Shade trees that do not litter

Are you looking for shade trees that don't make a mess? Then you're in luck: We are going to recommend eight species that you can grow without having to worry about their fruits or the resin that some of them secrete.. And not only that, but many of them either have beautiful flowers or change color in the fall.

So if you would like to know what they are, take a look while you discover their main characteristics and what their resistance to cold is.

Explanatory Note

I think it is very important to clarify something first: all trees, and in fact all plants, drop leaves, flowers, fruits, branches to the ground. That is to say, there is not a single one that does not “dirty”. Now, the trees that we show you in this article are those that, when their leaves, flowers and/or fruits fall to the ground, are not only difficult for them to stain, but are also easy to remove with a broom and dustpan.

Another thing to keep in mind is that an evergreen tree also loses its leaves. In fact, you can do it throughout the year. But at first glance it does not seem so, because it is always renewing them. For this reason, one that is deciduous (that is, goes without leaves during the autumn-winter, or if the climate is dry tropical, shortly before the dry season) will often "foul" less than an evergreen one.

Selection of shade trees that do not make a mess (or not much)

Choosing a tree for the garden it is not always easy. You have to take into account the height that it will reach when it finishes growing, the width of its crown, if it has invasive roots or not, if it produces showy flowers,… and also if it can live well in our climate and on the land we have. Therefore, decisions should not be made lightly, since otherwise mistakes can be made.

So, to make it easier for you to choose one, here is our recommendation:

Tree of loveCercis siliquastrum)

El love tree It is a deciduous plant that reaches 6 meters in height. It has a crown about 3 meters wide, composed of rounded leaves. It is one of those that blooms earlier: at the beginning of spring or even a little earlier if the winter is mild. Its flowers sprout in great numbers, and they are pink. It can grow in a wide variety of soils, although it prefers those that have good drainage. It resists up to -10ºC as long as they are punctual frosts.

black maple (Acer negundo)

El black maple It is a deciduous tree that reaches 20 meters in height, and develops a crown about 4 or 5 meters wide. It has pinnate and green leaves, although they turn yellow during the fall. It grows faster than other maples, and it is also one of the most rustic: it resists frost down to -30ºC. The only thing is that it should not be planted in limestone soil, since it would not grow well.

Red horse chestnut (Aesculus x carnea)

El red or pink-flowered horse-chestnut It is considered a hybrid of Aesculus hippocastanum (the common horse chestnut) and Aesculus pavia. It reaches a height of 26 meters, and its cup reaches 4 meters wide. Its leaves are compound and palmate, of a beautiful green color. It blooms in spring, producing pink or reddish flowers grouped in inflorescences that are 20 centimeters long. It grows in fertile, well-drained soils. Likewise, the climate must be temperate, with frosts in winter. It resists up to -18ºC.

Catalpa (catalpa ovata)

Although there are several species of catalpa, we opted for C. ovata as it is much smaller than others. It reaches a maximum height of 9 meters, and develops a crown of up to 4 meters. The leaves are large, about 20 centimeters, and green. It produces white flowers in spring, very showy. It is not demanding, but it is important that the climate has the four different seasons so that it can rest in winter. It resists up to -18ºC.

Dogwood (Cornus kousa)

Dogwood is a shade tree and little root very beautiful that grows up to 12 meters high and It has a very dense and wide crown, up to 4 meters, composed of green leaves that fall in autumn-winter after turning reddish. In addition, it produces white flowers in spring, and edible pink or red berries in late summer or fall. Provides pleasant shade, but needs a temperate climate, high humidity, and acid soils. It resists up to -18ºC.

Magnolia (magnolia grandiflora)

El magnolia tree or magnolia is an evergreen tree that reaches a height of 30 meters. It has a wide crown, 4-5 meters, and large leaves, which can measure up to 30 centimeters long. It blooms in spring, producing 30-inch-wide white flowers that smell really, really good. It needs fertile and slightly acidic soils, as well as a temperate climate. It resists up to -12ºC.

Handle (Mangifera indicates)

El mango It is an evergreen fruit tree that can reach 20 meters (in its habitat it even reaches 40m), which develops a wide crown, 4-5 meters. It has lanceolate and green leaves, up to 30 centimeters long. Its flowers are grouped in panicles, and the fruit is a drupe about 5-6 centimeters long by 4 centimeters wide with thin skin and yellow pulp, with a sweet taste. But for it to be fine, it is convenient that the climate is tropical or subtropical, and that the land is fertile.

Gabon tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)

El gabon tulip tree It is a fast-growing evergreen tree that reaches 20 meters in height. Its cup reaches 4 meters wide, and is composed of green leaves. In addition, it produces very striking red flowers throughout the spring. But it can only live well in tropical and subtropical climates, since it does not resist frost.

Which of these shade trees that don't make much of a mess did you like the most?