Good trees are useful for more than just blocking the sun. They serve as microcosmic ecosystems, delineating spaces in the landscape while also contributing to a healthier environment by filtering out pollutants.
There are few better memorials you can leave behind than a mature tree to give shade for future generations and the mental health advantages of being around towering trees. However, there are times when a tree’s strong growth patterns and ability to give shade are more valuable.
Did you know that the right landscaping plan, including selecting an appropriate shade tree, can aid in keeping your home cooler and protect it from the sun’s harmful rays during the summer?
It may be a surprise to find that shade trees perform even better than blinds and drapes at preventing heat gain in the home during the summer months. Furthermore, shade trees cut down on the need for artificial lighting. Research has proven that properly positioned shade trees can reduce annual energy bills for the typical U.S. home by up to 25 percent.
Many people refer to trees as the “Lungs of Earth.” They are living things with a trunk that stays the same height and prominence year after year. In hot and dry climates, huge evergreen trees can act as a natural air conditioner by reducing ambient temperatures through transpiration.
When trees are strategically placed, they transform the landscape’s skyline and add to the aesthetic appeal of their surroundings. In this post, we will acknowledge the best trees to plant near the house for shade.
Best Tree To Plant Near House For Shade
1. Dogwood
The dogwood tree in your yard will be a source of year-round aesthetic appeal. It has a dense, compact crown of foliage in the summer and blooms in white, pink, and crimson in the spring.
The leaves of most species turn brilliant red in the autumn and then fall off, revealing the tree’s sculptural branching structure in the stark winter. Dogwood is one of the most often planted blooming trees in the United States since there is a variation suitable for nearly every climate zone.
There is considerable variation in height and width between different species and environmental conditions. The height is between 15 and 20 feet. Spread could be even more impressive than height.
There is merit in preserving a wide variety of species throughout the ecosystem. Both the flowering dogwood and the kousa dogwood have bracts, which are modified leaves that look like petals rather than true blooms. Within this cluster of bracts are the actual blooms.
White, pink, or yellow “flowers” are possible. They can also flower later in the spring after the leaves have emerged or in the late winter/early spring before they appear. The fruit might be a deep crimson or a lighter pink depending on the kind.
The exquisite beauty of dogwoods’ tiered, horizontal branching is one of their most appealing characteristics. Cornelian cherry typically has several trunks and looks more like a bush than a tree. The same is true for kousa and flowering dogwoods planted in shady areas.
2. American Sweetgum
The American sweetgum is a beautiful shade tree with a neat, compact crown and delicious fruit. Its leaves are shaped like stars. Wings are the corky growths on the twigs of this plant. Spreading to the width of 40-50 feet, it can reach heights of 60-75 feet.
Because of its beautiful fall color, it is commonly planted on university campuses and in large yards. In the fall, the glossy green leaves of American sweetgums transform into a rainbow of colors. Truly, these are a visual feast.
Small branches and twigs on this tree have a unusual appearance. The bark adheres to these in plates lengthwise rather than laterally, giving the tree its common name of “alligator wood” because a sliver of the leafless branch can be easily reimagined as a reptile body.
The bark is 590 kg/m3 (37 lb/cu ft) in density and is light brown with red and sometimes gray with dark streaks. It has scaly ridges and deep fissures. The young twigs are slender, multi-angled, and wing-shaped; they are covered in rusty hairs but eventually turn red-brown, gray, or dark brown. Cork is layered and carried by the branches.
The species’ usage as an attractive tree is complicated because its branches may feature ridges or “wings,” increasing the surface area and, therefore the weight of snow and ice buildup. The heavy and tough wood, with a tight grain, makes it challenging to season.
3. Albizia lebbeck
The nitrogen-fixing, heavy-shade tree Albizia lebbeck (Mimosaceae). The endosperm is 11% fixed oil, and the seed is 5.3%-6.8% fixed oil. Many disorders, including malignancies of the abdomen, cough, eye problems, influenza, and lung problems, are treated using tree extracts in traditional medicine.
The tree can grow to 20-25 m and has a wide crown. This tree has moderate tolerance for dry conditions. This is a great option if you’re looking for a replacement for the common Rain Tree (Samanea saman).
9.6 percent stearic acid, 10.9 percent arachidic acid, 39.3 percent oleic acid, and 32.9 percent linoleic acid are found in the oil. Saponins and tannins make up about 5-15 percent of the bark. Seed saponin is a source of oleanolic acid and albizziagenin. The tocopherol content of the newly extracted oil is 85.6 mg/100 g, with -tocopherol making up 56.3% of the total.
Asthma, colds, and other allergy illnesses have long been treated with extracts from the Albizia lebbeck tree, a member of the Mimosaceae family of deciduous woody plants. According to the experiments’ results, the aqueous bark extract of A. The tree also has antiasthmatic and anti anaphylactic properties.
4. Ficus religiosa
There are many enormous Ficus religiosa trees planted as avenue and wayside trees, especially near temples, because of their glabrous early growth and widespread distribution over the plains of India to an altitude of 170 meters in the Himalayas. This Ficus is a tall tree (30 m) with heart-shaped leaves that flutter and narrow to a long tip at the end.
After the old leaves fall off in April, the new, dark red ones emerge, providing the plant with a beautiful new look. Both Hindus and Buddhists revere it as a holy tree.
Like the majestic Ficus benghalensis, the Indian Banyan tree, this species can be grown as a single specimen in a garden.
The three great religions that emerged from the Indian subcontinent—Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism—all attribute holy significance to the sacred fig.
The species is revered by Hindu and Jain ascetics, who often sit in meditation there. It is said that Gautama Buddha had his enlightenment under this tree. In India, the states of Odisha, Bihar, and Haryana each have their official state tree, and each of those trees is the sacred fig.
Ficus religiosa may survive in a wide range of soil and temperature conditions. The tree is found in lower-elevation woods in Paraguay and has been observed growing between 400 and 700 meters above sea level in China. As a native Indian species, it can grow wild and in gardens in India at elevations as high as 1,520 meters.
5. Kigelia Pinnata
Kigelia pinnata is a semideciduous tree with a big, dense, spreading crown and a wide range of possible appearances.
The bole’s diameter can reach 80cm, it often branches low, and it can sometimes be twisted. There have been cases of it reaching heights of 23 meters.
Trees can grow 7-16 meters tall, and this fast-spreading evergreen has a spherical shape and thick branching. The fruits are large, fleshy, and sausage-shaped, while the blooms are odd.
Parks and avenues would benefit from the tree’s attractive foliage. Discover some strange plants in your reading material.
An adult sausage tree produces enormous fruits that, in appearance, resemble giant sausages and weigh several kilos. This tree can reach a height of 25 meters and is classified as either deciduous or semi-deciduous.
Its natural range is from Tanzania in the north to KwaZulu-Natal in the south of South Africa. Yet, it is widespread throughout the entire region south of the Sahara.
The savannahs of tropical Africa are home to this species. It prefers open forests and damp settings, such as riverbanks on alluvial soils.
Trees typically grow in low-lying areas with a high water content (alluvial soils), which are frequently flooded and hence not ideal for growing other crops.
The inundation saves trees from herbivores and gives them a chance to regenerate. This is helpful for Kigelia trees because it reduces the risk of losing a lot of fruit with a larger diameter due to flooding on the harvesting plains.
6. Pongamia pinnata
The Pongamia pinnata tree often called the malapari or karanja tree, is endemic to many parts of Asia and Australia. Africa, the United States, and other places throughout the world cultivate this plant.
It is a bright green tree that reaches a height of 10-15 m. When the tree is covered in its summertime lilac blossoms, it makes for a stunning sight.
To provide shade and beauty, this fast-growing tree can be seen in many public spaces and along roadway boulevards.
Studies have revealed the tree’s considerable potential for reforesting degraded or damaged environments in recent years.
Multiple studies have shown that Pongamia can help humans and animals in many ways. This tree’s fragrant blossoms add to its aesthetic appeal and provide bees with the pollen and nectar they need to make their rich dark honey. Honey from these bees could be used in apiculture, providing a sustainable income for rural areas.
The leaves can be used for many medical purposes as well. The oil extracted from the seeds has a long history of usage as a balm for everything from skin conditions to rheumatic ailments.
It is also prescribed for dyspepsia, hepatitis, and other liver conditions.
7. Weeping Willow
Salix babylonica is another name for the weeping willow. The wide crown of long, feathery branches that sweep the ground to the tree’s base draws the most attention to this plant. Its bright green leaves and yellow branches are often the first signs of spring.
Weeping willows are fast-growing trees that can reach heights of 30–40 feet and spread almost as much. They cluster around water sources like lakes, rivers, and ponds. They require little care and look good either planted single or in a group.
The Weeping Willow tree, also known as a Crack Willow, is a member of the Crack Willow family and is originally from extra-tropical Asia.
The bark of this oriental tree is the primary source of the willow family’s medicinal and tanning characteristics.
In various cultures, including China and Turkey, the Weeping Willow is used as a burial adornment to symbolize an association with mourning for the deceased.
Torches used during funerals in ancient times were typically crafted from willow wood.
8. Paulownia
Hardwood trees of the genus Paulownia have between seven and seventeen different species. They have been farmed for generations in Japan and Korea and are native throughout much of China and the southern part of Laos and Vietnam.
In just 10 years, this shade tree will have grown to its full height of 50 feet and breadth of 30 feet. It is widely regarded as one of the quickest-developing tree species on the planet.
This tree’s big, plush leaves are very similar to those of a catalpa tree. The flowers that bloom on the second-year wood are pale pink with a faint purple center and a sweet vanilla scent. The next stage is a brown capsule containing a woody seed that, come autumn, will split open to show a winged seed.
This tree readily self-seeds and thrives in landscapes impacted by air pollution and coastal environments. It does best in well-drained, moist, deep sand but can handle various soil conditions, including low fertility and high acidity. It does best in full sun but can tolerate a little bit of shade.
The canopy casts heavy shade, making it harder to develop vegetation below it, and it competes with natural flora for scarce resources like nutrients and water.
Conclusion
Overall planting trees is a good and healthy habit. The ability of your soil to store water is another benefit you’ll gain from tree planting in your yard. In particular, during the warmer months, shade trees will assist in keeping water from evaporating. This becomes an important benefit when you’ve put in the time and effort to cultivate a lush lawn.
It’s important to consider the tree’s form, size, and intended planting position before settling on a shade tree for your home’s immediate vicinity. Proper positioning of the shade tree will allow for optimal property shading.
Trees that give shade near the home also serve as a decorative element in the yard. We hope you must have acknowledged everything regarding the best trees to plant near the house for shade.
