I would suggest staying away from eucalyptus. I put them in years ago thinking they would grow fast (they do) but not realizing they also shed their bark and leaves almost continually, making a huge mess.

How about a fruit tree? A Brogdon avocado will grow into a 30x20 canopy and give you lots of fruit to enjoy.

An oak will reduce your A/C bill in about 20 years.

If you want shade fast in 9b, I'd go with a red maple. The loss of leaves in the winter is a good thing sometimes... the solar heat can be nice in the winter.

I agree with Billbrandi about eucalyptus trees. I have two and I wish I didn't. Very messy, messy trees and the shade is high and shifting. Oaks are my favorite for shade, but they are slower growing. Depending on where you are, shady lady olive trees are beautiful medium sized trees with medium growing speed and give dense shade eventually, after a few years. Maples have the plus of having color spring and fall.

Anna

I would say oak is better in the long run. As for which oak, that depends on your climate. Zone 9 can be in Florida where it rains alot, or On the west coast where it MAY be drier.

I just realized which forum I was on after I pushed submit post. I am sorry for the misguided message, but I would choose an oak anyway.

I would choose a live Oak if you have room. My house faces west and I planted two in the front yard when they were very small ($25 each). They already provide plenty of shade and, while no tree is wind proof, I feel pretty comfortable about their wind resistance. It was nice watching them grow and they are by far my favorite tree in the yard. The Maple is a pretty good choice too.

This post was edited by scogebear on Tue, Mar 5, 13 at 8:13

How about Drake elm? They grow in my neighborhood and are attractive. While they never get huge, they are fast growing and relatively trouble free. It is not native, but is not on the invasive list, as far as I can find out.

I live in an old house (mid seventies) that the original owners planted trees all around to provide shade, pre-central air. One thing I've noticed is most aren't tall enough to provide much shade in the summer when the sun is high, but do a great job of shading the house in the winter, when we don't need it. The only tree that does the job is a very tall (and messy) silk oak on the west side that does a great job of shading the house from the worst of the late afternoon sun. The problem is, it's very close to the house, and I considered having it removed due to the danger of falling limbs hitting the house. The tree company I contacted suggested leaving it, that my energy bills would increase 20% if I took it down, and my house insurance would cover damage from falling limbs. I do enjoy it's shade, but have to leaf blow the walkways almost daily.