START WARM-CLIMATE TREES
There’s nothing like a hot summer’s day to help us appreciate the shade of an established tree, and now’s the time to think about adding trees to your garden. And even in slightly cooler areas, summer’s a good time to start off those warm-climate trees and get them established before the cold weather arrives.
Prepare soil thoroughly before planting, digging garden compost into an area that’s about twice the width of the planting hole. Water well at planting time. Also add some soil wetter and spread a layer of mulch over the roots. If your tree needs support, stake it loosely, but remove the stakes as soon as possible.
It’s a good idea to protect trees during their first year by rigging up temporary shade on those heatwave days. A young tree needs to be well watered in the early years while it’s still developing its root system. Here are some warm-climate trees to consider.
Cape chestnut (Calodendrum capense) develops a dome-shaped head that is smothered with beautiful pale pink, orchid-like blooms in summer.
Crown of gold (Barklya syringifolia) is a native that is well named for its golden pea flowers. Its glossy, heart-shaped leaves are also very attractive.
Tibouchinas come in various sizes but the favourite small tree is the popular purple Tibouchina ‘Alstonville’, which grows to about 5m tall. T. mutabilis ‘Noelene’ is a little shorter but produces a magical display of white, mauve and lilac-purple blooms through the warm months. Tulipwood (Harpullia pendula) is a tough Queenslander that grows to about 7m. It has a thick crown dotted with unusual orange fruit that contrast with the black seeds.