In the Garden Articles

Fall Planting: Small Evergreen Trees

by Joan S. Bolton

It's a familiar quest: the search for an evergreen tree that will quickly soar above a 6-foot fence to block a view of the neighbors. But that same tree must then stop growing before it towers over the rest of your garden.

Fifteen to 25 feet of fast growth will do, with a leafy canopy about as wide. In many Central Coast gardens, that's probably all the space you can spare.

Fall is the best time to plant most trees of any size. Cooler temperatures and shorter days pose less stress while the trees begin to establish themselves.

Start by seeking trees that stay naturally small. These may be certain species, such as strawberry tree, or hybrids that have been bred to grow compact, such as Little Gem magnolia. Pay attention to the tags. If you buy a tree simply labeled "magnolia," for instance, be prepared for a majestic giant that can climb 60 feet.

Also look for shrubs that growers have trained as "standards," or single-trunk trees.

Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)

Shiny, dark green leaves and gnarled, reddish-brown bark are among strawberry tree's finest attributes. Limb up the branches to expose more of the bark.

The common name is thanks to the clusters of marble-sized red and yellow fruit that appear in late fall and winter. The soft fruit is edible -- some folks make it into preserves. But it can be messy, too. Don't plant your strawberry tree next to a patio or walkway unless you like to sweep.

Strawberry trees grow 10 to 25 feet tall and wide. They're native to dry slopes in the Mediterranean, and like good drainage and full sun.

Red Cascade or McCaskilii weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis 'Red Cascade' or 'McCaskilii')

These fast-growing trees reach 20 to 25 feet high and 15 feet wide. Dramatic red, brushy flowers dangle at the tips of the weeping branches throughout the year, with the heaviest blooming from May through July. Red Cascade and McCaskilii are hybrids -- the straight species, Callistemon viminalis, grows nearly twice as tall.

Weeping bottlebrush is a popular street tree because it doesn't tend to lift pavement. With regular irrigation, it's fine with sun and heat. But it's not fond of wind.

Citrus

Lemons, oranges, limes and the like aren't particularly showy. But they provide a consistent screen of shiny, dark greenery, and plenty of fruit to share with family and friends. A few bear leaves splashed in cream or yellow, including Pink Lemonade lemon and variegated calamondin orange.

Citrus trees grafted on dwarf root stock generally grow about 10 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet wide. They like air on their surface roots, so avoid planting anything beneath. Instead, mulch with fallen leaves, bark, compost or pebbles, and soak them deeply twice a month.

Tiny Tower Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens 'Monshel')

Old-fashioned Italian cypress grows more than 60 feet tall. But Tiny Tower reaches less than half that height, and at an extremely slow pace. It takes 10 years to reach 8 feet tall and 2 feet wide, and several decades to fill out to 25 to 30 feet tall and 3 feet wide. In the meantime, it maintains its tight, narrow silhouette without pruning.

Tiny Tower is hardy to 10 degrees, takes full sun and needs only occasional watering once it's established.

Bronze Loquat (Eriobotrya deflexa)

With its upright, V-shape, this craggy tree is ideal in cramped gardens. It tolerates filtered sunlight and will eventually reach 20 tall and wide.

In spring, the long, boat-shaped leaves emerge a shiny rich, reddish-brown, then gradually shift to dark green. Clusters of fragrant white flowers, similar to apple blossoms, bloom at the tips of the branches, then turn into small, yellow-green fruit that attracts birds.

The larger, standard loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), which bears rougher leaves with wooly, rust-colored undersides, is the one that produces much tastier fruit.

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)

One of my favorite flowering and fruiting small trees, pineapple guava bears showy, red and white flower clusters in early summer, followed by grayish-green fruit. The flowers and fruit are edible and sweet.

On its own, pineapple guava forms a bushy thicket of crinkly leaves that are green on top and pale gray underneath. But it is infinitely trimmable, as an espalier, hedge or screen, or as a single trunk or multi-trunk tree that will grow 18 to 25 feet tall and wide.

It's also forgiving about irrigation. Water your pineapple guava every three to four weeks during summer, or more often for better fruit. Full sun is best, or a smattering of shade.

Toyon or Christmas Berry (Heteromeles arbutifolia)

Native to our local back country, this large, upright shrub also takes to trimming as a single or multi-trunk tree. Tiny teeth edge toyon's dark-green, leathery leaves. Small, white flowers appear in late summer, followed by bright red berries that persist most of winter.

Toyon is among the fastest growing of these small trees, reaching 15 to 25 feet tall and wide. It thrives on minimal water and minimal care, is great on banks, and helps control erosion.

Waxleaf privet (Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum')

Technically a tall shrub, waxleaf privet is another one that can be shaped into just about anything. Left to its own devices, it will grow fast to 8 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. But you can easily turn it into a small, standard tree by pruning it to the main stem.

Waxleaf privet's dense foliage serves as an excellent windbreak. In late spring, it bears small, creamy white flowers loaded with pollen that can trigger allergies. Shearing the branches in late winter will reduce the flowers.

Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem')

Little Gem bears the same closely spaced, dark-green leaves as its larger relatives. But it's smaller in every way. Its leaves are half the size of a standard magnolia, and its creamy white flowers are the size of a teacup, not a bowl.

Little Gem grows 20 to 25 feet tall, but only 10 to 15 feet wide. With its silhouette taller than wide, it comfortably squeezes into tight spaces. It tolerates some shade and likes regular water. The branches often start low to the ground. If you want to plant under it, prune the lower limbs.

Fraser Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

A popular street tree in southern California, Fraser photinia tolerates smog, dust and heat. New leaves and stems emerge a startling red, then mature to dark green. Clusters of white flowers top the tips for a splendid, spring display.

Fraser photinia is a terrific single-trunk tree right along a fence, growing 15 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide. You can trim the canopy to begin just below the top of the fence, leaving plenty of room to plant underneath. It's happy as a bushy shrub as well, or can be espaliered or shaped into a loose topiary. However, fall pruning limits spring flowers.

Plant photinia in full sun. Water deeply and frequently early on. Good drainage is essential. In constantly wet clay, its leaves may turn yellow, then drop.

Majestic Beauty Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis 'Majestic Beauty')

Other species of Indian hawthorn tend to have small, leathery leaves. But the leaves of this cultivar are large and crinkly, quite like a loquat.

Its upright, vase-like shape and dense, compact growth are similar to a loquat as well, growing 20 to 25 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide. Indeed, while Majestic Beauty's parentage is vague, it may be a cross between an Indian hawthorn and a loquat.

Majestic Beauty's real appeal is its blooms. Showtime is spring, when dainty pink flowers blanket the foliage. It blooms again, not quite as heavily, from fall into spring. It's a tough plant, and asks for nothing more than full sun and occasional water.

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Converting Shrubs

A number of evergreen shrubs, including waxleaf privet, toyon and pineapple guava, can be trained into small trees. In the early years, strip any sprouts along their lower trunks to prevent them from bushing out and reverting to their natural shrubby forms. Keep them bare for the first 4 or 5 feet, and they'll form a nice screen above the fence line over time.

Seeds of Wisdom

Wait until spring to plant citrus trees and other subtropical or tropical plants. They need as much time as possible in the ground -- a full spring, summer and fall -- before they're best able to withstand winter's cold temperatures.