Trees for shade

A

adielk

Expert Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
4,222
I want to plant trees to shade my bedroom windows. Cut previous ones as roots were causing problems.

I would assume it must be full of leaves in summer but few leaves in winter.

Needs to grow fast as I hardly want to want 10 years.

Any suggestions for Pretoria East area?
 
M

Marsie27

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
Messages
429
The white stinkwood is Celtis Africana, and despite its common name isn't a stinkwood at all. We planted a 1.8m (total height in bag) one in May 2017 and it is over 2.25m (from ground level up) now, and doing well, despite the drought in the Cape. The tree nursery we bought from agreed with my impression that planting a smaller tree was better as it was less likely to be rootbound, and would get growing sooner. Also, I think transporting and transplanting anything bigger would probably best be left to the professionals. If we haven't had at least 20mm rain in the week in spring/summer, we make sure it gets 20 litres of clean greywater per week, all at once. Just note that there is also a Celtis sinensis which isn't indigenous, but apparently it hybridises with the Africana in Gauteng. I think its leaves are glossy whereas the indigenous one has matt leaves.
 
M

Marsie27

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
Messages
429
We also have a bottlebrush, but it is a lot more straggly and bushy than the Celtis, which will grow into a canopy tree, and isn't deciduous, which the Celtis is. The birds love the bottlebrush.
 
Last edited:
A

adielk

Expert Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
4,222
Marsie27 said:
We also have a bottlebrush, but it is a lot more straggly and bushy than the Celtis, which will grow into a canopy tree, and isn't deciduous, which the Celtis is. The birds love the bottlebrush.
Click to expand...
Thanks but need shade summer yet sun in winter. Pretoria East.
 
A

adielk

Expert Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
4,222
Marsie27 said:
The white stinkwood is Celtis Africana, and despite its common name isn't a stinkwood at all. We planted a 1.8m (total height in bag) one in May 2017 and it is over 2.25m (from ground level up) now, and doing well, despite the drought in the Cape. The tree nursery we bought from agreed with my impression that planting a smaller tree was better as it was less likely to be rootbound, and would get growing sooner. Also, I think transporting and transplanting anything bigger would probably best be left to the professionals. If we haven't had at least 20mm rain in the week in spring/summer, we make sure it gets 20 litres of clean greywater per week, all at once. Just note that there is also a Celtis sinensis which isn't indigenous, but apparently it hybridises with the Africana in Gauteng. I think its leaves are glossy whereas the indigenous one has matt leaves.
Click to expand...
Yep thanks want to buy a small sapling/tree. Installed aircon but tree far better to control summer heat.
 
M

Marsie27

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
Messages
429
adielk said:
Thanks but need shade summer yet sun in winter. Pretoria East.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's exactly why we planted the Celtis Africana on the north side of the house, and the bottlebrush (about 15 years ago) on the east side where sun/shade were not issues but year-round screening from the road were. Sandwitch recommended the bottlebrush, hence my comment.
 
S

sandwitch

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 20, 2018
Messages
104
I think Marsie's right. I was just thinking of pretty fast-growing trees and I'm partial to the bottlebrush. I didn't think of how it'd block the sun in winter.

The stinkwood might be better for what you're looking for; you'll get more sun in winter when it dies down.
 
M

Marsie27

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
Messages
429
Nice, Adielk. I hope it thrives as well as ours is doing, in spite of the CT drought. What's that stump next to it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top