With Arbor Day just behind us (April 25), it’s the perfect occasion to celebrate the unsung heroes of our Las Vegas landscape: Trees! More than just beautiful additions, trees are essential for our Las Vegas environment. They provide cooling shade, create vital habitats and safe havens for wildlife, attract native pollinators and offer a smart, water-efficient way to enhance our desert spaces. Selecting the right, drought-tolerant tree is key to a thriving and sustainable garden.
Let’s explore some exceptional, water-wise tree varieties ideal for Southern Nevada:
- Bottle Tree (Brachychitonpopulneus): A formal and drought tolerant Australian native, this tree offers moderate growth to 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Its unique form makes it a good accent, specimen or tall screen in desert landscapes. Enjoy its small, white bell-shaped flowers in late spring. Plant in full sun and amended, well-drained soil, watering deeply and infrequently once established.
- Burgundy Lace Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis “Burgundy Lace”): If you desire rapid growth and vibrant color, this Southwestern native is a winner. Its fragrant burgundy blooms grace t e 15-foot-by-15-foot frame all summer. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil and water deeply and infrequently.
- Wilson Olive Tree (Olea europaea “Wilson”): A manageable 20-foot-by-20 foot evergreen with low pollen production, this olive is a superb accent for both traditional and dry gardens. It thrives in full sun, tolerates tough conditions and requires deep, infrequent watering in well-drained soil.
- Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophorasecundiflora): This slow-growing Southwest native reaches about 12-feet-by-8-feet and rewards patience with fragrant violet blue spring flowers. An evergreen, it’s perfect as a drought-tolerant hedge or accent in full to part sun and well-drained soil. Remove the seed pods.
Implement these key practices to ensure your desert trees establish well and thrive.
First, carefully choose the right location, considering the tree’s mature size and its specific sunlight requirements.
Next, amend your soil wisely to promote good drainage, which is particularly important in our Las Vegas clay soils. For more detailed guidance on tree planting and soil preparation, get your free Star Note No. 001 Planting Guide at StarNursery.com.
Remember to water deeply and infrequently, especially once the tree is established; this practice encourages the development of a strong, resilient root system and enhances its drought tolerance.
Finally, take the precautions to protect young trunks from the intense desert sun to prevent damage.
This Arbor Day, explore the diverse world of desert-wise trees.
Visit your nearest Star Nursery location. Our experts will guide you through our selection to find perfect, water-conserving trees for your landscape. Discover their beauty and resilience.
Q: April’s heat has me scrambling for shade! What’s one fast-growing, low-water shade tree you’d recommend for a recent transplant like me? — Desert Transplant, Sun Shocked Sam
A: Welcome to the desert, Sam! While the Burgundy Lace Desert Willow offers relatively fast growth, keep in mind it has a more open form and may not provide substantial, dense shade. For a sturdier shade tree that establishes relatively quickly with proper planting, consider the Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis). This tree boasts beautiful fall color, good drought tolerance once established, and will eventually reach up to 30-feet-by 30 feet in full sun. Our Star Nursery experts can guide you to ensure quick establishment and explore other true shade options for our climate.
Stumped by a desert gardening issue? Visit any Star Nursery location to purchase your House Call.
“Star Nursery Your Garden’s Partner for Every Bloomin’ Thing.”
I’m Joey Lynn, and I’ll see you next month.