Not a tree, but check out my bamboo in the pictures half way through this post. Once new shoots approach your patio stones you just step on them to kill the new shoots and prevent further growth in the direction that you don't want them to grow in.

Nice bamboo Tom. You have a fortress! LOL
My neighbors have too many Oak trees in their yard. But they cannot take them out till they ask permit from the town.

sharbear
Good luck in your search for a shade tree.

Willy

Tipuana tipu - Bolivian Rosewood or simply Tipuana, is one of the best. Fast growing, non-invasive root structure, and you'll get flowers several times a year.

Tipuana is certainly a gorgeous tree.

Sorry for hijacking this thread: I need a native shade tree for a small front yard to replace what I believe is the laurel oak planted by the builder. Going through dozens of websites with pictures and descriptions is overwhelming.
The laurel oak will have a nice shape but brittle wood. The live oak will become too wide, the southern magnolia will become too large, smaller magnolia cultivars look like pyramids which I don't care for.
The soil is sandy and the lawn around the tree gets watered by a sprinkler once a week. The shade tree cannot be moved further to the curb because of the common area there. The small tree in front of the narrow window is a kumquat which I love.
Help!

The space is large enough for a Royal Poinciana - Delonix regia. One of the most beautiful natives we have. I'm guessing from the shade of the oak, the front of the house is the south side. It should work, even in Leesburg.

For everyone one asking about tree's, Green Buttonwood is arguably native (but welcome and non invasive). Some say it is native other say no. It is a cousine of the silver buttonwood.

Grows moderately fast, about 15 foot wide. Royal Poinciana are beautiful, but not native.

Before forking over the cash consider this book https://my.sfwmd.gov/pls/portal/PORTAL.wwv_media.show?p_id=10518714&p_settingssetid=927145&p_settingssiteid=0amp;p_siteid=2434&p_type=basetext&p_textid=10519735

This is the link to florida waterwise which is a great book from the state and offer explanations on all welcome native and non-native varieties. They send it free.

Here is a link that might be useful: Florida Waterwise

Wow, what a gorgeous tree!

However, it has two things going against it. Temperatures in Leesburg are colder than 45 degrees and the tree is not native to the area. We have to replace the laurel oak with a canopy tree that is native to Central Florida.

florah, What about hollies like the Dahoon or East Palatka, there is even a weaping Yaupon Holly if you want a more different look.

Gumbo Limbo grows fast, beautiful, gets big.

I agree Gumbo Limbo will give you a big shade tree in a
hurry.
Put a Royal Poinciana on the other side of driveway.

Thank you for the many suggestions. You have thought of gorgeous trees for zone 10. Alas, I am only at the border of 9a and b. The original poster should have a good selection now.

the gardenzone, I thought of hollies at first, but most hollies have a pyramidal shape and they are too short to provide enough shade. I really want a rounded canopy on a single trunk.

Now I am thinking of ulmus alata - winged elm ... or I might leave the laurel oak in place after all.

Florah,
I'm in z9 on the east side of Orlando and I have a beautiful Tipuana tipu. I can't imagine a prettier tree for our area. Ricky recommended it to me several years ago and the moment I saw it I knew I needed one! It took me a while to find, but it was well worth it. I have seeds if you are interested and patient!

Kate

Thank you for the offer, Kate. I am sorely tempted.