Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - April 03, 2016

From: Del Rio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Large, fast-growing shade tree for Val Verde County, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

What is an overall good shade tree, very large & fast growing, to plant in Central South Texas, Val Verde County region? I am told that virtually nothing but Live Oaks or some other type of Oak will grow here. I have a very large lot and need something other than Live Oaks, Spanish Oaks or Pecan trees.

ANSWER:

Here are three trees native to your area that grow rapidly and make good shade trees.  The two ash trees are small to medium trees and the oak tree is a large tree.

Fraxinus albicans [synonym=Fraxinus texensis] (Texas ash) is fast growing and grows to 30-45 feet.  Here is information from Texas Tree Selector.  The USDA Plants Database distribution map shows this tree growing in Edwards County, the adjacent county to Val Verde County.  

Fraxinus berlandieriana (Mexican ash) grows to 30 feet.  Here is more information from Texas Tree Selector.  The USDA Plants Database distribution map shows it growing in Val Verde County.

Quercus polymorpha (Monterrey oak) is resistant to oak wilt and grows to over 40 feet.  Here's more information from Texas Tree Selector and from Austin Tree Experts. It is semi-evergreen.  The USDA Plants Database distribution map shows it occurring in Val Verde County.

 

From the Image Gallery


Texas ash
Fraxinus albicans

Texas ash
Fraxinus albicans

Mexican ash
Fraxinus berlandieriana

Mexican ash
Fraxinus berlandieriana

Mexican white oak
Quercus polymorpha

Mexican white oak
Quercus polymorpha

More Trees Questions

Native tree for Uvalde Texas
March 10, 2016 - What Tree can grow in Uvalde Tx. Native type
view the full question and answer

Transplant shock in desert willow in Austin
November 09, 2011 - We planted a desert willow 5 days ago. It came in a 15-gallon pot but the tree is quite large (~10 ft) with a wide spread. We watered thoroughly during planting but have not watered since (light rai...
view the full question and answer

Evergreen for privacy in PA
July 18, 2011 - We need to plant a privacy/sound barrier hedge/hedgerow and my husband says it must be evergreen. I am not familiar with which species would be native to our area and I just don't trust those big sto...
view the full question and answer

Controlling oak suckers in Austin
June 24, 2012 - We have 2 live oak trees that are sprouting shoots all around the surrounding area. We would like to plant some grass and would like to remedy this first. We have mowed the shoots and still they jus...
view the full question and answer

Protection of Mountain Laurel from Pyralid or Genista moth caterpillars
May 28, 2006 - I have a Texas Mountain Laurel. Every year it is attacked by caterpillars. They form a bag for lack of a better word on the ends of the branches destroying the blooms for the following year. PLEASE...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.