Q. I have been wanting to
plant a tipuana tree since I saw one in person (those pinnate leaves are
gorgeous!) and I love the idea of a wide canopy. You mentioned in a
December 2013 blog that here the potential for damage from the roots would not
be as concerning in Las Vegas as in other places as long as it was planted
“several feet away from foundations, etc.” The location where I would like to
plant is between the pool and the block wall. The wall and the pool are
separated by 19 feet. Would planting 4 feet from the wall and 15 feet
from the pool be reasonably safe? I have citrus, duranta repens, and some other
cold sensitive plants that I dress in old school Christmas lights and wrap in
frost cloth, so I understand it will take extra work to protect from the
cold. What do you think of my chances for success?
A. Just to be a little more clear
than the section you read in my article. I am not a big fan of this tree but it
has been pushed for planting in the Las Vegas area by a local nursery. You
should read some of the comments from Arizona State University (Mesa, AZ) about
its use in Phoenix.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/tipuanatipu.html
If you plant this tree please be prepared
that:
- It may freeze back during some of our
winters in Las Vegas when winter temperatures get below 25F. In the past our
winter temperatures have dipped regularly into the upper teens. - It is not low water use. Expect that this
tree will use more water than desert adapted trees of a similar size. So plan
on using it in a part of your landscape that is wetter and not surrounded by
rock mulch typical to desert landscapes.
 |
| Tipu dieback |
probably 35 to 50 feet tall in the desert. It routinely grows higher than this
in nondesert landscapes.
 |
| /tipu canopy |
So if you are fine with all this then I
would not plant it closer than about 10 or 12 feet from a house foundation,
patio, driveway, wall or sidewalk. When you plant it, focus the applied water
in areas away from these areas. Try to leave at least three feet of dry soil
between the tree and these locations. Nine times out of ten you will be fine
closer than this but it is the 1 in 10 that concerns me. It should not be used
in a hot part of the yard with lots of reflected heat and light.
 |
| Sapsucker damage on tipu |
I have seen this tree in backyards that
are protected from wind and with plenty of plants around it. I have seen them
up to 20+ feet tall and looking pretty good but these are protected backyards.
 |
| Tipu growing in backyard |
These are relatively new trees for Las
Vegas so there is not much history on them. But I am always concerned when
planting any long term tree that is freeze damaged at 25F in a climate that
historically gets lower temperatures than this. I have a saying that I tell my
students…be prepared to spend more time, energy and money on plants that may
not be sustainable in our desert climate. I like to see trees that are key
elements to a landscape that will survive winter temperatures at least to 20F.