What Tree Should I Plant
 

I am trying to decide what tree I should plant. I do not want to plant a palm tree. I want a tree which will provide shade for our patio without blocking our beautiful view so I want a tree with a canopy that starts at about 10 feet. I'm considering a Laurel Oak or Live Oak because they keep some of their leaves through the winter months. However, I keep hearing about how messy they are. Those of you who have these trees in your yard, what do you think? Do they drop their leaves year round, therefore, your yard has brown leaves on it all the time?
Please share your experience and ideas about what tree might provide shade without blocking the view at eye level.

Live Oaks are incredibly messy. My neighbor has one and my yard is a mess. I wish I thought about it before I bought this house. If I had known what this tree would do I would have bought elsewhere.

You might contact the master Gardener, I just found out they are at the library in Pinellas Plaza from 9 to 3 on Fridays. I just went there a few days ago, and they were very helpful.

Don't plant live oaks.

I would also discourage Magnolia trees. They drop big leaves year round and have a very shallow root system.

Agree oaks are hard wood and grow slowly. You may be 90 before you get the shade your looking for depending on your age now:D

How about a coat tree. Doesn't grow, doesn't drop leaves, doesn't need water or fertilizer and serves a very useful purpose. On top of that, if you don't like its location, you can move it without calling in an outside company

Here's an opinion from a big oak tree fan that has one in our front yard...

Yes, there's some maintenance. Mostly just raking some leaves (or mowing the leaves...heh) during the early winter months. I raked/mowed maybe three or four times this year and my yard looked good. They do not drop leaves year-round. Some branches could naturally grow lower than 10' off the ground, but those sorts of branches can be easily trimmed to avoid downward growth, or removed altogether.

I had three oaks surrounding our previous house and loved them...as I love our one now. Make sure it's far enough away from the house to avoid root and/or branch growth toward house. Ours is in the middle of our front yard, about 20 feet away from the nearest part of our house and causes no problem at all. Even with three mature oaks, I only had to rake/mow a few times during the winter.

You will hear (have heard...heheh) others who disagree. (What a shock...here on ToTV!! :) ) I respect their opinions. Good far outweighs any bad imho.

By the way...contrary to what many think, young oak trees are reasonably fast growers. Only in their later years does growth slow considerably...or at least appear to because of the huge size of a mature tree. From the National Wildlife Federation (https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlif...-Live-Oak.aspx), "Southern live oaks are fast growing trees, but their growth rate slows with age...".

UMMM A Money Tree:jester::1rotfl: You'll be the envy of the neighbor hood

Really?!? For one tree...on your neighbor's property no less?!? :shrug:

:censored: Laurel Oak- weed of the tree family!

Quercus hemisphaerica

Just paid a $1000 to have one of these :censored: taken down. Dr. Boogie I know what you mean!

No experience with Laurel Oaks...just Live Oaks. I'll take your word for it...although the author in that article shows his extreme bias very early on.

Yes really. The tree overhangs my property and another neighbor's property. The patio adjacent to my lanai is stained from all the crap that came down from that tree. I have to clean out leaves and other debris even from inside my lanai on a regular basis. My back yard is covered in leaves, twigs and Spanish moss. I think that eventually the grass out back will die unless I want to spend either a fortune or a huge amount of time maintaining it.

Hmm. Guess I am...and have been...lucky. Repeatedly. A little raking/mowing during the winter and I'm good to go.

You know you can trim branches (in a reasonable manner that does kill the tree) that overhang your property, right? Perfectly legal.

Our landscaper told us this, and I've heard it elsewhere. Our neighbors go north for half the year. We trim their palm fronds that hang over and brush along our roof.