Help Me Choose Best Tree for Me...!!!

[janetlee]

Hi Everybody! This is my first post and so I'll tell you straight up...I'm not a gardener by any stretch of the imagination. I'm not really an outdoorsy person either, BUT I do LOVE and ADORE trees! So now I'm coming to the gist of this post!
I live in a duplex apartment in Panama City, Florida and am wanting to plant a fast growing tree. My yard is sandy and hard-packed with hardly any grass at all. It is in direct sunlight. As I live in subsidized housing and thus am low-income, I cannot afford a tree that would take a lot of watering. A big pricey waterbill would hurt!
I've researched this and realize that some of my options would be undesirable to many folks. I love the mimosa tree (I know...it's decidious) and the empress tree seems nice (yeah, same problem with it being "decidious" too!) But to be honest, those considerations don't really bother me personally. My yard is SO bare and depressing that almost any tree would be worthwhile, decidious or not! I love shade trees and want one very bad. I can't have one with a huge root system, but for the most part, the housing manager won't care if I plant one tree. So with all these points to be considered, can you give me some suggestions? Remember, I'm low-income and the soil is lousy. BTW, once a mimosa tree sprouted next to my porch (I didn't plant it...it just sprang up on it's own) and it grew so fast that it died from breaking under it's own weight! If mom and I had anticipated that, we would've put a pole next to it and tied it up for support! I don't know ANYTHING about growing, gardening, planting, etc. I hope you'll have an answer for me besides saying "Forget about it gal!"!!!
so thanx a bunch!
janetlee

 

[sawsong]

hi there.

firstly, very nice to hear someone who wants to plant a tree for the very reason they are so special, to add value to one's live above adding value to one's property, and lets face it, they are all unique and very special.

now... being from the UK its a little hard to imagine a picture of your yard or how lousy the soil actually is. of course with you being from panama and you saying the soil is terrible, the first thing that comes to MY mind is a palm of some kind. there are many that are fast growing, the love the sun, good in crap compacted ground, and many common to your area i believe create a good canopy also. again, this may not be something you are looking for at all, and im no palm expert anyway being from the UK and never dealing with any so i wait with interest myself, for what your locals suggest

 

[Ianab]

First off... go for a walk around the neighbourhood, and see what grows well locally. The 'best' tree depends so much on your local climate and soil types. Sometimes local native trees are the best choice.

Having said that, 2 'exotic' trees I am familiar with and you may have success with are Norfolk Island Pine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_heterophylla

and the NZ Christmas tree, Pohutukawa.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pohutukawa

Both are evergreen, the NI pine grows like a normal pine with 'needles', but it handles having some lower branches removed to keep a shaded lawn space underneath. The pohutukawa is an evergreen broadleaf that has brilliant red flowers in summer. Both handle sandy soils and are pretty hardy with respect to drought, wind and salt spray. They may need a bit of water in the first year, but nothing excessive ( a bucket every few days )

Make sure you have some space for these trees, although the pohutukawa will handle pruning very well later on. The NI pine pretty much just grows UP. Dont believe what the nursery/plant shop tell you, they will eventually grow BIG

Another thought is to plant several trees or shrubs, some smaller, fast growing, short lived species that will give some shelter to your 'specimen' tree. It's often hard to get a seedling established in a bare area, but with a bit of shelter and shade from surrounding plants you remove a lot of the harsh conditions (wind , sun , dry).

Good luck whatever you decide to plant, nothing beats a nice tree in the back yard

Cheers

Ian

 

[Ed Roland]

Janet, welcome 2 the site. Look, the soil is the key to plant health. Dig your hole wider than deeper, as tree roots spread within the top 10 or so inches below the ground. Amend with soil enhancing products ie, composted manure/mushroom, perlite, etc. Consider an aggresive growing woody perrenial instead of a tree. The Budlia davidii or butterfly bush will give u nice colorfull flowers and can take the abuse a first timer can throw @ it. Get some literature on the subject and happy growing.