Shade Trees

Acacia constricta: Whitethorn Acacia
Fragrant, bright yellow puffball flowers. Provides light shade. 12-18' high.

Acacia farnesiana: Sweet Acacia
Sweetly fragrant, orange to yellow, puffball flowers. Provides light shade. 15-25' high.

Acacia salicina: Willow Acacia
Fragrant, white, puffball flowers. Provides moderate shade. 30-40' high.

Acacia stenophylla: Shoestring Acacia
Necklace-like seed pods, long narrow green leaves have weeping appearance. Provides light to moderate shade. 20-40' high.

Ceratonia siliqua: Carob Tree
Brown seed pods with a chocolate flavor. Provides dense shade. 30-40' high.

Cercidium hybrid: Hybrid Palo Verde / 'Desert Museum'
Bright yellow blossoms. Yellow-green bark. Provides light shade. 25-30' high.

Cercidium microphyllum: Yellow Palo Verde
Pale yellow blossoms. Yellow-green bark. Provides light shade. 10-20' high and wide.

Cercis canadensis var. mexicana: Mexican Redbud
Pink flowers mid winter. Heart shaped leaves. Provides moderate shade. 18-25' high.

Chilopsis linearis: Desert Willow
Large, fragrant flowers are purple to pink to white. Provides light shade. 6-25' high.

Cordia boissieri: Texas Olive
Clustered, white flowers with yellow throats. Provides moderate shade. 12-24' high.

Ebenopsis ebano: Texas Ebony
Creamy yellow, fragrant flowers. Provides dense shade. 15-30' high.

Eucalyptus species: Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus trees are not recommended because they grow large rapidly and are structurally weak. Owners experience heavy falling limbs (the wood is dense), severe die-back during freezes, and expensive tree-trimming bills to remove dead wood. The trees produce abundant litter from falling leaves, flowers, fruit, bark and branches. The leaves contain a flammable oil. Branches routinely drop during the summer.

Fraxinus greggii: Littleleaf Ash
Inconspicuous flowers. Provides light to moderate shade. 12-20' high.

Lagerstroemia indica: Crepe Myrtle
Clustered, crinkled, pink, red or white flowers. Provides moderate shade. 30' high.

Lysiloma watsonii: Feather Bush
White puffball flowers, fern-like leaves. Provides light shade. 20' high.

Maclura tricuspidata: Mandarin Melon Berry
Attractive, red hanging fruit. Provides medium to dense shade. 25' high.

Moringa oleifera: Moringa
Edible leaves and seedpods. Provides light to light-medium shade. 32-40' high.

Morus species: Mulberry
Fruit attracts birds. Provides dense shade. 10-50' high.