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Thursday - August 04, 2005

From: Austin , TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Fast growing native trees for Manor,TX
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

A friend wants to plant fast-growing trees to disguise a road on ranchland east of Manor, Texas. Any ideas? Many thanks.

ANSWER:

One fast growing tree (up to ~40 feet high) is the Texas ash (Fraxinus texensis). Another is Sugar hackberry (Celtis laevigata) which can grow up to ~80 feet. Soapberry (Sapindus saponaria) also is fast growing, up to ~30 feet. The berries can be messy and are poisonous to humans, but useful as wildlife food. Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is also fast growing and can reach ~100 feet.

There are several smaller trees/large shrubs, growing up to ~20 feet high, that might be suitable; for instance, Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana), Wax myrtle (Morella cerifera), Wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliata), Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa) and Flame-leaf sumac (Rhus lanceolata).

All of the above are deciduous, but there are a few evergreen trees/shrubs that are relatively fast growing: Escarpment liveoak (Quercus fusiformis), Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) and Cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana).
 

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