have questions about what trees might be best for your specific landscape, let us know!

RedBud

When we say “redbud,” we usually mean the Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), but there are two other cultivars, Texas redbud and Mexican redbud, that are also common. All three varieties have heart-shaped leaves and pink/purple blossoms. The redbud is a relatively small tree. It has a short trunk, spreading branches and can grow to about 20 feet tall. It is often added to gardens and houses because it is one of the season’s earliest flowering trees and adds a lot of color with its burst of pinkish/purplish flowers. The redbud’s green leaves, stunning blossoms, and seed pods make it a beautiful decorative tree choice all year round. The redbud does best in full sun or light shade and the Mexican and Texas varieties are drought-tolerant.

Flowering Dogwood

Flowering dogwoods are a much-loved feature of gardens both in East Texas and the DFW Area. Dogwoods generally exhibit white blooms, but may also show pink or other colors. They bloom for 3-4 weeks in the springtime, and looks particularly spectacular during that time, but are a great decorative choice all year long. Fall brings crimson foliage, giving way to red berries in the winter. In their natural environment, dogwoods are understory trees, protected and surrounded by other trees. Because of this, flowering dogwoods prefer at least partial shade to thrive.

Yaupon Holly

Yaupon holly is a versatile, multi-trunk shrub or small tree. Yaupon can be trimmed into a hedge or left to grow as an individual tree, making it a popular choice for residential and commercial landscaping. A hardy evergreen, yaupons produce small white flowers in the spring and the female plants produce bright red berries that stay until fall. Yaupons are drought-tolerant and can reach a height of 25 or 30 feet. The dense foliage and berries are attractive to birds throughout the year. Additionally, the yaupon is the only caffeine-containing plant that is native to North America. The leaves can be dried and used for tea!

Japanese Maple

A graceful and elegant addition to the right landscape, the Japanese Maple is a local favorite for good reason. There are numerous varieties available, with foliage in a range of colors. Japanese maples start out with green leaves in the spring, which quickly mature into shades of red and ochre. These medium-sized ornamentals love the shade and thrive under larger plants or shaded by houses. One of the common issues we see with Japanese maples is too much sun, but if you have space in the shade, they can be a welcome addition.

Desert Willow

Looking for a low-maintenance, full sun, drought-tolerant tree? Meet the desert willow. The small tree or large shrub has a spreading crown with willow-like light green leaves. In the mid-summer, these have fragrant, pink flowers that form in clusters at the tip of the branches. This native tree can withstand the heat of our North Texas summers and its flowers are a great hummingbird and bee attractor!

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our customers! While we don’t plant trees ourselves, we are always happy to give recommendations to help you find the perfect tree for your yard. Contact us online or give us a call and we’ll see what we can do to help!

A Master Arborist’s Top 10 Ornamental Trees [UPDATED]

by Texas Tree Surgeons Resources, Tree Recommendations

It looks like spring is finally here, and many homeowners are heading back out to their gardens and lawns to get them ready for summer. While spring is a great time to renew mulch and fertilize your trees, many people are also looking to freshen up their outdoor areas by planting new decorative shrubs and trees. 

Choosing the right decorative or ornamental tree for your yard can seem overwhelming; there are many different types available in our area. Some species, however, are more suited to our climate and soil, and taking a little knowledge with you on your trip to the nursery can go a long way toward planting a tree that will thrive. 

With that in mind, Texas Tree Surgeons has put together a list of our Top Ten Decorative Trees for North Texas, curated by our owner and ISA Board Certified Master Arborist Amy Langbein Heath.

Crape Myrtle

Let’s start with a Southern classic, the crape myrtle. Different types of crape myrtles come with various flower colors, from hot pink to lavender. Crape myrtles also have a variety of trunk colors and can range in height. Some crape myrtles are actual trees and other varieties are considered a shrub. They are a popular North Texas tree because they enjoy full sun and require moderate water and little maintenance. This tree is fast growing and due to the gorgeous blooms it produces in the summer is a great tree to plant multiples for a border. For more information on crape myrtles, see our recent post.

Purple Leaf Plum

Nothing says spring in North Texas like purple leaf plum trees in bloom. As you drive around North Texas, you can spot and identify their beautiful flowers in pink or white. Purple leaf plum makes for a beautiful ornamental tree. It has a single trunk and purple or reddish leaves all year round, so it looks great in landscaping when it’s not in bloom, too. The tree requires full or partial shade and needs an area of about 20 x 20 feet to take root and grow properly. Like the crape myrtle, it requires moderate water. It is also a great bee attractor and grows one to two feet a year.

Texas Mountain Laurel

Texas mountain laurel is another showstopper, especially when in bloom. Not much seems to bother this drought-tolerant beauty. A hard freeze might eliminate blooms one year but it won’t kill it. Texas mountain laurel requires good drainage and the trees are happy growing among rocks and limestone in other parts of Texas. This small tree looks more like a large shrub. It prefers full or partial sun and needs approximately 20 feet to grow. It is slow growing.  It is green all year and in March, when it is in full bloom with gorgeous purple blossoms, it puts out a delicious scent reminiscent of grape bubblegum. It is a kid favorite, but beware the silvery pods it puts out in late summer. The pods hold a red bean that can be poisonous in large amounts.

Vitex

Another purple showstopper is the Texas vitex, also known as a Texas lilac. Vitex generally appears more like a shrub or small tree with a large top. It is drought-tolerant which makes it perfect for xeriscaping, and is happy in direct sun. When in bloom, May through September, vitex showcases spiky blooms of lavender flowers. It also produces sporadically throughout the fall. Vitex needs 15 x 10 feet to grow properly. It is deciduous and loses its leaves in the winter. Vitex is also known for its ability to attract bees and butterflies.

Eve’s Necklace

A relative of mountain laurel, Eve’s necklace is another decorative tree favorite. Eve’s necklace is a small tree with lustrous green leaves. Come springtime you can expect a delicate canopy and pink flowers that hang in beautiful clusters. Like its cousin the mountain laurel, it produces pods in late summer into fall that resemble a string of beads, giving it its name eve’s necklace. The seeds are reportedly poisonous. Eve’s necklace can grow in direct sun or in light shade. It is easy to grow and takes low water.

RedBud

When we say “redbud,” we usually mean the Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), but there are two other cultivars, Texas redbud and Mexican redbud, that are also common. All three varieties have heart-shaped leaves and pink/purple blossoms. The redbud is a relatively small tree. It has a short trunk, spreading branches and can grow to about 20 feet tall. It is often added to gardens and houses because it is one of the season’s earliest flowering trees and adds a lot of color with its burst of pinkish/purplish flowers. The redbud’s green leaves, stunning blossoms, and seed pods make it a beautiful decorative tree choice all year round. The redbud does best in full sun or light shade and the Mexican and Texas varieties are drought-tolerant.

Flowering Dogwood

Flowering dogwoods are a much-loved feature of gardens both in East Texas and the DFW Area. Dogwoods generally exhibit white blooms, but may also show pink or other colors. They bloom for 3-4 weeks in the springtime, and looks particularly spectacular during that time, but are a great decorative choice all year long. Fall brings crimson foliage, giving way to red berries in the winter. In their natural environment, dogwoods are understory trees, protected and surrounded by other trees. Because of this, flowering dogwoods prefer at least partial shade to thrive.

Yaupon Holly

Yaupon holly is a versatile, multi-trunk shrub or small tree. Yaupon can be trimmed into a hedge or left to grow as an individual tree, making it a popular choice for residential and commercial landscaping. A hardy evergreen, yaupons produce small white flowers in the spring and the female plants produce bright red berries that stay until fall. Yaupons are drought-tolerant and can reach a height of 25 or 30 feet. The dense foliage and berries are attractive to birds throughout the year. Additionally, the yaupon is the only caffeine-containing plant that is native to North America. The leaves can be dried and used for tea!

Japanese Maple

A graceful and elegant addition to the right landscape, the Japanese Maple is a local favorite for good reason. There are numerous varieties available, with foliage in a range of colors. Japanese maples start out with green leaves in the spring, which quickly mature into shades of red and ochre. These medium-sized ornamentals love the shade and thrive under larger plants or shaded by houses. One of the common issues we see with Japanese maples is too much sun, but if you have space in the shade, they can be a welcome addition.

Desert Willow

Looking for a low-maintenance, full sun, drought-tolerant tree? Meet the desert willow. The small tree or large shrub has a spreading crown with willow-like light green leaves. In the mid-summer, these have fragrant, pink flowers that form in clusters at the tip of the branches. This native tree can withstand the heat of our North Texas summers and its flowers are a great hummingbird and bee attractor!

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our customers! While we don’t plant trees ourselves, we are always happy to give recommendations to help you find the perfect tree for your yard. Contact us online or give us a call and we’ll see what we can do to help!