If you want to cut air conditioning costs, add to your home’s property value and reduce air pollution, consider planting a tree.
Trees beautify landscapes with their stately shapes, greenery and blossoms, but also “they provide shade and coolness,” says Bob Sussman, owner of Matilija Nursery in Moorpark. Shade from a tree canopy can reduce a home’s temperature in the blazing summer sun by 20 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And a shady yard makes it easier for people to spend more time outdoors, especially in warmer months, Sussman adds.
Trees also safeguard the larger ecosystem: Leaves absorb and store carbon dioxide, a process that slows the gas buildup that causes global warming, according to the Nature Conservancy. These same leaves also remove air pollution by absorbing pollutants, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. This is why a group called TreePeople in Los Angeles has made it their mission to plant more than 3 million trees throughout SoCal and to educate the public about their value, maintenance and care.
There certainly can be drawbacks to having trees on your property. If planted too close to a home, roots can get into plumbing lines, or even the foundation. Branches can fall and damage rooftops and gutters. Trees that shed leaves cause extra work for homeowners who prefer neat yards. And some trees, such as the non-native varieties of Eucalyptus, can be a fire hazard, though many trees that are native to California, including the Coast Live Oak and Western Redbud, are known to be fire-resistant.
Still, with proper planning and maintenance, you might find the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Trees native to California
The United States is home to more than 640 distinct species of trees, with almost 200 of those being indigenous species, according to research from the United States Forest Service, but specimens that are native to Southern California come with another benefit: They don’t need much water, which means they are money-saving choices.
“Native trees naturally grow here and survive from the water we get in nature, so you don’t need to do much watering,” Randi Gunder, a landscape designer who runs the landscape division at Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano. Native trees can be effectively incorporated into many landscapes. “And native trees are a great choice if you want to support a habitat for birds and insects that have evolved in the SoCal region,” she says.
California trees such as Coast Live Oaks are considered “keystone species,” meaning that hundreds of insects and birds depend on them for food and shelter, says Tim Becker, director of horticulture at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley, which sells California native plants and gives classes on how to garden with them.
“A keystone tree is one that if it was removed would cause a pretty big rift in that ecosystem,” Becker adds. “Like the cornerstone of the house, if you took it out, the house would not stand.”
How to choose the right tree
By carefully choosing and planting the right tree, you can reap all these benefits while visually enhancing your property. Some tips:
Location: “First, consider your location,” says Gunder. “Are you on the coast or inland?” Choose trees that are known to thrive in the conditions where you live. Then visit places such as the Fullerton Arboretum, California Botanic Garden in Claremont or the UC Riverside Botanic Gardens to see what trees look like when they are full grown. “I go to the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden twice a year,” says Sussman. “I go in spring, which is the best time of year when the trees and plants look good. And I go in August because I want to see plants when they look ratty.”
Big or small? Identify and measure the space you have for a tree. It’s important to check nursery labels that tell a tree’s height and width when it’s full grown — you don’t want surprises. A California Sycamore, for instance, is fast-growing and can reach 30 to 80 feet tall and 20 to 50 feet wide. The more modest-sized Yellow Palo Verde trees work well in smaller spaces since they grow to about 20 feet tall and wide, and they boast delicate yellow flowers.
Check the roots. Make sure trees you like won’t interfere with the foundation of your house, a patio or nearby plumbing, says Sussman. Coast Live Oaks, though large, do not get into water pipes, he says, while California Sycamores can tangle with nearby plumbing.
Consider your landscape style. “Choose a tree that tells your garden story,” says Gunder. “Do you have a desert landscape with gravel? A woodland garden with lots of mulch? Your tree has to fit that story. These factors will narrow your choices to two to three trees.”
Get help. Nurseries such as Tree of Life in San Juan Capistrano, Theodore Payne in Sun Valley and Matilija Nursery in Moorpark have knowledgeable staff who can help you make the right choice. The “Sunset Western Garden Book” includes comprehensive information about every tree in the West. And the website Calscape.org, created by the California Native Plant Society, allows you to input your location and preferences to help you find appropriate trees for your home.
When and how to plant
“October, November and December are the months to plant,” Becker says. “You need to wait until those long periods of high 90s are over to reduce the stress of a new plant.” Then dig a deep hole and fill it with water, he says, and let it drain down completely. “Loosen up the root ball” before planting; a potted tree with very tightly girdled roots may have trouble surviving in the ground, he says. Ask the staff at the nursery how often to water your newly planted tree and follow their directions exactly so that you don’t over- or under-water.
Trees to consider
A deciduous tree can be an ideal choice for a home yard year-round, says Gunder. In the summer, its leaves will provide plenty of shade. “In the winter time, a California deciduous tree such as the California Ash will lose its leaves, allowing sunlight to get through and warm your home. And the leaves provide a wonderful mulch. It has beautiful green foliage which is great for birds and has a nice fragrance,” she adds.
The Western Redbud is a California native that many experts recommend for home landscapes. “It’s a little bit slower in growing but it has a beautiful multi-branch structure,” says Gunder.
Each season its appearance changes. “In the spring, Western Redbuds have bright pink flowers,” Gunder adds. “In the summer, it has large green heart-shaped leaves. In the fall, the leaves change to bright red color then drop their leaves — again this allows sunlight to get into your home and warm it. This is a flowering tree that is great for habitat.”
Though Toyon is a shrub, it can grow to the size of a small tree at 8 feet or higher and produces white flowers followed by clusters of red berries that attract birds.
“The Santa Cruz Island Ironwood is a beautiful, fast-growing evergreen tree with small rose flowers and shedding bark,” says Becker. It is best suited for homes near the coast, he adds.
Another native, the Engelmann Oak, is a moderately fast-growing tree that needs plenty of room. “It has a blue-ish gray silver leaf foliage that is really pretty,” says Gunder. How big it grows depends on your soil. When the soil is mostly clay, the roots can’t grow very big and so neither will the branches, which means it can fit well in a smaller space.
Coast Live Oaks are easy to grow, especially in woodland areas, and can top 80 feet — so big that a garden can be planted beneath them. In fact, says Sussman, “You can plant a lot of shade-loving plants under your trees, which gives you a wider range of plants for your garden. Under shady spots you can plant Heuchera, Columbines, Pacific Coast irises, and Hummingbird Sage, among others.”
“Cypresses work well in hotter climates, especially the Tecate Cypress,” says Becker. “Junipers, cedars and cypresses are all pretty tough trees.” The Tecate Cypress recently has become popular as a small tree for Southern California gardens, according to the California Native Plant Society website.
Where to get free trees
Many cities offer free trees to homeowners. In Anaheim, for example, it’s the TreePower program. Riverside Public Utilities offers rebates to customers who purchase up to five shade trees each year. Also, Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment provides free trees for homes and streets; check their website for the next free tree giveaway. TreePeople also sponsors tree giveaways from time to time.
