Shrub/tree suggestion to grow crotons under

junglegal

junglegal

Esteemed Member
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30/03/08
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108
St. Pete FL
I have a western exposure that desperately needs some shade. I lost a lot of plants back there this winter. Since then, my croton collection has grown and I am running out of space for them that is filtered sun.

My requirements are:

Fast growing & gets no taller than 15' due to power lines overhead. Color is not important as the crotons will provide that. I would also prefer that they keep their leaves year round but not a deal breaker. Suggestions? :confused:
 
White Geiger is a beautiful little tree. Cold hardy, long bloom time, not too tall, but not exactly fast growing. Loquat is faster growing but will eventually be taller than 15 feet. Both keep their leaves in the winter.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into them all. I just saw the pink powderpuff at sunken gardens today. I love the loquats too, had one but slowly lost it to fire blight which is prevalent in this area. I'm not familiar with a white geiger, I'll have to look it up.
 
Powder Puff Trees drop flowers everywhere. You'll have them sticking to leaves. At the size you're talking about, I would suggest a Japanese Fern Tree - Filicium decipiens - assuming they will grow in your neighborhood. They grow to around 15' from a 15-gallon size in around 5 years, are evergreen with dense foliage and no flowers.

I planted the one in the photo for a neighbor around 9 years ago from a 15-gallon can. If you notice, it's leaning. That's from Hurricane Wilma.
 

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Ricky,

I like your suggestion but it gets way too big to be planted under power lines. The city will come along and give it a V haircut & it won't be pretty.
 
FWIW, the city does not perform powerline trimming. Progress Energy contracts this out to various tree trimming companies like Asplundh. The end result is the same - a V shaped crown in the tree. Avoid palms with moderate to large crownshafts like Royals or Foxtails - they grow into the power lines and drop the frond with crownshapt right onto your best plant under.
 
Crazy for Crotons said:
The Japanese fern tree is not reliably cold hardy for this area long term.
Click to expand...

What a shame. I've come to see this tree as one of the top 10 for planting shade-loving plants under. It rarely loses leaves, has no flowers or fruit, and is as dense as heavy shade cloth. The one in the photo has all sorts of Crotons growing below.
 
Bren, the ones I saw at Lowes were 7 gallon. These are slow growing plants so you'll be waiting awhile for canopy with those. You're better off looking for 15 gallon or larger specimens with established roots.
 
What is wong with Oak Trees. I know they get big, but are realitively slow. And the they will get pruned for free. Let's not forget the benefit of the oak leaf litter. :)
 
Love live oaks but this is way to small of a space. I don't plan on being in this house longer than a few years too. Next house purchase will be contingent on having live oaks I am so found of them.
 
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