Trees for Shade and Privacy

My purpose here is not to give detailed species and care information--there are expert sites for that; instead, my experiences, some particulars to be aware of, and some perspective on how long it might take to go from sun to shade is what I offer.

When I bought the house in 2006 there were two trees in the back yard: a Cedar Elm about 15 ft tall, and a Chinquapin Oak about 10 ft tall which I eventually cut down because it wasn't healthy and was too close to the elm anyway. An Arizona Ash provided some shade in front. As I wrote in Tale of a Prayer Garden, the lone Cedar Elm didn't provide much shade and my south-facing backyard was blazing hot.

Planting shade trees was a priority, and so was privacy. I longed for an enclosed garden that screened out the houses all around, but even the one-story roofs in my neighborhood are tall, creating a real challenge.

The first batch of trees I planted were: Chinese Pistache (2013), Monterrey Oak (2014), Wax Myrtle (circa 2013) and a Texas Mountain Laurel (2014) Technically the last two are large shrubs. Later, around 2020, I planted one-gallon Loquats. I now have four. Technically the last three are large shrubs.

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A panoramic view from the patio in 2014. I had recently planted all the trees except for the Cedar Elm.

Chinese Pistache

Chinese Pistache in 2013

Bought for $5 when it was only a stick with three leafless branches,

In 2026 it's like standing under a surrealistic umbrella

I didn't know it's considered invasive. Luckily, it happened to be male. The females produce clusters of small berries in the Fall that are messy and aren't visually appealing. You can't tell which are male or female until they mature. Putting on a beautiful show of Fall color, they turn bright yellow to orange-red, almost worth taking the chance.

Mine turns bright yellow in the Fall

The most beautiful one I've seen down the street

Wax Myrtle

This was a 15 gallon I planted around 2013 about 3 years old in picture

This myrtle has the fullness I wanted, but not the height.

Suggested on gardening sites for screening, these are really large shrubs that can be pruned into a tree shape. Chosen for fast growth, Texas climate resistance, and year-round greenery, they were my first attempt (after the failed Red Tip Photinias) and hope for privacy screening. One on the east side and two at the back, they were nice and full when they were young, but as I pruned them up, the top growth became sparse. They didn't do the job I wanted them to, and eventually they succumbed to a very hard freeze. They may perform wonderfully for you, so do your research before deciding,

Texas Mountain Laurel

Here it is in blooming glory.

Planted in 2015, this native evergreen ornamental shrub is in front of the stone lion fountain, providing visual interest and added shade between the Chinese Pistache and Monterrey Oak. Beautiful purple flower clusters appear in early February, if I'm lucky. It doesn't bloom every year and I can't figure out why.

Monterrey Oak

Monterrey Oak when first planted in 2015

A Texas native, I chose this tree because it's semi-

Monterrey Oak in 2026

evergreen and less prone to oak wilt than other oaks. while most trees lose their leaves in the Fall (here it's often December before they stop falling), the Monterrey, or White Oak, as it's also called, drops leaves around February. They don't stay bare long, with leaves reappearing early Spring. When acorns fall profusely later in Spring, I rake as many as I can from the path, but it's more difficult to remove them from the planting beds, resulting in unwanted oak sprouts. I've found no other way to deal with this other than hand-pulling what I can't live with. I might have made another choice that's less messy, but the oak is absolutely beautiful and I love it. It provides wonderful shade.

Loquat

Two loquats planted at the same time at the back corner. Who knows why the left one is so much bigger...

Evergreen and fast-growing, this has turned out to be a good fit for my garden despite losing two I planted Spring of 2020. They weren't established enough to handle the severe freeze we had in 2021; but I decided to try again and I'm glad I did. I have two by the back fence and two in other areas that needed quick shade. I was hesitant about messy fruit, but it hasn't been a problem at all. the squirrels eat any fruit produced, an added bonus to me. They do drop big leaves all year, so there is that to clean up, but I let them lie most of the time.

Cedar Elm

A young tree when I bought the house, after 22 years, this tree towers over the west side of the garden. Another Texas native that's disease and drought resistant, my only complaint is the small seeds it drops before shedding leaves November-late December. Sometimes the tips of branches will drop as well, creating more mess. When it first happened I thought there was something seriously wrong, but I found out it's commonly caused by the Twig Girdler Beetle and doesn't hurt the tree. The small seeds fall into my pots and planting beds, sprouting into tiny cedars that I pull as needed. It's a small inconvenience compared to its beauty and longevity. It's August right now and it's dropping small yellow leaves, it could be heat stress.