Plant List for: Ornamental Tree
Common Plant Name Latin Name Height Spread Evergn Decid Light Water Color Months Bloom Type Plant Wildlife Tx. Native Deer Res. Comments Maintenance
American Smoke Tree Cotinus obovatus 15' 10-15' D Sun/part shade M Purple to pink Mid spring Orn. Tree   √ √ Loves rocky limestone soils. It likes north or east-facing slope. Grows slowly. Can also plant on the protected side of Ashe juniper. Plant in dry place, poor soil. Good under story tree. Likes break from afternoon sun. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Anacacho Orchid Tree Bauhinia lunarioides 6-12' 6-12' D Sun/part shade L White or pale pink Mar-May Orn. Tree   √   Relatively rapid-growing & usually flowers the second year from seed. Best used as an under story. It seems to prefer limestone soils. Best to give it sun in the winter but shade in the summer so plant under a deciduous tree. Soil should be well drained. Known only from canyons and arroyos in hills in Kinney, Presidio, Gillespie or Llano counties. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Arroyo Sweetwood Myrospermum sousanum 25' 20-25' D Sun/part shade L White Summer Orn. Tree       Easy to grow and develops quickly, blooming in 3-4 years. Not especially particular about soil types and is drought resistant. An attractive legume from northern Mexico. Light green compound leaves turn to gold in the fall. The white clusters of blooms have a sweet, spicy fragrance. Can be grown as a single or multi-trunked tree. Drought tolerant.  
                             
Bird of Paradise or Poinciana Caesalpinia gilliesii 6' 12' D Sun/part shade L Yellow & red Summer Orn. Tree     √ Withstands freezes, disease & pest resistant. Seeds are toxic. Small, delicate ornamental tree with lacy foliage and long-lasting colorful summer flowers. Prune for shape only
                             
Brasil Condalia hookeri 6'-15' 15' E Sun/part shade L     Orn. Tree Bird, Small Mammals √ √ Jelly & wine is made from the fruit. Brasil is excellent for backyard habitats. Prune for shape only
                             
Carolina Buckthorn Rhamnus caroliniana 12-15' 8-15' D Sun/part shade M White Late spring Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly √ √ Grows atop ravines & near streams. Needs 3-4 hours sun a day. Good under story tree. Good growing with agarita as protection from deer. Berries for wildlife. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis 15-25' 15-20' D Sun/part shade L White, pink or burgundy Spring-Fall Orn. Tree   √ √ 3" long flower; related to trumpet vine & crossvine. It's fast growing, drought tolerant tree. Needs well drained site. Cast light shade for under plantings. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Escarpment Black Cherry or Wild Cherry Prunus serotina var. eximia 25-50' 25-30' D Sun/part shade M White Mar-Apr Orn. Tree Bird √   Likes deep canyons & protected bottomlands. Grows naturally with Ashe Juniper, Spanish Oak & Flame leaf Sumac. Good at edge of woods. Fruit bearing. Not for heavy, clay soils; foliage may be toxic. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Eve's Necklace Sophora affinis 10-15' 10' D Sun/part shade L Pink Spring Orn. Tree Butterfly √   Grows well under oaks and junipers on limestone escarpment or ravine. Must be well drained. Grows naturally on the edge of woods. Will grow on hillsides or along stream. Can also be under story. Foliage browsed by deer. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Goldenball Lead Tree Leucaena retusa 12-15' 12-15' D Sun/part shade L Gold Apr-Oct Orn. Tree   √   1" globes. Great for sunny spot & rocky soil but will be happy in kinder soil  Foliage is open enough that sun loving flowers can bloom underneath. Fairly fast growing. Deer browse the leaves Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Kidneywood, Texas Eysenhardtia texana 8-12' 7-10' D Sun/part shade L White Spring to fall after rain Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly, Deer √   Tree is open & airy in structure, with a little pruning it makes a very nice looking tree. Fragrant flowers; airy foliage smells like citrus when crushed. Deer heavily browse leaves Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Madrone Tree, Texas Arbutus xalapensis 20-30' 15-25' E Part shade M White Feb-Apr Orn. Tree Bird √     Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Mexican Buckeye Ungnadia speciosa 8-20'' 8-20'' D Sun/part shade L Pink Early spring Orn. Tree Butterfly √ √ 1" bloom; fragrant; multi-trunk; shrubby. Likes limestone but will grow in sand or clay. Good under story tree. Drought tolerant but can stand moist soils. Will be upright & open in shade. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy right after blooming.
                             
Mexican Plum Prunus mexicana 15' 8-10'' D Sun/part shade L White Early spring Orn. Tree Butterfly, Fox √   Fairly easy fruit tree to grow in well-drained soils. Healthy soil is the key. Edible fruit.  Short lived. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Mountain Laurel, Texas  Sophora secundiflora 6-15' 8-10' E Sun/part shade L Purple Spring Orn. Tree Butterfly √ √+ Grows well with Ashe Juniper & Spanish Oak. Showy flowers with strong fragrance; poisonous seeds; needs good drainage; occasional caterpillar problems. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy. Can be grown as shrub or shaped as tree.
                             
Persimmon, Texas Diospyros texana 25' 20' D Sun/part shade L White Mar Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly, Small Mammals √ √ Where thick can be nesting cover for Black-capped vireo. Attractive bark; berries great for wildlife; grows best in shallow, rocky limestone soils; female trees are fruit-bearing; slow grower Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Pistache, Texas Pistacia texana 12'-20' 15-20' D Sun/part shade L White Late spring, early summer Orn. Tree Bird √   Easier to establish in deep rich soils. With water it will grow rapidly. Can cut it in half in mid Feb. to stun and thicken it. Deer will nip but the tree will outgrow this. Bucks damage in the fall. Blooms followed by red 4-6" fruit clusters on female plants only. Birds like red berries. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Possumhaw Holly Ilex decidua 12-15' 12-15' D Sun/part shade M Red berries in winter Winter Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly, Small Mammals √ √ Striking red berries on bare branches in winter. Protect from deer until leaves grow above reach. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Pride of Barbados or Red Bird of Paradise Caesalpinia pulcherrima 6' 6' D Sun L Red orange & yellow Summer Orn. Tree     √+ Showy flowers; freezes in winter; seeds are toxic Prune for shape only
                             
Redbud, Mexican Cercis canadensis var. mexicana 15-20' 8' D Sun VL Pink Early spring Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly √   Similar to Texas Redbud but smaller and more drought tolerant. Native to Trans-Pecos area. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy right after blooming.
                             
Redbud, Texas Cercis canadensis var. texensis 10-25' 15-20' D Sun/part shade L Pink Early spring Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly √ √ Foliage may be browsed by deer in heavy populated areas. Can be short lived; Mexican Redbud is smaller. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy right after blooming.
                             
Retama or Jerusalem Thorn Parkinsonia aculeata 12-15' 12-15' D Sun/part shade L Yellow Spring to Fall Orn. Tree Bird √   Droopy feathery foliage & showy bright yellow flowers. Bark green when young, scaly, brown on older trunks. Fast growing; short-lived;  thorns. Tree frequently on poorly drained sites but is drought tolerant. Can prune back to form a shrub.
                             
Roughleaf Dogwood Cornus drummondii 12-15' 12-15' D Sun/part shade L White, fall color Spring Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly √   Native to E. TX. Often forms thickets. Common in moist soil along fence rows, streams, and forest under story. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum Viburnum rufidulum 12-15' 8-10' D Sun/part shade L White Late spring Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly, Small Mammals √ √ Slow growing & hard to propagate. Good under story tree; for deeper, well-drained soils. Red fall color. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy right after blooming.
                             
Sumac, Prarie Flameleaf Rhus lanceolata 10-20' 10-15' D Sun/part shade L Fall foliage Jul-Aug Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly √ √ Good in mass plantings. Good at edge of woods. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Toothache or Tickle tongue Zanthoxylum hirsutum 8-15' 15' D Sun L Yellow green clusters Early spring Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly √ √ All parts of the tree are spicy. The trunk, branches & even leaves have sharp thorns. Good planted with fragrant mimosa and yucca Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Wafer Ash/Hop Ptelea trifoliata  10-15' 15-20' D Sun/part shade M Greenish white Early spring Orn. Tree Butterfly √ √ Dislikes drought. Found in limestone with Ashe juniper where moisture is steady or along a seep line with Mexican buckeye or in shade under Texas ash. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy
                             
Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria 12-15' 10-15' E Sun/part shade L Red berries in winter   Orn. Tree Bird, Butterfly, Small Mammals √ √ Frequent in low woods. Versatile plant is tolerant of drought and poor drainage. Best production of red fruit when shrub gets half a day of sun or more. Berries attract wildlife. Plants are either male or female. The females are the fruit bearers and must be pollinated by a male holly. Prune for shape only or to raise canopy