Would Your Property Benefit From Planting Shade Trees?

A shady place on a hot Tennessee day is welcome. Our nursery provides a complete section of shade trees to enhance your landscape’s leisure quality. If you are considering adding shade trees, we hope the following information proves helpful in making the right choice for your residential, commercial, or recreational land.

Can Shade Trees Cool Your Home or Business?

Tennessee summers can average 90 degrees or higher, straining energy bills. Home and commercial property owners pay high rates during the dog days of summer to remain reasonably calm indoors. Planting shade trees offers a cost-effective and environmentally responsible solution.

Strategically positioning tall shade trees on your property can shield homes and commercial buildings from direct sunlight. Depending on your structure’s layout, shade trees to protect air conditions, HVAC systems, and substantial roof square footage. Deftly positioned trees minimize the workload of cooling systems and appliances. The shade also allows property owners to reduce the number of days these units run annually. As a result, the interior temperature can decline by as much as 8-10 degrees.

Shade trees also follow the seasons regarding energy savings. When fall arrives, their leaves turn brilliant colors and fall to the ground. This naturally occurring change means that sunlight will now warm exterior walls, roofs, and windows. Integrating shade trees into your landscape helps lower energy costs during the summer and winter months.

How to Maximize Shade Trees on Your Property

Planting shade trees improves natural beauty and landscape diversity and enhances the pleasant enjoyment of the outdoors. Trees must revolve around other elements as the most significant plant life on a residential, commercial, or recreational property.

Adding a standalone shade tree will alter the landscape because previously full-sun areas will change. For example, the vegetation in the tree’s shadow must fall into the partial-shade or full-shade category. When creating a landscape design from scratch, you garner the opportunity to consider all the moving parts and how shade trees will impact them. In either case, it may be worthwhile to consider the following.

Develop Shade Gardens: Adding shade trees opens gardening possibilities to flowering perennials and annuals. Landscaping professionals and home gardeners can employ hardscape elements to create raised shade gardens under the wide-reaching branches.

Outdoor Patio Enhancement: Positioning shade trees around decks and patios typically improves their leisure use. They can be planted in the rising and setting summer sun pathway. By planting a shade tree close to a hardscape perimeter, you can prune back the low branches and allow others to reach over the outdoor living space. Along with comfort, property owners gain the aesthetic benefits of spring blooms, lush greenery, and colorful fall foliage.

Including shade trees also reduces lawn watering and grass turning brown during the peak sunlight months.

How To Select Top Shade Trees

Not every shade tree fits perfectly into residential, commercial, and recreational landscapes. Property owners must weigh the maximum space against the width mature shade trees can achieve. In suburban and urban areas, height may play a better role than width. Consider the attributes of popular shade trees when selecting the best option.

Sycamore Trees: Considered both an ornamental and shade tree, the Sycamore matures to 100 feet and offers a spread upwards of 70 feet wide. This variety proves resilient in urban settings and grows at a rate of up to 2 feet annually. Its large leaves can reach 12 inches and typically turn yellow during fall.

American Beech: Considered a modest growing shade tree, the American Beech remains an iconic option often employed as a standalone asset in direct sunlight and open space. It is 70 feet tall and 40 feet wide and grows at 12-24 inches annually.

American Elm Tree: Drought-resistant and reaching heights of 130 feet, the American Elm often proves successful in recreational lands and commercial green spaces. It can spread to 120 feet and delivers substantial shade benefits.

Red Maple: This mid-height option is popular in suburban landscapes. Its red leaves provide the aesthetic value property owners cherish and offer a 40-foot spread when matured. These attributes make the Red Maple an iconic choice for residential landscapes.

Red Oak: Maturing 75 feet tall and providing a shade spread of 45 feet, the Red Oak ranks among the popular choices regarding aesthetic value and hardiness. Property owners should consider soil conditions when selecting Red Oak seedlings. This tree prefers relatively moist soil to maximize its 2-foot annual growth potential.

White Dogwood: Adored for its exciting spring flowers, this ornamental tree works well in relatively small spaces. It matures to only 25 feet high and wide, making it a preferred choice for suburban and urban settings.

Weeping Willow Tree: Ranked among the fastest-growing shade trees, the iconic Weeping Willow can exceed 2 feet annually. It typically matures at 40 feet with a lush 35-foot spread. It thrives in moist soils.

Our nursery stocks a complete inventory of shade trees to meet our community members’ needs. These attractive options include the Box Elder, Sassafras, and Tulip Poplar, among many others. Contact our nursery today if you consider integrating shade trees into your landscape.