TABLE 2. TREES
Name Mature Size Cold Hardiness Adaptability Desirability Notes Height feet Spread feet Acacia Baileyana
Robins Egg Blue Acacia0- 8 4- 6 8 1 0 Special soil requirements Acacia cultriformis
Crowded Leaf Acacia6- 8 4- 6 9 9 9 Valuable ornamental foliage Acacia decurrens
Green Wattle10-15 4- 6 9 4 1 Unadapted Acacia delanthus
African Acacia10-15 4- 6 9 4 1 Unadapted Acacia Farnesiana
Huisache18-30 15-29 9 9 9 Valuable native flowering tree Acacia longifolia
var. floribunda
Flowering Acacia10-15 4- 6 9 7 4 Unadapted Acacia Greggii
Long Fld. Catsclaw8-10 4- 5 9 9 0 Too thorny; undesirable Acacia Roemeriana
Round Fld. Catsclaw6- 8 4- 5 9 9 5 Useful in droughty locations Acacia Wrightii
Tree Catsclaw25-35 10-15 9 9 9 Valuable native tree Acer argutum
Silver Maple20-25 10-15 9 0 0 Unadapted Acer saccharinum
Soft Maple80-90 15-25 9 0 0 Unadapted Albizzia Julibrissin
Powder Puff Tree4- 8 2- 3 9 8 4 Slow growing; deciduous Albizzia Lebbek
Womans Tongue Tree20-35 10-15 2 9 9 Cassia-like tree Aleurites Fordii
Tung Oil Tree10-25 8-10 6 0 0 Unadapted Amyris madrensis
Torchwood6-15 2- 5 9 9 9 Desirable native tree Araucaria excelsa
Norfolk Island Pine20-25 4- 8 6 8 9 Very showy specimen tree Araucaria araucana
Monkeypuzzle Tree30-50 15-18 9 9 9 Interesting cone-bearing tree Arbutus Unedo
Strawberry Tree12-15 8-10 9 7 3 Very slow growing Averrhoa Bilimbi
Sweet Carambola8-12 4- 6 2 6 5 Interesting, but lacks vigor Averrhoa Carambola
Pickle Tree8-12 4- 6 2 6 5 Interesting, but lacks vigor Bauhinia variegata
var. candida
White flowered Orchid Tree15-30 10-15 5 9 9 Very showy white flowers Bauhinia Galpini
Red flowered Orchid Tree8-10 3- 6 3 9 1 Lacks vigor Bauhinia purpurea
Purple flowered Orchid Tree15-30 5-10 5 9 9 Not a profuse bloomer Bauhinia tomentosa
Yellow flowered Orchid Tree8-10 3- 6 0 9 1 Lacks vigor Bauhinia trianda
Pink flowered Orchid Tree15-30 10-15 5 9 9 Numerous pink flowers Bixa Orellana
Annatto10-15 8 5 2 0 Short lived Bumelia lanuginosa*
Chittamwood15 15 9 9 9 Attractive native tree Bumelia Schottii
Como15-20 15-18 9 9 9 Very desirable native tree Calliandra hemaetocephala
Calliandra10-20 8-10 7 9 6 Showy flowering tree Callistemon lanceolatus
Weeping Bottlebrush6-10 2- 3 9 9 9 Useful tall growing type Callistemon rigidus
Rigid Bottlebrush6-10 3- 4 9 9 9 Very desirable, dense type Caragana arborescens
Siberian Pea-Tree15-20 8-10 9 0 0 Unadapted Carica Papaya
Papaya10-25 3- 6 3 9 9 Ornamental tropical fruit tree Carya Pecan
Pecan20-40 15-20 9 6 9 Excellent deciduous shade tree Cassia Fistula
Golden Shower10-20 6- 8 4 6 4 Well adapted, but tender Cassia grandis
Grand Shower8-15 6- 8 4 6 4 Well adapted, but tender Cassia nodosa
Pink Shower6- 8 5- 6 2 4 4 Well adapted; very tender Cassia laevigata
Smooth Senna10-20 3- 4 9 9 7 Hardy flowering plant Cassia splendida
Showy Senna6- 8 5- 6 7 9 9 Very attractive native plant Cassia tomentosa
Wooly Senna10-15 5- 6 9 9 9 Very attractive native plant Casuarina Cunninghamiana
Cunningham Beefwood25-50 10-15 7 9 9 Pyramidal, pine-like tree Cassuarina equisetifolia
Horsetail Casuarina25-50 10-15 5 4 3 Useful on saline soils Casuarina glauca
Australian Pine25-50 10-15 6 4 3 Less attractive than others Casuarina lepidophloia
Hardy Australian Pine25-50 10-15 7 9 9 Most desirable type Casuarina montana
Australian Pine25-50 10-15 6 4 3 Unattractive Catalpa bignonioides
Catalpa18-25 15 9 5 5 Difficult to grow Catalpa Bungei
Manchurian Catalpa18-20 15 9 1 2 Unadapted Catalpa speciosa
Western Catalpa18-25 15 9 2 2 Unadapted Cedrus Deodora
Deodor Cedar15-30 10-15 9 9 9 Very desirable conifer Ceiba pentandra
Kapok18-20 8-10 6 4 3 Interesting tropical plant Celtis laevigata
Southern Hackberry25-35 15-20 9 9 5 Strictly ordinary Ceratonia Siliqua
Carob15-20 12-15 9 9 7 Thrives in heavy soils Cercidium floridum
Palo Verde15-20 10 9 9 8 Graceful, flowering native Cercidium texanum
Texas Palo Verde10-15 10 9 9 2 Dwarf; very thorny Cercis canadensis
Redbud8-10 2- 5 9 9 6 Desirable flowering plant Chilopsis linearis
Desert Willow15-25 8-15 9 9 7 Flowering, willow-like native Chrysophyllum oliviforme
Star Apple15-20 8-10 4 5 5 Attractive foliage Cinnamomum Camphora
Camphor Tree15-20 12-15 9 9 9 Attractive light green foliage Citrus mitis
Calamondin20-30 8-10 9 9 9 Ornamental fruit and foliage Cochlospermum vitifolium
Buttercup Acacia10-15 8-10 7 3 3 Occasionally successful Condalia obovata
Brasil15-20 12-15 9 9 9 Dense, bright green foliage Cordia Boisseri
Anacahuita10-15 8-10 9 9 9 Continuous profusion showy flowers Cordia Sebestena
Geiger Tree8-15 6-10 4 6 7 Showy flowering tree Couroupita guianensis
Cannon Ball Tree20-30 15-18 1 0 0 Unadapted Cornus florida
White flowered Dogwood10-15 5- 6 9 1 1 Unadapted Cornus florida
var. rubra*
Pink flowered Dogwood10-15 5- 6 9 1 1 Unadapted Crescentia alata
Small Fruited Calabash15-20 8-10 1 6 2 Too tender for general use Crescentia Cujete
Large Fruited Calabash15-20 8-10 1 5 2 Too tender for general use Cupressus arizonica
Arizona Cypress15-20 15-20 9 9 6 Usually rather short lived Cupressus lusitanica
Portuguese Cypress12-15 10-12 9 9 7 Well adapted; compact Cupressus sempervirens
var. horizontalis*
Horizontal Italian Cypress15-20 10-12 9 7 6 Limited usefulness Cupressus sempervirens
var. stricta
Royal Italian Cypress20-30 2- 6 9 7 6 Limited usefulness Cupressus tortulosa
Rhutan Cypress15-20 15 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Daubentonia Tripetii
Red flowered Sesbania20 2 9 9 7 Showy, deciduous flowering tree Delonix regia
Royal Poinciana15-35 15-25 2 9 8 Showy flowering tropical Diospyros Kaki
Japanese Persimmon15-20 10 9 9 5 Valuable for showy fruits Diospyros texanum
Texas Persimmon; Chapote8-10 4- 5 9 9 9 Small native fruit tree Diospyros virginiana
Wild Persimmon15-20 8 9 9 4 Rapid growing; deciduous *Not grown on the Experiment Station. Dovyalis caffra
Kei Apple15-20 8-15 7 9 7 Glossy-green, thorny tree Ehretia anacua
Anacua15-20 8-10 9 9 9 Attractive, flowering native Eriobotrya japonica
Loquat8-18 8-10 9 9 8 Ornamental leaves and fruit Erythrina Cristi-galli
Brazilian Coral Tree15-18 8-10 9 9 8 Very slow growing Erythrina herbacea
var. arborea
Native Coral Tree8-10 4- 6 8 9 8 Odd-flowering, native Esenbeckia Ivunyonii
Esenbeckia10-15 5 9 9 8 Rare, citrus-like native Eucalyptus algeriensis
Algerian Eucalyptus35-50 10-15 9 9 7 Tall; rapid growing Eucalyptus crucis
Silver Eucalyptus35-50 10-15 9 0 2 Unadapted Eucalyptus ficifolia
Scarlet Eucalyptus10-20 8-10 7 3 5 Difficult to grow Eucalyptus globulus
Blue Gum50-60 15-20 5 5 5 Large; tender Eucalyptus rostrata
Creek; Red Gum35-50 10-15 7 5 6 Limited usefulness Eucalyptus tereticornis*
Gray Gum40-50 10-15 7 6 6 Few lower limbs Eucalyptus viminalis
Manna Gum35-50 10-15 8 7 7 Useful roadside tree Eugenia Jambos
Malabar Plum12-18 8-10 4 9 5 Attractive foliage; tender Ficus benghalensis
Banyan Tree20-30 20-30 3 9 9 Tropical foliage plant Flacourtia indica
Governors Plum15-20 10-15 5 9 8 Attractive fruiting tree Fortunella crassifolia
Melwa Kumquat4- 5 4 9 9 8 Ornamental fruit and foliage Fortunella japonica
Marumi Kumquat5- 6 4 9 9 8 Ornamental fruit and foliage Fortunella margarita
Nagami Kumquat6-10 4 9 9 8 Ornamental fruit and foliage Fraxinus Berlandierana
Mexican; Rio Grande Ash20-25 18-20 9 8 5 Strictly ordinary Fraxinus velutina
Velvet; Arizona Ash20-25 18-20 9 9 5 Deciduous shade tree Ginkgo biloba
Maidenhair Tree40-50 20-30 9 2 0 Unadapted Gleditsia triacanthos
Honest Locust20-30 8-10 9 9 0 Too thorny to be desirable Grevillea robusta
Silk Oak20-30 8-10 9 9 9 Very showy tropical tree Helietta parvifolia
Barretta5- 6 2- 3 9 9 7 Dwarf citrus-like native Hibiscus tiliaceus
Mahoe20-30 10-12 6 7 7 Showy flowering tropical tree Ilex ambigua
Carolina Holly3- 5 2 9 0 0 Unadapted; oblong leaves Ilex aquifolium
English Holly10-20 3 9 0 0 Unadapted; spiny toothed leaves Ilex cassine*
Dahoon Holly10-20 4- 6 9 3 0 Unadapted; leathery, oblong leaves Ilex cornuta
Chinese Holly10 3 9 3 0 Unadapted; large spiny leaves Ilex opaca
American Holly10-20 2- 3 9 3 0 Unadapted; spiny, leathery leaves Ilex sp.*
Native Holly8-20 4- 6 9 9 7 Native holly; corinceous leaves Jacaranda acutifolia
Jacaranda20-35 15-20 6 8 8 Ornamental foliage and flowers Juniperus chinensis
var. sylvestris*
Chinese Juniper18-25 6- 8 9 9 7 Limited usefulness Juniperus excelsa stricta
Spiny Greek Juniper6- 8 3 9 9 9 Make interesting specimen plants Juniperus lucayana*
Southern Red Juniper8-10 8 9 9 7 Limited usefulness Juniperus Sabina*
Savin Juniper6 6 9 9 7 Limited usefulness Juniperus virginiana*
Red Cedar25 6-10 9 9 7 Desirable specimen plant Juniperus virginia glauca*
Silver Juniper25 6-10 9 9 7 Desirable blue-green foliage Kigelia pinnata
Sausage Tree20-35 8-10 2 9 8 Showy cylindrical seed capsules Koelreuteria bipinnata
Golden Rain Tree25-40 18-20 9 3 2 Not especially desirable Koelreuteria formosana
Bougainvillea Tree18-20 8-10 9 9 7 Interesting ornamental tree Leucaena pulverulenta
Tepehuaje25-35 15-20 9 9 5 Fern-like foliage Ligustrum japonicum
Japanese Privet15-25 15 9 9 7 Glossy green; drought resistant Liriodendron tulipifera
Tulip Tree20-35 8-15 9 0 0 Unadapted Litchi chinensis
Litchee18-30 15-20 5 9 7 Ornamental tropical fruit tree Macadamia ternifolia
Queensland Nut15-30 10-15 5 7 5 Odd, tropical tree Magnolia grandiflora
Southern Magnolia25-40 15-20 9 5 6 Occasionally successful Melaleuca armillaris*
Drooping Melaleuea15-25 4- 6 6 9 8 Dark, dense foliage Melaleuca elliptica
Tree Bottlebrush20-35 3- 6 9 9 8 Bright green foliage Melaleuca Leucadendra
Cajeput Tree25-35 3- 6 4 6 2 Useful in swampy locations Melia Azedarach
var. umbraculiformis
Umbrella Chinaberry18-30 15-20 9 9 2 Strictly ordinary Mimosa fragrans*
Pink Mimosa1- 4 1- 3 9 9 7 Small flowering native Mimosa Lindheimeri*
Lindheimers Mimosa6 3- 4 9 9 7 Small flowering native Morus alba
var. pendula*
Weeping Mulberry6- 8 6- 8 9 7 6 Interesting specimen plant Morus nigra
Black Mulberry25-35 25-30 9 9 7 Fruiting shade tree Morus rubra*
Red Mulberry15-25 12-15 9 9 6 Abundance of fruit Nicotiana glauca
Sacred Mustard6-30 6- 8 9 9 6 Interesting flowering native Olea europaea
Olive Tree10-15 4- 6 9 3 3 Occasionally successful Osmanthus americanus*
American Olive Tree10-15 4- 6 9 9 7 Ornamental flowering plant Parkinsonia aculeata
Retama15-25 10-15 8 9 9 Graceful flowering native Peltophorum sp.
Peltophorum15-35 8-10 7 9 9 Rapid growing flowering tree Persea americana
Avocado16-40 10-20 3 7 8 Ornamental subtropical tree Pinus canariensis
Canary Island Pine50-60 10 9 5 0 Occasionally successful Pinus echinata*
Shortleaf Pine50-60 10 9 9 8 Occasionally successful Pinus griffithii
Griffiths Pine40-50 8-10 9 3 0 Occasionally successful Pinus halepensis*
Aleppo Pine40-50 10 9 5 7 Occasionally successful Pistachia vera
Pistach Nut15-25 6- 8 9 3 0 Unadapted Pithecolobium flexicaule
Texas Ebony18-30 12-15 9 9 9 Dense, dark green, native Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore Tree25-40 10-15 9 7 3 Strictly ordinary Podocarpus macrophylla
Podocarpus Yew6-40 2- 8 9 6 7 Attractive dense foliage Populus lasiocarpa
Cottonwood25-35 15-20 9 8 5 Strictly ordinary Populus nigra
var. italica
Lombardy Poplar25-50 6- 8 9 2 3 Unadapted Prosopis chilensis
Mesquite18-35 15-20 9 9 8 Usually short lived native Prunus caroliniana
Cherry-Laurel20-30 15-20 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Prunus cerasifera
var. Pissardi
Purple-Leaf Plum10-20 6-10 9 8 7 Interesting specimen tree Ptelea Baldwinii
Wafer-Ash8-12 5 9 9 9 Attractive, citrus-like native Pterocarya stenoptera
Wing Nut18-25 8-10 9 9 6 Rapid growing: deciduous Quercus myrsinaefolia
Japanese Oak20-50 10-20 9 9 8 Glossy green; evergreen Quercus virginiana
Live Oak20-30 12-15 9 9 9 Glossy green; evergreen Rhus viminalis
Fragrant Sumac6-30 6-10 9 6 3 Subject to root disease Robinia Pseudo-Acacia*
Black Locust30-40 15-20 9 9 4 Rapid growing; flowering Salix babylonica
Weeping Willow20-25 8-12 9 5 5 Occasionally successful Salix discolor
Pussy Willow10 8 9 0 0 Unadapted Salix interior*
Brittle Willow20-30 20-25 9 9 8 Native river willow Salix nigra
Black Willow35-50 20-30 9 9 9 Large native willow Samanea Saman
Monkeypod Tree30-40 30-40 2 9 5 Ornamental foliage; tender Sapindus Drummondii
Western Soapberry15-25 6-10 9 9 6 Deciduous; strictly ordinary Sapium sebiferum
Chinese Tallow Tree15-25 8-10 9 9 8 Leaves turn red in fall Schinus Molle
California Pepper Tree18-25 10-15 7 3 0 Unadapted Schinus terebinthifolius
Brazilian Pepper Tree15-18 10-15 7 9 9 Ornamental foliage and berries Semecarpus Anacardum
Marking Nut20-25 10-15 8 0 0 Unadapted Sophora secundiflora*
Mescal Bean12-18 4- 6 9 9 8 Glossy foliage; flowering native Spathodea campanulata
Santa Domingo Mahogany10-20 8-12 2 9 2 Showy flowers; tender Tabebuia argenta
Bignonia Tree25-30 6- 8 6 8 6 Tropical flowering tree Tamarindus indica
Tamarind Tree25-35 20-25 3 8 5 Ornamental foliage; acid fruits Tamarix articulata
Evergreen Athel25-40 10-15 8 9 9 Rapid growing; useful windbreak Tamarix gallica
French Salt Cedar10-12 10 9 4 3 Strictly ordinary Tamarix odessana
Plumy Tamarisk6- 8 4- 6 9 9 6 Attractive plumy foliage Taxodium mucronatum*
Mexican Cypress20-40 10-15 9 9 3 Interesting native Terminalia catappa
India Almond18-25 8-12 2 9 5 Ornamental tropical Thespesia populnea
Portia Tree10-20 5- 6 4 9 8 Showy flowering tropical Thevetia nereifolia
Orange flowered Tiger Apple15-25 8-10 6 9 9 Ornamental foliage and flowers Thevetia nereifolia flava
Yellow flowered Tiger Apple15-25 8-10 6 9 9 Ornamental foliage and flowers Thuja orientalis
var. aurea nana
Berckmans Golden Arbor-Vitae6- 8 3 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Thuja orientalis
var. bakeri*
Bakers Arbor-Vitae10-20 3 9 6 6 Limited usefulness Thuja orientalis
var. bonita*
Bonita Arbor-Vitae5- 8 3 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Thuja orientalis
var. beverlyensis*
Beverleys Golden Arbor-Vitae10-18 6- 8 9 9 5 Limited usefulness Thuja orientalis
var. cupressifolia*
Ramseys Hybrid Arbor-Vitae10-20 3- 5 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Thuja orientalis
var. glauca
Texas Blue Arbor-Vitae25-30 12-15 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Thuja orientalis
var. rosedale
Rosedale Arbor-Vitae8 5- 6 9 9 6 Limited usefulness Ulmus alata
Winged Elm18-30 15 9 9 9 Native shade tree Ulmus crassifolia*
Cedar Elm20-40 15 9 9 9 Native shade tree Ulmus pumila
Asiatic; Chinese Elm20-30 15 9 0 0 Unadapted Zizyphus Jujuba
Jujube10-18 6- 8 9 9 5 Ornamental fruiting tree
Ornamentals for the Rio Grande Valley