Pools trees and shade with no mess is a tricky order ... I don't see a major difference in mess between Cat Claw and Mesquites .....there are some mesquites more evergreen to evergreen then others so check carefully and inquire locally .. mesquites may get quite a bit more canopy sooner then cat claws ....so net mess would be worse with mesquites in less time as the shade arrives .... I agree with your landscaper .... but shade with a cat claw ??

The chaste tree lots of mess ....

If I was planting close to a pool I'd go more with Yucca, Agave , Cactii .... if I wanted things neat and wanted to contrast the pool water with the desert plants .... maybe with a Gazebo figured in for shade ...

Its hard to get good shade without mess I would think ?? Some of our evergreens here are the worst when it comes to mess....so be careful if you venture that route ...

If you want shade near a pool I would say your going to have to pay your dues ........ How close are we talking ??

Good Day ...

Thanks for the help. The trees will be between a 6 foot cinderblock wall and the back side of the pool. Spacing will be about 5-10 feet between the pool and the wall with a 2/1 upslope for the last 4-5 feet from the pool to the wall. The builder is pushing the Chillean Mesquite. Landscaper says its too messy. Ironwood is on the list too. It looks like it has potential. Any suggestions on specific trees or should I just forget it and go for the "look" instead of the shade?

Thanks,

John

I'm doing some research on this same question and haven't come up with any good answers. I did read that mesquites can have invasive roots (which I've very sad about because I love them!) and aren't good around pool equipment. What did you decide on?

there are tough trades. i'm going to try
lysiloma microphylla (desert fern) around our
pool. i've heard good things, but have only
seen small specimens, so i'm not sure how
much shade to really expect. the mess seems
less than mesquites.

I'm working on this same problem. One thing I've found about the messiness is that it depends on what kind of pool cleaner you have. For example, we had shoestring acacias beside one pool - looked terrific. However, the long leaves fouled up the underground pool cleaning system. We've got a pool sweep kind of system now that's in the pool and I don't think we'd have the same kind of problem. One thing I've found is that mesquites, and many desert trees, are not recommended for around pools if they have to be anywhere near the plumbing. Reason being that their roots spread far and wide to find water. As the roots grow they can displace the pvc pipes to the point that they crack and if any of the plumbing joints leak, then the roots will actually grow into the plumbing.

Go to Moon Valley Nurseries, ask about their pool packages. We learned so much from them, and their prices are very competitive, especially with the guarantees they offer. They can help you with trees that provide shade.