[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[jilln20 at yahoo.com]

Jill
85018
jilln20 at yahoo.com

Hi, 

2 questions - 

1 - I'm looking for a small tree (approx 20 feet).  Other needs:  evergreen (i.e. not messy), and flowering. I prefer a lush, shady look.   What about a Flowering Pear?  or I saw a beautiful tree yesterday called a "Catalpa."    Any recommendations?  

2 - What do you know about flowering shrubs that are made into tree form?  (I think they're called "Standards").  Example:  hibiscus tree, bouganvilla tree, etc. Do they generally perform well and which ones perform best - would they make good small trees? 

Thanks for any assistance you can provide!!