This week, we’re talking about local plants!
Q: I’m interested in a shade tree for my yard, but I want to plant native trees, not something invasive or hard to care for. What are some good choices? Do you (Burton) have any favorites?
A: Fortunately, this isn’t hard to do. Many of our best native trees for the area are among our most commonly grown, precisely because they’re adapted for here. But if you’re looking for some of my favorites, happy to oblige.
First out of the gate, let’s start with the state tree of Texas: the pecan! Pecans are a strong selection for our area and can provide delicious pecans to snack on once the trees have been in ground for a few years. And as for native, not only are they native to the state, but also to our particular bit of North Texas. Many of the wild trees growing right next to the nursery are native pecans.
Another good choice are cedar elms. Elms grow throughout Texas, and several elm species are part of the makeup of the mixed native trees growing down the river and runoff areas in the Metroplex. Now, one of those native elms is hackberry, which is very much not a beautiful tree, but cedar elms are tough and aesthetically pleasing.
And finally, my personal favorite trees, the oaks! Not all oaks are native, but live oak, Shumard red oak, chinquapin oak and bur oak are wonderful trees and Texas natives. My wife knew I’d be sucked in by our current home when I saw the majestic live oaks shading the front yard, and I’ve had more than one friend married under the huge bur oaks in the nature reserve in Plano, because the trees made an impressive backdrop.
These are some of my favorite native trees for our corner of the world.