A yard that faces south means lots of sunshine, with warmer, drier conditions for plants. Pick heat- and trees to carry out your landscaping objectives. To decrease the heat load during summer on the front of the house, contemplate screening evergreens or large trees for colour. Choose trees that are deciduous if winter heat is necessary. Trees will help save water. Since you share your front yard with passersby, you might showcase an unusual vibrant or flowering tree to relish.
Evergreen Shade Trees
Carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua, U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 8 through 9) are handsome, leathery-leaved evergreen trees native to the Mediterranean area. Pick trees that are male to avoid cleaning up the big pods — used as a chocolate substitute — made from trees that are female. For a walnut with personality, Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii, USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8) climbs gradually to 50 feet high or more and introduces an interesting, irregular outline with dense shade. California holly or toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia, USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11) creates a tough, small tree tolerant of heat and dryness. It’s white flowers in spring and red berries in fall.
Deciduous Shade Trees
Velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina, USDA hardiness zones 7 through 11) is native to the American West and does well with heat and dryness. Before dropping, bright gold in fall turns. Maidenhair tree collection”Autumn Gold” (Ginkgo biloba, USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9) also has glowing gold fall color. It develops slowly to 35 ft or more. Southern Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides, USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9) adjusts to sunlight and dry soils. It has white flowers in the throat with purple and yellow coloration. Large green leaves give colour.
Drought-Tolerant Trees
Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia, USDA hardiness zones 8 through 10) is very drought-tolerant once established. It needs space, reaching 40 feet wide and 60 feet tall. Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis, USDA hardiness zones 7b through 11) has high drought tolerance. Selected varieties have flashy pink to deep purple trumpet-shaped flowers all summer long. Its long slender leaves drop . For actual strength, try Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana, USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9). It is 20 feet tall with marked bark. Little fruits attract birds and wildlife in fall.
Colorful Trees
For smaller yards, Chinese photinia (Photinia serrulata, USDA hardiness zones 7 through 11) is an evergreen generally 15 to 20 feet tall. New leaf growth is pink, followed by showy clusters of white flowers 8 inches across. When flowers are replaced with red fruit clusters color proceeds into fall. Another Chinese native, Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis, USDA hardiness zones 6b through 9) is best suited for bigger yards, because it can grow gradually to 60 feet tall. A height of 25 to 35 foot is much more usual. Showy red flowers appear on branch finishes in spring. Vivid reds and oranges turn . Red-flowering gum (Eucalyptus ficifolia, USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11) has fragrant narrow green leaves and showy red flowers in spring and summer.