Chitalpa, mimosa are well-behaved, lovely small trees
Q: At the new town home we’ve purchased we want to plant a flowering tree. It can’t get too large because the yard isn’t very big to begin with. Could you recommend a tree for us that would stay on the small side? And if it’d attract hummingbirds, that’d be an added bonus! — N.T.H., West Side
A: I can think of two trees that could fit not only your space restriction, but also can help attract hummingbirds to your landscaping.
First, search out a chitalpa. The chitalpa is a cross between a catalpa tree and the chilopsis, more commonly known as a desert willow.
The bloom of the chitalpa is nifty. In the heat of the summer it is covered with large, feathery, trumpetshaped blooms that offer nectar hunters a place to feed. The blooms can be white with pink hints of color; some are in the purple shades and others pinkypurple. The leaves worn by this tree are long and lanceshaped and a bit wider than on the desert willow. The chitalpa is easily trained into a single-trunked creature or if space allows, you can have a multitrunked one.
What I like a lot about the chitalpa is they aren’t as messy as the parent trees. Since it’s a hybrid of the catalpa and chilopsis it shouldn’t make the littering fruit (seedpods) that are prevalent on both of its parent trees. Nor will the chitalpa sprout up or sucker at will. The chitalpa could be just the tree you and your hummers are looking for.
The second tree I’m partial to would be mimosa, or silk tree. The mimosa is native to Asia and amazingly grows very well in our climate. Like the chitalpa, you can train a mimosa easily to have one or more trunks. The leaves of the mimosa are very delicate-looking, with an Oriental flair to their shape and seeming to shimmer with the slightest breeze. The flower worn by the mimosa is a good pink color, sort of a feathery pincushion-looking thing. Nowadays there are a couple of new varieties that offer chocolate or purple-brown foliage that is quite striking with the pink blooms.
The mimosa will drop seed pods so if you don’t want to tidy up after a tree think before bringing a mimosa into your world. Like the chitalpa, the mimosa doesn’t sucker or sprout unwelcome babies off the root system. They are very mannerly.
But for hummingbird attraction and having a delicate-looking yet really sturdy tree the mimosa could be the one. This might not be the best time for selection as far as shopping goes but as the season winds down it is actually the best time to plant so get out and see what you can find to bring in a lovely smallspace tree to grace your new home. Happy Diggin In!
Readers: It’s time to mark your calendars. Do you love tomatoes? Want to see every type imaginable? Then plan on attending the 2016 Tomato Fiesta. Presented by the Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners, this year’s Tomato Fiesta will be held Sunday, Aug. 28, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas NE, and has such a lot to offer.
Events include an heirloom tomato tasting — you get to vote; cooking demos; a free plant clinic so you can pick the brains of Albuquerque’s most knowledgeable gardeners; a garden trade fair; tomatoes for sale; also music and kids’ activities round out this fun event. Admission is $5 with children under 12 free. While you’re there be sure to tour the gardens and check out the Garden Center gift shop. It’s a fun and tasty way to spend an afternoon!