[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Chris Trask]

>
> I moved to Sun City West last fall from the Pacific Northwest.
> I waited a year to do any new planting in my yard. I am glad
> I waited because now I am aware of the winds and that we get
> below freezing tempeerture. (Oh yes, I almost forgot those
> pesky rabbits). Even though my house and yard where put in
> the 80's I  lost several mature plants this winter.
>
> I am not ready to start to do some landscaping. My first
> concern is to put in a shade tree to protect my patio from the
> heat of the afternoon . The patio faces wesst.  I have done a
> lot of reading on the subject.  All that it has done is
> confuse me.  Every tree has its pros and cons.  I would like a
> tree that would  be a low water user( I am a snowbird ), of
> course low maintance, and will not out grow the area in time.
>
> I would appreciate any help on this subject.
>

    Trees suitable for what you are considering would include Desert Willow,
Sweet Acacia, Lysiloma, Blue Palo Verde, Netleaf Hackberry (Celtis
reticulata), Ironwood, Western Honey Mesquite, and Velvet Mesquite.  You may
want to find yourself a copy of "Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert"
which is free and should be available at most nurseries.  Also useful is
"Native Trees Guide to Lanscaping" that is published by the Arizona Native
Plant Society.  Both of these can probably be found at the Desert Botanical
Garden gift shop.


Chris Trask
Outings Leader, Sierra Club (1981-1991)
Palo Verde Group Outings Chair, Sierra Club (1985-1988)
Grand Canyon Chapter Outings Chair, Sierra Club (1988-1991)
Member, Arizona Native Plant Society
Member, Arizona Governor's Advisory Council on Invasive Species (2005-2006)
Member, Central Arizona Weed Management Area

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~christrask/wildflowers.html

     We cannot command nature except by obeying her.

                                 - Sir Francis Bacon