When choosing trees for our garden, it is essential to keep the climate in mind, and in particular the rainfall. Fortunately or unfortunately, it does not rain with the same frequency all over the planet, and if we add to that that fresh water is extremely scarce (around 2,5%, and of this total 69% is found at the poles, frozen), we can get an idea of how serious it can be to grow one plant or another.
It’s great to do experiments, but I think you always have to try to apply common sense. Only in this way will we achieve a low or no maintenance garden. So without further ado, Let’s see which are the fast-growing trees with little water that you can have in an area where droughts or dry periods are the protagonists.
Acacia retinodes
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
The Acacia retinodesknown as silver acacia, yellow acacia, four-season mimosa or simply mimosa, is an evergreen tree native to Brazil that reaches a height of 6 to 10 meters. It has lanceolate leaves, green in color, and blooms several times a year. Its flowers are grouped in rounded inflorescences, and are yellow in color.
It grows at a rate of 35 centimeters per yearsomething more if it is watered from time to time. It withstands drought, but only once it has been planted in the ground for at least a year. Resists up to -15ºC.
Albizia julibrissin
Image – Wikimedia / 4028mdk09
The Albizia julibrissin It is a beautiful deciduous tree known as the silk tree, Constantinople acacia or silky-flowered acacia, although you have to be very careful with this because it has nothing to do with the Acacia, beyond the fact that both types of plants are legumes. It grows up to 15 meters in heightand develops a wide, parasol-shaped crown and bipinnate leaves. The flowers are pink, and are grouped in panicles.
It grows at a rate of about 30 inches per yearand once it is acclimatized it can live with few risks. But even so, you have to know that if the drought coincides with the summer, it is important that it be watered at least once a week so that it does not suffer damage. Otherwise, it resists up to -14ºC.
Buy seeds here!.
Brachychiton populneus
Image – Wikimedia Commons / John Robert McPherson
The Brachychiton populneusknown as bottle tree, brachiquito or kurrajong, is a semi-evergreen tree (tends to drop some in winter) native to Australia that reaches about 10 meters in height. Its trunk is straight, somewhat thickened since it serves to store water. The flowers are bell-shaped, pale pink in color.
It grows very fast. From my own experience I will tell you that can grow at a rate of 50 centimeters / yearAs minimum. For this reason, it is one of the most suitable fast-growing and low-water trees for dry gardens. It resists down to -4ºC, and can live without irrigation if about 300mm of precipitation falls per year.
A noble laurel
The A noble laurelthe laurel, It is a plant native to the Mediterranean region that tends to be more like a shrub or tree than as a tree. But it is interesting to know that reaches a height of up to 10 meterswith a straight grayish trunk. The leaves are lanceolate and about 9 centimeters long. In spring it blooms, producing yellow florets.
Due to its origin, it is more than used to living with little water. In fact, I have one myself and only watered it the first year it was on the ground. From the second, it lives with what falls from the sky, that is, about 300-350mm of precipitation per year. What’s more, grows reasonably fast: about 30-40 centimeters per season. Resists up to -10ºC.
Buy seeds.
Melia sourach
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Anna Anichkova
The Melia sourach It is a deciduous tree that receives many names: paradise, cinnamon, tree of paradise, sour, cinnamon. But regardless of the common names, we are talking about a very fast growing tree native to Southeast Asia. It grows between 8 and 15 metersand from a very young age it develops a very characteristic parasol glass. Soon it also blooms, around 3 years of age. These flowers are purple or lilac, very fragrant, and are grouped in terminal inflorescences up to 20 centimeters long.
It is a fast-growing tree, since it grows over 30 centimeters per year, and it is a plant that does well with little water. What’s more, resists up to -15ºC. The only downside is that it has a short life expectancy of 20 years.
propagating through a pine forest (Pinus halepensis).
The propagating through a pine forest (Pinus halepensis).called Aleppo pine or Aleppo pine, is a fast-growing evergreen conifer-type tree found in the Mediterranean region. Reaches a height of 25 metersand develops a robust and somewhat tortuous trunk. The cup is rounded but somewhat irregular.
As it lives in areas where there is little rain, it is genetically prepared to survive long periods of drought. What’s more, grows about 30-40 centimeters each seasonand it resists frosts down to -15ºC.
Prosopis chilensis
Image – Flickr / Mauricio Mercadante
The Prosopis chilensis it is one of the most beautiful fast-growing trees and little water from Chile, although it also reaches Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. It is popularly known as Chilean carob. It grows between 3 and 12 meters in heightand develops a more or less open crown with bipinnate leaves. The flowers are yellow and are grouped in hanging inflorescences.
Is a very interesting species for gardens that are in areas where it rains little, since grows fast (about 40cm / year), and withstands drought very well. Likewise, frosts down to -4ºC do not harm it.
Small-leaved elm
The Small-leaved elmknown as Chinese elm or Zelkova parvifolia, is a fast-growing semi-evergreen tree native to Asia. It is very popular among bonsai fans, but in the garden it is also a very interesting plant that it can reach up to 20 meters in height. Its flowers bloom in late summer and are very small, so they often go unnoticed.
It doesn’t grow as fast as the Brachychitons, but it doesn’t lag far behind either: grows about 30-40cm / year. It resists up to -18ºC, and it resists drought well but if it is not very long; In other words, if it is established, it will last a couple of weeks without water, but for example the Mediterranean drought, which can last for several months, does cause its leaves to fall prematurely.
Do you know of other fast-growing, low-water trees that can be grown in gardens?
