Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cymraes

fast growing trees for California

cymraes
9 years ago

We are looking at buying a home in the central California Sierra foothills. There are very few trees, and would love suggestions for some fast growing shade trees.

Comments (10)

  • georgeinbandonoregon
    9 years ago

    may need some more information to make more informed suggestions. to a certain extent what tree species that might be recommended depends on what elevation and location you are in. also,it would help to know what size trees you are looking for and how much water you have to give to them (most drought tolerant trees are not especially fast growing, most of the fastest growing trees need a fair amount of water to sustain them). that said, for some of the lower foothill regions (above about 600' and below 2000') some of the native california oaks the evergreen coast live oak (quercus agrifolia) and interior live oak (q. wislizenii) and deciduous valley oak (q. lobata) can grow fairly fast to very fast if given good drainage AND summer water for the first 2 or 3 growing seasons (assuming that your site has relatively deep soil). coulter pine (pinus coulterii) is a fast growing relatively broad crowned pine that might work as a shade tree---drought tolerant once established. the deciduous california sycamore (platanus racemosa) and fremont cottonwood (populus fremontii) are very fast potential shade providers but need a fair amount of water and have aggressive roots which are best kept well away from septic lines. native white alder (alnus rhombifolia) is fast growing but not as big or aggressive as the previous two trees but also appreciates some summer water (a lawn tree for example) to look its best but is relatively short lived (50 years or so). sweetgum (liquidambar) and tulip tree (liriodendron) are two non-native deciduous trees needing summer water (good in lawns) that are fast growing and offer nice fall color as well. hope this helps.

    This post was edited by georgeinbandonoregon on Fri, Oct 31, 14 at 2:13

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    You might want to pick up a copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book, find your location on their climate zone maps and use the tables in the plant selection guide part of the book to identify some candidates.

    Similar resources are on the Sunset Publishing web site.

  • georgeinbandonoregon
    9 years ago

    BTW, all the trees i suggested are in the sunset western garden book for further research if interested.

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    Suggest you ask the folks at your county's Extension Service office.

    Use the map at the link to locate them ...

    Here is a link that might be useful: locate your County's Extension Service office

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    Jean, Portland is in USDA 8.

  • georgeinbandonoregon
    9 years ago

    portland is in zone 8 but the foothills of the sierra mountains in california are perhaps a rather different thing---likely hotter, drier, and perhaps longer summers for starters and possibly colder winters with perhaps more snow (depending on elevation) and a lower annual rainfall total. medford/ashland/grants pass,in southern oregon (foothills of the siskiyou mountains with an average elevation of around 1000' or more) MIGHT be a somewhat closer analogue with at least some parts of the middle elevations of the california locality in question (or might NOT since we still don't know the "exact" locality the O.P. is talking about).

  • catspa_NoCA_Z9_Sunset14
    9 years ago

    Another consideration is soil. There are bands of serpentine and gabbro and other funky soils all over in the Sierra Nevada foothills (see link below). Trees may be absent for a good reason. Suggest checking that angle out (county extension offices are a good resource, as suggested above).

    Here is a link that might be useful: Serpentine and gabbro soils

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    bboy,

    "Portland" has many nooks and crannies. Hereabouts, the specific zone where one lives depends upon which hill, which peak, or in which valley you are. (It's one of those microclimate things.)

    I'm quite a ways west of Portland proper, in unincorporated Portland. And it's colder here than it is in "the city" -- likely due to the urban heat island effect.

    When I first moved here, I was told I live in a "cold spot." And after living & gardening here for 17 years, I believe it.

  • georgeinbandonoregon
    9 years ago

    serpentine and gabbro soils ("ultra-mafic" soils i believe they're called) may indeed be hostile to certain plants but not to all---some plants or their varieties may be quite tolerant of those kind of soils---jeffrey pine, california laurel. and no doubt others---some of which are classified as "serpentine endemics". FWIW, if anyone's interested a "google" search for "plants that grow in serpentine soils" should quickly find a rather long list of choice plants that can tolerate serpentine---"las pilitas" nursery came up early on my search with just such a list including native cypresses, dogwoods pines, oaks, manzanitas, ceanothus, etc,. etc., potential soil problems aside, reasons for a lack of trees in a given area may be due to other factors, logging, fire, over-grazing, thin dry soils regardless of composition, clearing/scraping to put in the house/subdivision perhaps.combined with drought conditions---the list of reasons for a treeless site actually could have a lot of potential culprits---some of which are fairly easily dealt with. again, without more info from the O.P. (including possible observations on the presence or absence AND type of vegetation that may adjoin the "treeless" area) we are all lacking all the needed information to be of much real help for his/her specific site.

    This post was edited by georgeinbandonoregon on Fri, Oct 31, 14 at 23:23

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    Variations within the Portland area aren't expected to be enough to make you one whole USDA zone colder - ordinarily you would have to be in the mountains or otherwise pretty high up. Sometimes getting below 10F - if that is your basis for thinking you are in Zone 7 - is not enough to make your average minimums 0-10F. Most of us in the region sometimes get below 10F. It depends on how your minimums average out, if your lowest temperature for every winter for a given 15 year period produces a figure between 0 and 10F.

    Ideally cymraes would view labeled plantings growing under the same conditions (including same or similar soils) and see what trees looked good. However, if this is a rural location there may not be any useful collections nearby. I would search "_________ arboretum, botanical park, demonstration garden, gardens" etc. to see if anything comes up. If there is a college nearby the campus landscaping might have some labeling of the trees, or a tree map or walk - especially if there is a biology or horticulture department with an interested person on the staff.

Sponsored
Ed Ball Landscape Architecture
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars30 Reviews
Exquisite Landscape Architecture & Design - “Best of Houzz" Winner