Resilient Trees for the Southwest

These selections score high for disease and pest resistance, drought tolerance, and adaptability to harsh conditions

Trees drop anchor our landscapes both in size of it and ordered series . Landscapes without tree seem barren ; even desert environments involve trees . Tree stand out in the desiccated high desert where I live . I am particularly drawn to mature trees that have place upright grandiloquent and proud against the mental test of time .

In the Southwest , as in many regions , mature conifer and deciduous trees are lose the fight against climate change at a speedy rate . When choosing to plant new trees in your property , it make mother wit to choose tough , lively trees that can remain firm up to the outcome of climate modification .

The mintage and varieties featured below are ones test by my experience of planting in the Southwest over the decades . They have been selected for their easy - care criminal maintenance requirement , year - long pastime , overall beauty , and , above all , resilience .

Summerburst®Golden rain tree

Koelreuteria paniculata‘JFS - Sunleaf ’ , Zones 5–9

Summerburst ® golden pelting tree has bright scandalmongering flowers that bloom in large cluster in midsummer , survey by yellow fall foliation . It reaches 30 foot tall and 30 feet wide at matureness with a rounded habit . This drought - kind tree takes full sun , requires little irrigation , and tolerates high temperature . It ’s disease resistive and plague - cogent evidence to charge . It also has tough bark , making it a good choice for parking rafts and streetscapes .

‘Prairifire’ crabapple

Malus‘Prairifire ’ , Zones 4–8

‘ Priairifire ’ crabapple is a tough Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree with excellent resistance to the many diseases that plague crab apple , such as scab , fireblight , cedar - apple rusting , and mildew . It also tolerates urban pollution well . This tree diagram produce 20 feet tall and wide with an good , rounded , spreading habit of branches . It take medium irrigation in full sun . flower bloom bright pinkish - red in spring and sprain into small dark carmine orchard apple tree ( which are inedible ) . ‘ Prairifire ’ has ripe declination color with deeply yellow leaves .

‘Winter King’ hawthorn

genus Crataegus viridis‘Winter King ’ , Zones 4–7

This hawthorn grows 20 foot tall and 25 feet spacious with branch that grow in a vase - shape habit . White clusters of flowers bloom in leap . The silver bark contrasts nicely with the dark green , shiny leaves , which call on yellow in evenfall . to boot , the angular line of work of the fork pattern give it a sheer show in winter . ‘ Winter King ’ take low water and full sun . It is one of the most disease - resistant hawthorns out there and is also immune to gadfly .

Chinkapin oak

Quercus muehlenbergii , Zones 5–7

Chinkapin oak tree is distinguishable as having some of the good immunity to oak wilt of any oak out there , and it ’s resistant to other disease and pests as well . It has a rounded , open habit and uprise 45 feet magniloquent and broad . This oak tree has low water necessary and charter full sun . Fall foliage color is yellow to embrown . As a bonus , this tree is tolerant of alkaline soils .

‘Frontier’ elm

Ulmus‘Frontier ’ , Zones 4–9

This elm is notable for its resistant to Dutch elm tree disease . It features beautiful reddish - purpleness to burgundy fall leafage that is particularly long - lasting . ‘ Frontier ’ take intermediate water system in full Dominicus , with a vase- or oval - shaped substance abuse of development . At maturity , it grows 40 substructure tall and 30 feet wide .

Resilient trees typically have ruffianly , sturdy , gnarly , wooden-headed , or curl barque to fend off sunscald . Smooth , sensitive , thin barque would necessitate wrapping Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to quash sunscald . In a standardised mode to how too much sun can make skin genus Cancer in humans , continual or perpetual sunscald will finally kill your trees .

Well - run out , healthy soil is always recommend when planting Tree . Whenever potential , courtyard or fence protection is encouraged to mitigate exposure to wind .

For more tough , resilient plants for the Southwest , chequer out :

— Mark Brotton , APLD , owns and operate Living Water , Irrigation , and Landscape free-base in Santa Fe , New Mexico .

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