California Landscaping Trees

The quaking aspen can thrive in California landscapes.

Trees provide texture, height and color, as well as benefits such as shade, privacy and sound reduction. When choosing landscape trees for your California yard or garden, consider factors such as light, water and soil requirements, as well as a tree's mature height and spread. California residents may also need to take factors such as drought, wildlife, fire and salt spray into account.

Fire Resistant

If you live in one of California's many fire-prone areas, choose fire-resistant plants to decrease the risk of damage to your landscape. These generally include deciduous trees with dense, moist foliage and thin, watery sap. The big leaf maple is a popular landscape and shade tree. These large trees can grow up to 100 feet tall with leaves up to 24 inches across. This hardy tree is drought-resistant and can thrive in a variety of soil types. The California sycamore is prized for its gray bark that peels to reveal a bright white under layer. The sycamore can grow up to 100 feet tall with 5- to 10-inch long hairy foliage, and it produces unusual, golf ball-sized fruit that hang from stalks. The California pepper tree grows from 30 to 40 feet tall. The tree's branches droop moderately and form a semi-weeping shape that provides shade. The gray bark cracks with time, revealing an attractive red under layer. California peppers prefer full sun and tolerate drought, but thrive when irrigated regularly.

Deer Resistant

If you live in a region of California with a large deer population, plant deer-resistant landscape trees. Though no species is completely deer-proof, especially before growing to at least 10 feet tall, some species tend to prove less palatable and sustain less deer damage. The California laurel can grow up to 100 feet tall. This densely-branching tree grows in a dome shape and has fragrant, shiny foliage. An evergreen, the California laurel produces attractive black fruit in the fall and winter. The Kentucky coffee tree is a deciduous species that grows between 40 and 50 feet tall. Trees produce white clusters of blossoms in spring and thrive in moist, well-drained soil, but can tolerate a variety of conditions. The strawberry tree, or madrone, features smooth, red to orange bark. Trees grow from 20 to 50 feet tall and prefer full sun and dry soil. Strawberry trees produce white blooms in spring and red fruit from summer through winter.

Salt Tolerant

When choosing trees for coastal California landscapes, consider salt resistance. Coastal areas often feature windy conditions that blow salt spray onto foliage, which can eventually build up and harm trees. Salt-tolerant trees for California include the Chinese tallow tree, a deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 feet tall and has rounded foliage that taper to a point. Trees produce attractive spikes of yellow flowers in spring, and white berries that can last through winter. A hardy tree, the Chinese tallow tolerates a range of sun and soil conditions. Live oak, a popular shade tree, grows up to 50 feet in height and can reach a spread of up to 150 feet. This fast-growing tree is very salt resistant, tolerates shade and thrives in a range of soils, from clay to saline. The seagrape grows from 25 to 30 feet. Unlike many other evergreens, the seagrape's foliage turns bright red in autumn, partially drops, then regrows bronze-colored leaves that eventually darken to green. Trees produce green, grape-like fruits that ripen to purple in late summer. This drought-tolerant, versatile tree thrives in a range of soil types, from sand to acidic, and can grow in full sun to partial shade.

Drought Tolerant

Many areas of California experience low rainfall which can lead to drought-like conditions. Drought-tolerant landscape trees can survive arid climates; native species can make good choices for dry areas. The Western catalpa grows between 40 and 60 feet tall. This deciduous tree has bright green, heart-shaped foliage that turns yellow in the fall. This hardy tree tolerates a variety of soil types and grows in full sun to partial shade. The black tupelo, a slow-growing deciduous tree, can reach heights up to 50 feet. This tree produces striking fall yellow, orange, red and purple fall foliage. Black tupelo thrives in full sun and well-drained, acidic soil. The deciduous zelkova grows from 50 to 70 feet tall and tends to form a vase-like shape. Dark green, elliptical foliage turns yellow, dark red and purple in the fall. Zelkova trees prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Established trees are pollution-tolerant, making them a good choice for urban landscapes.

References

• University of California; Planting Landscape Trees; Gary Hickman
• University of California Cooperative Extension: Landscape for Fire Protection
• University of California Cooperative Extension: Fire Resistant Landscaping Plants for the Cool Area; Bill Frost; June 2005
• University of California Cooperative Extension: Deer-Resistant Plants for the Sierra Foothills; Cindy Fake; July 2003
• University of California, E.J. Slosson Endowment for Ornamental Horticulture: Tolerance of Landscape Tree Species to Salt Spray

Resources

• University of California Cooperative Extension: Drought Tolerant Landscape Trees; Mary Larson et al.
• California Natural Resources Agency: California's Coastal Trees