Arizona Shade Trees That Don’t Shed

Extreme heat and direct sunlight define Arizona summers. Give your yard an escape from the brutal heat by adding on of these shade trees.

Arizona Rosewood

Planting an Arizona Rosewood in your backyard is a great way to create shade for your pool area without the unwanted shedding. This tree will not grow too large, so you won’t have to worry about it stretching past property lines. The Rosewood, which reaches a maximum height of 10 feet, produces beautiful white flowers during the spring.

Arizona Cypress

This is a drought-tolerant tree that is native to the southwestern U.S. The Arizona Cypress has adapted to the extreme Arizona summers well. This tree is commonly chosen by homeowners because it breaks up wind patterns, provides shade and can also be decorated as a Christmas tree. This tree can grow up to 50-feet tall, with an average growth of 18 inches per year. Make sure to plant this tree in an area that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

Ironwood

Growing exclusively in the Sonoran Desert, Ironwood trees can flourish in this area. In fact, Ironwood is one of the oldest trees known in this desert, dating back 1,200 years. As the weather warms up, Ironwood trees produce lavender flowers. They can grow between 25-45-feet tall.

Palo Verde

These trees are found all over the valley, typically standing out because of how much green they feature. Green can be seen all the way from the Palo Verde’s trunk to its branches. These are some of the most drought-tolerant trees in the desert. They require no supplemental water supply to survive.

Willow Acacia

This is an Australian tree that now makes its home providing shade to Arizona residents. The Willow Acacia grows fast and narrow, ideal for backyards without a lot of space. Willows grow up to 30-feet tall, and produce beautiful flowers similar to Rosewoods in the spring.