[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[dol at infostations.com]

Pat Cade
85375
dol at infostations.com

When I moved here in Jan2005, my yard in SCW contained two large Palo Breas.  In the monsoon one of them lost a large branch and I was told it could not be saved, so I removed it.  I replaced it with two large Nitada's which died in the frost this past season.  Now the other La Brea has a large crack at its base, can it be saved? I  planted two 10 gal Heritage Oaks, one seems to be drying and the other doing well altho they are on the same watering system.  If these two go I am thinking of planting a Chinese Pitasche and a Chinese elm.  Now I am being told they are subject to cottonwood rot.  Outside of moving back to Oregon, what would you suggest for a large shade tree that will be most likely to survive here? I have a professional installing these trees who has work in the neighborhood and has a good reputation.