| Antoine St. Exupery, French author of The Little | | | | disease and insects. [...] But there are exceptions, |
| Prince, notes: "It is futile to plant an acorn in the | | | | so get all the information you can before planting." |
| morning and expect that afternoon to sit in the | | | | Following are some examples of trees that are |
| shade of an oak." | | | | known to grow relatively fast. The first few listed |
| As manager of a tree company in Arizona for | | | | are most appropriate to the climate and soil |
| the past few years, the idea of a fast growing | | | | conditions in the Phoenix area:o Palo verde |
| tree evokes a slightly negative picture. In | | | | varieties (genus: Cercidium) - among the |
| considering why, I realize that my impression of | | | | faster-growing are the sonoran palo verde, or |
| the Phoenix metropolitan area has been jaded by | | | | hybrid palo verdes such as the desert museum or |
| the recent buying frenzy of houses and resultant | | | | sonoran emerald palo verde.o Mesquite varieties: |
| precariousness homeowners and home seekers | | | | the fastest-growing is the Argentine mesquite |
| alike have found themselves in here. I was born | | | | (Prosopis alba)o Willow acacia (Acacia salicina)o |
| and raised in Tempe/Mesa, and my paternal | | | | Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis)o Chinese elm |
| family is native to Arizona for a few generations | | | | (Ulmus parvifolia)o Arizona ash (Fraxinus velutina)o |
| back. For some evasive reason, learning about the | | | | Mexican sycamore (Platanus mexicana)o |
| urban sprawl that has characterized this area and | | | | Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum)o |
| personally witnessing it throughout my lifetime | | | | Drummond red maple (Acer rubrum drummondii)o |
| often leaves a bad taste in my mouth. | | | | Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)o Chinese |
| I must admit that if someone were to ask me | | | | parasol tree (Firmiana simplex)o Dawn redwood |
| about which trees grow fastest, I would wonder | | | | (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)o Monterrey oak |
| if their sole intention is to boost their property | | | | (Quercus polymorpha)o Cherry laurel (Prunus |
| value quickly. True, an aesthetically landscaped | | | | caroliniana)o Paulownia varieties (including Paulownia |
| yard that includes large, mature looking trees | | | | tomentosa, Paulownia kawakamii, etc.) - a few of |
| increases the value of a property. People simply | | | | the many common names are: sapphire dragon |
| do not stick around in one place very long | | | | tree, Chinese empress tree, Japanese pagoda |
| anymore, and so it is hard to imagine that they | | | | tree, and miracle tree; all are very fast-growing. |
| devote much effort into the trees in their yard | | | | Alternatively, a few examples of slow-growing |
| for the benefit of a future buyer. The idea of a | | | | trees that are grown in the Phoenix area are: |
| 'heritage tree' seems a myth these days. | | | | Chinese pistache, live oak, desert ironwood and |
| Property value is, of course, not the only | | | | mangosteen. There are many others, of course, |
| motivation for planting fast growing trees. One of | | | | and all have advantages as well as drawbacks |
| the most wonderful gifts a tree offers us is | | | | depending on what you have in mind for your |
| shade. As Warren Buffet once noted, "Someone's | | | | yard. |
| sitting in the shade today because someone | | | | I hope you have found this article on fast growing |
| planted a tree a long time ago." Naturally, in a | | | | Arizona trees to be of benefit. If you glean |
| desert climate of predominant sunshine, we want | | | | nothing else from this article, I hope that you |
| shade. We want it as quickly as possible. | | | | understand the importance of doing research |
| Regarding growth rate, an article found on the | | | | before buying and planting any new tree(s) in |
| Arbor Day Foundation website states that: "Slow | | | | your yard. Know what you want and what you're |
| growing species typically live longer than fast | | | | likely to have success with. I conclude with a |
| growing species." It somehow makes sense that | | | | Chinese proverb: "The best time to plant a tree is |
| there is some natural compromise there. Several | | | | 20 years ago. The second best time is now." |
| of the trees mentioned in the list below are taken | | | | SOURCES (in order of citation within article): |
| from an article published in the Houston Chronicle. | | | | Garden Web |
| Its author warns: "Many fast-growing trees are | | | | Arbor Day Foundation: The Right Tree in the |
| trouble. They can be weak-wooded and prone to | | | | Right Place. |