Small trees - bottlebrush, crape myrtle, hibiscus; fig, lemon/lime, loquat…

[Michread]

Which small trees do you recommend for shade and low maintenance? We are in a new home south of 44.

This is for our backyard in full sun most of the day. The Villages has taken care to plant native plants and trees in our front.

I would like one or two fruit trees with the understanding that I would have to prune and harvest often.

Yes, I have done a forum search already.

Thank you.

[DAVES]

Which small trees do you recommend for shade and low maintenance? We are in a new home south of 44.

This is for our backyard in full sun most of the day. The Villages has taken care to plant native plants and trees in our front.

I would like one or two fruit trees with the understanding that I would have to prune and harvest often.

Yes, I have done a forum search already.

Thank you.

Not sure I understand. Many fruit trees require a pollinator thus not one but two trees.
As far was what to grow decide what you like to eat. You can and people do buy trees that have more than one variety grafted to a stock tree. Over time typically one variety chokes out the other.

Be sure to have a soil test done. PH in most of the Villages is alkaline 7.5-8.

I've asked but never got a reply. For newer parts of the villages your lawn is watered with recycled water. Not sure if it is suitable to grow things you plan on eating.
I expect it is variable in terms of quality-insecticides, weed killers, dog droppings etc etc etc.

[vintageogauge]

Fruit trees will attack some really unwanted critters around your home and those of your neighbors. Also, they re-cycled water in your irrigation system is partially or all, depending on where you live, from sewage waste water that supposedly has been treated to within specific limits. Go with the crepe Myrtles for shade and fast growth.

[JohnN]

I'd personally rather have a pergola for the shade and avoid the tree maintenance.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Something not mentioned, is watch/check where you want to put it in your backyard. Some (many?) of our backyards don't drain that well and during the rainy season the water level can be just a few inches below ground. I put a fig tree in and it almost drowned. I moved it into a large pot and it is now thriving.

[DAVES]

Which small trees do you recommend for shade and low maintenance? We are in a new home south of 44.

This is for our backyard in full sun most of the day. The Villages has taken care to plant native plants and trees in our front.

I would like one or two fruit trees with the understanding that I would have to prune and harvest often.

Yes, I have done a forum search already.

Thank you.

Plants mentioned that I am growing. Bottle brush. There are many different varieties.
Not what I have but what is sold as bottle brush trees are actually created as a graft to a root stock. They tend to be blown over in stormed. Mine was multi stemmed, I pruned it into more of a tree. It is now at ten years roughly 12 feet high. I seems to be tough as nails. Only issue, it drops viable seeds. Easy enough to pull them out.

I have what I think is a nachez crape myrtle. It too was put in by the builder, no labels.
It has been in about 10 years and is now ????? about 20 feet high. Mine is bigger than most I see. For me a great tree. I prune mine to keep it open. The trunk sheds bark which is white and exposes reddish brown new bark below. I don't know why, weather?
This year it has far more of the white crape myrtle type blooms on it. Another tough as nails plant.

Native plants? They do plant plants suitable for our climate. They are not necessarily native. The bottle brush I think is native to India. Fruits, almost all are hybrids and grafts. Grapefruits. What we grow, what we buy are far sweeter and pretty colors than what used to be-really sour and loaded with seeds.

[DAVES]

Something not mentioned, is watch/check where you want to put it in your backyard. Some (many?) of our backyards don't drain that well and during the rainy season the water level can be just a few inches below ground. I put a fig tree in and it almost drowned. I moved it into a large pot and it is now thriving.

Drainage can be improved. Why is it bad is the first question. I would take a long drill and see what you have. In places there is a layer of clay below the soil you see. Gypsum does help. I added 200 pounds to my 5,000 sq foot lawn. Unlike lime stone, it does not raise our already too high ph. It also helps to add organic matter. It takes a lot and you need to get it into the soil. Laying it on top as many do does nothing. Organic matter which is lighter than soil ok clay will not stir itself in. My 5,000 sq foot lawn
I using a drill, installed 70, 50 pound bags of manure 3500 pounds.

[Calisport]

My new house has 3 young crepe myrtles which will probably be colorful and offer shade, privacy in the front yard. I've seen bottlebrushes at an open house and would have chopped it down it was so huge and heavy looking. I've never had much luck with fruit trees and some don't look very pretty like lemon trees.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Drainage can be improved. Why is it bad is the first question. I would take a long drill and see what you have. In places there is a layer of clay below the soil you see. Gypsum does help. I added 200 pounds to my 5,000 sq foot lawn. Unlike lime stone, it does not raise our already too high ph. It also helps to add organic matter. It takes a lot and you need to get it into the soil. Laying it on top as many do does nothing. Organic matter which is lighter than soil ok clay will not stir itself in. My 5,000 sq foot lawn
I using a drill, installed 70, 50 pound bags of manure 3500 pounds.

Thanks, I will try that, it may well be a layer of clay just below the grass.

[aldeana]

Better get the info from the horse's mouth. Visit the IFAS extension office either in Bushnell or in The Villages, on 466, in the same complex as the Sheriffs office. Don't trust the big box stores, and stay away from citrus (greening problem still going on).
Sumter County - UF/IFAS Extension (https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/sumter/)

[aldeana]

Better get the info from the horse's mouth. Visit the IFAS extension office either in Bushnell or in The Villages, on 466, in the same complex as the Sheriffs office. Don't trust the big box stores, and stay away from citrus (greening problem still going on).
Sumter County - UF/IFAS Extension (https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/sumter/)

[sallyg]

Posts #3 and #5 = good advice.
We also live south of 44 and have found the smelly irrigation water repugnant, and lots of standing water after rain.

[Redwood8300]

One thing to think about - Fruit on the ground = rats. Rats = snakes.

[shannondwd]

We brought in a truck load of real dirt. I have 2 Florida peach trees, they taste wonderful and I share with my neighbors. 3 avocado trees, that produce, 3 mangoes 🥭 that are all producing this year, sharing with neighbors. 1 lychee tree, very beautiful and produced this year. 1 loquat products for 3 years. I have absolutely no problem with rodents….but one rabbit and a some birds, I don’t mind sharing. Mangoes are great for shade and privacy. I love to garden but suggest good dirt and plant on raised soil…our yard will be 5 years old next spring. I am a good pruner and my trees are all lovely for shade.

[coconutmama]

Which small trees do you recommend for shade and low maintenance? We are in a new home south of 44.

This is for our backyard in full sun most of the day. The Villages has taken care to plant native plants and trees in our front.

I would like one or two fruit trees with the understanding that I would have to prune and harvest often.

Yes, I have done a forum search already.

Thank you.

We had a lime tree that we planted in our yard. It did not do well. Pulled it out.

Bought another & planted it in a pot inside our birdcage, on wheels. Bring it inside our glassed in lanai for hurricanes & cold winters, when we get those 20-30 degree nights. Have had it for several years now. Fun to grow, but it is much less expensive to just buy our limes in the store! Don’t need a second tree to cross pollinate. Good luck & have fun

As a side note, bottlebrush & other trees/bushes grow very large. Please plant away from the house or you will be sorry, between squirrels & the leaves/ plant droppings damaging your roof.

I like the pergola idea for shade

[Goodi70]

Am really interested in your mango trees. When inquiring about them, I was told they would not survive in this planting zone - how old are yours? Any problems through a cold winter such as the one we just had? You give me hope to give one a try as I really miss both the fruit and the way they look.

[Flyers999]

When I moved here four years ago, I planted an East Palatka Holly, a Thuja Arborvitae 'Green Giant' evergreen, two Nellie Stevens Hollies, and two Ligustrum Privets. A few months ago I added a weeping bottle brush.

One of the Nellie Stevens Hollies is not growing as fast as I would have liked. I may have over watered it and/or watered it at the wrong time of day(at night). It hasn't given us the privacy we had hoped for, yet. The other one is doing much better.

The photo shows from left to right, Ligustrum Privet, weeping bottle brush, and the Green Giant, which has grown the fasted of them all. I do live above 466.

[Mlogan22@tampabay.rr.com]

I have an avocado tree that I’ve had 10 years and it produces probably 100 avocados a year. Very low maintenance and doesn’t shed.

[Laurel Maryland]

Do we need permission from the ARC to plant trees in our backyards? Is there a different rule for backyard versus front yard? Is it difficult to get permissions? New to area, not sure how this works.

[RICH1]

Bird seed attracts rats and squirrels! Fruit trees attract rats and squirrels! Snakes need something to eat or they will move closer to a food source.. Shade comes with a price...

[Rsenholzi]

I have a caladium orange tree than you can have if you come and dig it out. Bears tons of fruit every year. I thought it was a regular orange tree but fruit is sour. Good for jams and to put in drinks .

[Villagesgal]

We brought in a truck load of real dirt. I have 2 Florida peach trees, they taste wonderful and I share with my neighbors. 3 avocado trees, that produce, 3 mangoes 🥭 that are all producing this year, sharing with neighbors. 1 lychee tree, very beautiful and produced this year. 1 loquat products for 3 years. I have absolutely no problem with rodents….but one rabbit and a some birds, I don’t mind sharing. Mangoes are great for shade and privacy. I love to garden but suggest good dirt and plant on raised soil…our yard will be 5 years old next spring. I am a good pruner and my trees are all lovely for shade.

I also have many beautiful fruit trees. Try to purchase semi dwarf root stock fruit trees, they will grow to a height of around 10 feet. I have 1 peach, 1 Meyer lemon, 1 blood orange, 1 red grapefruit, and one fig tree growing in my yard, all produce fruit. I enjoy pruning and harvesting the fruit. I also have about 20 pineapple plants that I use instead of low bushes for landscaping which give me plenty of juicy sweet pineapples. I cut down my banana trees, too much work keeping them from spreading. You can grow great fruit here and enjoy the shade they give. If you enjoy pruning and eating home grown go for it.
The posters who commented on reuse water have no idea of what they are talking about regarding sewage water, the US DEP has strict regulations regarding reuse water from sewage plants. No worries there. I retired from FDEP, I do know and it's totally safe for gardens and plants. Enjoy your new mini orchard.

[butlerism]

none.
go with floral plants.
Hibiscus is at top of my list.

minimal yard maintenance.

Do you cut your lawn.... then why would you liken to dicker with trees.

I ripped out a giant palm (hanging over the house) and said good bye to the nuisance oak Tree..... growing under my slab and lifting the entry walk..

The villages will not cover damages to my house, tree gone.

[butlerism]

Second note.... god forbid you have an oak in your backyard.....
Expect to pay $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[skippy05]

Degreed Horticulturist here. Stay away from fruit trees (too much mess, care, and invites pests). Bottle Brush I have found to be very manageable. Wax Myrtle, but only if you do not mind very constant hand pruning in the spring and summer to keep it in check (grows like wildfire and seems nothing bothers it) Do not subject wax myrtle to gas, electric, or the large hand shears that only cut at the tips. It must be a selective branch pruned backwards into the canopy to maintain a natural shape and not turn into a gigantic out of control 'ball'. I don't care for the crepe myrtles as the flowers are very pretty but the constant debris from the flowers is terrible to try to keep off the paved areas.

[DAVES]

We had a lime tree that we planted in our yard. It did not do well. Pulled it out.

Bought another & planted it in a pot inside our birdcage, on wheels. Bring it inside our glassed in lanai for hurricanes & cold winters, when we get those 20-30 degree nights. Have had it for several years now. Fun to grow, but it is much less expensive to just buy our limes in the store! Don’t need a second tree to cross pollinate. Good luck & have fun

As a side note, bottlebrush & other trees/bushes grow very large. Please plant away from the house or you will be sorry, between squirrels & the leaves/ plant droppings damaging your roof.

I like the pergola idea for shade

We are dilettantes. A mistake and you rip it out or for some, hire someone to rip it out.
Imagine if your income depended on it and after your crop is in what you will be paid for it.
As far as a pollinator, some fruits will self pollinate others will yield more or better fruit with a pollinator. For some of us the pollinator can be a neighbors tree.

For many, they look so pretty at the box store or garden center. All should read before they plant. I used to have a great collection of peonies. They sell them every spring in the box stores. It is simply too hot here to grow them.

[DAVES]

I also have many beautiful fruit trees. Try to purchase semi dwarf root stock fruit trees, they will grow to a height of around 10 feet. I have 1 peach, 1 Meyer lemon, 1 blood orange, 1 red grapefruit, and one fig tree growing in my yard, all produce fruit. I enjoy pruning and harvesting the fruit. I also have about 20 pineapple plants that I use instead of low bushes for landscaping which give me plenty of juicy sweet pineapples. I cut down my banana trees, too much work keeping them from spreading. You can grow great fruit here and enjoy the shade they give. If you enjoy pruning and eating home grown go for it.
The posters who commented on reuse water have no idea of what they are talking about regarding sewage water, the US DEP has strict regulations regarding reuse water from sewage plants. No worries there. I retired from FDEP, I do know and it's totally safe for gardens and plants. Enjoy your new mini orchard.

Clearly this is no shortage of misinformation. As far as our recycled irrigation water I've asked several people including cooperative extension. Typical replies is they do not know. My guess our recycled water changes in quality depending on what people are applying to their lawns or dumping down the sewers pool chemistry, insecticides, dog waste, oil etc etc etc etc.

As far as sewage. Read many of the organic fertilizers, melorganite comes to mind. Few READ the instructions it says do not use on crops to be eaten. It contains stuff like lead, mercury, arsenic etc.

[DAVES]

none.
go with floral plants.
Hibiscus is at top of my list.

minimal yard maintenance.

Do you cut your lawn.... then why would you liken to dicker with trees.

I ripped out a giant palm (hanging over the house) and said good bye to the nuisance oak Tree..... growing under my slab and lifting the entry walk..

The villages will not cover damages to my house, tree gone.

Different strokes for different folks.
As far as hibiscus, they are pretty, they are popular, they are marginally hardy. Past few years have been mild. Years ago this area was a major citrus producer. Several cold winters killed off the trees.

Global warming? Notice the new spin climate change. The climate is always changing and always has been. The old advice, the right plant in the right place.

Our oaks, the ones with the horizontal branches, I think they are called swamp oaks.
The wood has little value as the way the tree grows it builds up stress in the wood.
When you cut it, it grabs the cutting tool.

[DAVES]

I have a caladium orange tree than you can have if you come and dig it out. Bears tons of fruit every year. I thought it was a regular orange tree but fruit is sour. Good for jams and to put in drinks .

Not familiar with what you have but, have you tried juicing it and adding sugar? Not offering to lend it to you. I have a long handled juicer. Mine is old but they are still made and sold. You cut the fruit in half. Put it in part of the device, press down the handle and it juices the fruit and removes the seeds. Caladium orange aid? Tons of fruit every year sounds like a large tree. Not something I would invite who knows who to come over and dig it out. OOPS sorry about your fence, home, neighbors home.

[DAVES]

Am really interested in your mango trees. When inquiring about them, I was told they would not survive in this planting zone - how old are yours? Any problems through a cold winter such as the one we just had? You give me hope to give one a try as I really miss both the fruit and the way they look.

Teasing a little people seem to look for trouble growing plants that are not hearty. With luck, due to wind direction, going out on a cold night to wrap them, sing them a lullaby or whatever. Ask three times is it worth the trouble? If, the answer is yes. perhaps you need to ask a few more times before ordering a plant.

I am not immune. I am growing amaryllis. Blankets are in my garage, they even picked the colors. The only things that don't complain about my singing voice. They are marginally hearty.