Katie Gannon of Trees for Tucson recently revised a 15-year-old list of recommended trees for planting in different situations in Tucson. The list eliminated some species native to Australia, because they've proved intolerant of the hard frosts common in recent years.
The nonprofit group Tucson Clean & Beautiful Inc. runs the Trees for Tucson program, which offers shade trees at low cost. Call 791-3109 for more information.
At schools or in parks (with turf and turf irrigation)
1. Olive/Olea europea X 'Wilson', 'Swan Hill' (non-allergenic varieties)
2. Arizona ash/Fraxinus velutina
3. Desert willow/Chilopsis linearis
4. Mesquites/Prosopis velutina, hybrids
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5. Hackberry/Celtis reticulata
6. Pistache/Pistacia chinensis
7. Red oak/Quercus buckleyi
8. Aleppo pine/Pinus halepensis
9. Afghan pine/Pinus eldaricaf
10. Blue palo verde / Parkinsonia floridum
As street trees
1. Mesquites/Prosopis species and hybrids
2. Blue palo verde /Parkinsonia floridum
3. Palo brea/Parkinsonia praecox
4. Desert museum palo verde /Parkinsonia X
5. Ironwood/Olneya tesota
6. Desert Willow/Chilopsis lineris
7. Catclaw acacia/Acacia greggii
8. Texas ebony/Ebenopsis ebano
9. Kidneywood/Eysenhardtia orthocarpa
10. Feather bush/Lysiloma thornberi watsonii
Under power lines
1. Catclaw acacia/Acacia greggii
2. Whitethorn acacia /Acacia constricta
3. Texas mountain laurel/Sophora secundiflora
4. Feather bush/Lysiloma thornberi, watssonii
5. Kidneywood/Eysenhardtia orthocarpa
6. Texas ebony/Ebenopsis ebano
7. Screwbean mesquite/Prosopis pubescens
8. Kidneywood/Ebenopsis ebano (pithecellobium flexicaule)
9. Arizona rosewood/Vauquelinia californica
10. Cascalote/Caesalpinia cacalaco
Most drought tolerant
1. Velvet mesquite/ Prosopis spp and hybrids
2. Foothills palo verde / Parkinsonia microphylla
3. Blue palo verde/Parkinsonia floridum
4. Palo brea/Parkinsonia praecox
5. Desert museum palo verde / Parkinsonia X
6. Desert Willow/ chilopsis linearis
7. Ironwood/Olneya tesota
8. Catclaw acacia/Acacia greggii
9. Whitethorn Acacia/Acacia constricta
10. Kidneywood/Eysenhardtia orthocarpa
Contact columnist Tim Steller at tsteller@azstarnet.com or 807-8427
