Tropical looking tree for 8b

[RedRabbit]

I’m a big fan of ficus, Royal poinciana, and other fast growing trees that do well in 9b+. However, it can get down to 15f, freeze for >24hrs, and also hit >105f in the summer so these aren’t going to work. I was considering Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Tipuana tipu, or Ceiba speciosa, but I’m guessing it’s too cold for those too.

What some alternatives I should consider for this climate?

[Chester B]

Albizia julibrissin - go for one of the chocolate varieties

Flamethrower Redbud

Any of the large leaf Magnolias - tripetala, macrophylla, ashei

 

 

[ahosey01]

Maybe try Goeffroea decorticans?  Super hardy, likes water.  Doesn't care a lot about soil. 

Also Aralia spinosa gives tropical vibes but is native to your area.

I second @Chester B on Magnolia macrophylla.  You can also buy some weird colored Vitex in Florida like pink and blue etc....

Also it's not strictly tropical but one of my very most favorite trees that does really well everywhere is Gymnocladus dioicus which has massive bipinnate leaves.

[Silas_Sancona]

Not 100% certain how well they'd tolerate the soil in that part of the state but should handle the winters, most at least...

Leucaena retusa - Golden Leadball Tree.  Gregg's Leadball ( L. greggii ) Tree is a look- alike sister sp. that might do ok, if you can find it..

Myrospermum sousana - Arroyo Sweetwood

Anacua, Ehretia anacua

Aesculus pavona - Red Buckeye ..Aesculus X carnea  produces more and larger flowers than the standard form as well.. Ohio Buckeye is another option worth research..

Catalpa Beautiful option for spring flowers but they can be messy.

X Chitalpa might be worth trialing, though, again, not sure how they'll handle the soil there.. A bit skeptical myself, but is supposedly hardy to -at least- zone 7 < various sources >

Standard Desert Willow ( Chilopsis linearis ) iNat observations of specimens in / near Houston = " trial- worthy " option.

Vachellia rigidula,  spiny, and a slow poke,  but tough and the flower display in the spring is nice.. Fragrant too.. No issues w/ cold or heat..

Texas Ebony ..Beautiful, though there is conflicting info. regarding " absolute " hardiness.. Some sources list it as being hardy to 8B,  while other sources suggest it can be killed outright by long exposure to temps below 20F.. 


Erythrina herbacea  is the hardiest of the Coral Trees, but acts more like a large bush rather than a tree.. Erythrina X bidwillii, and E. crista- galli  would be hardiest of the tree sized sps.  Thought both were tough enough to handle the weirder winters there.  Trial- worthy at the very least.

** Of note: All Erythrina sps are vulnerable to being attacked by stem  / twig borers **


 

[Chester B]

6 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Erythrina X bidwillii,

Mine was killed to the ground this winter, but is coming back from the roots.

 

7 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

X Chitalpa

I've grown these, so probably worth a try

7 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Standard Desert Willow ( Chilopsis linearis )

I see these for sale at most nurseries around here.  Generally its the "bubba" variety.

10 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Myrospermum sousana - Arroyo Sweetwood

I have one of these so they do grow here.

One other tree I thought of, but I'm not sure if its Tropical looking enough - Cordia boissieri (Mexican Olive)

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, Chester B said:

One other tree I thought of, but I'm not sure if its Tropical looking enough - Cordia boissieri  (Mexican Olive)

Pretty tropical looking, esp. in areas where the leaves get big  < Compared to the avrg. leaf size on many specimens here > .. ( Handful of specimens i'd observe regularly in a park in FL. )  Fruit can be quite messy though, but is manageable ... Just don't plant near a house / paved surface ( Can stain )..

Considering they're used as " Highway Trees " in some areas on this side of the valley / probably other areas around town too,  these are about as tough as trees can get.

[ahosey01]

What about some of the hardier Tabebuia??

[Than]

My Erythrina was almost killed to the ground and it is in a sheltered balcony in zone 10a/10b. I would not recommend it for zone 8. 

Another beautiful tree, evergreen and with very tropical look, is Eriobotrya deflexa. It can take very low temperatures as far as I know. Mine grows slowly but it is in a pot; hopefully it will become faster once in the ground.

[5am]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Texas Ebony ..Beautiful, though there is conflicting info. regarding " absolute " hardiness.. Some sources list it as being hardy to 8B,  while other sources suggest it can be killed outright by long exposure to temps below 20F.. 

Texas Ebony is an exceedingly beautiful tree with that standout shade of green and interesting trunk, but I think the other options here are probably better for 8b. The new growth on my 3 year old potted sapling was killed by a windy night that barely reached 32 after a warm spell.  Somewhere along the line I've heard of them growing as far north as Corpus Christi. I have my doubts, but if true, that's where I would try to source one.

[Fusca]

@5am Here's Texas Ebony in 8b Chappell Hill, TX prior to 2021:

[Xenon]

I always liked this huge Peltophorum dubium near town. Probably would've come back from 2021 but the whole place whas reno'ed a few years ago. Jacaranda can be done with dieback in cold years. Ceiba speciosa 100% can be grown here, several huge flowering examples before 2021. Plenty of big Ebenopsis ebano too. 

Cordia boissieri grows exceptionally well here. The City even installed some on Nasa Rd 1. Erythrina crista-galli is fine too 

Lots of options open up if you look at what has been grown before in the past few decades vs hyperfocusing on the last 5 years 

[Silas_Sancona]

31 minutes ago, 5am said:

Texas Ebony is an exceedingly beautiful tree with that standout shade of green and interesting trunk, but I think the other options here are probably better for 8b. The new growth on my 3 year old potted sapling was killed by a windy night that barely reached 32 after a warm spell.  Somewhere along the line I've heard of them growing as far north as Corpus Christi. I have my doubts, but if true, that's where I would try to source one.

Keep in mind, a sapling sized tree -esp. anything that could be lumped under the " subtropical " umbrella- can be much more vulnerable to cold  ( and /or heat ) damage compared to the same tree w/ older aged wood on it..

Have had really small 1-3yr old specimens that would look a bit unhappy after a a few back to back sub 35F mornings mid Jan. here but they bounce back afterwards..

Planted extensively around Tucson, inc. within some of the colder pockets on the east and far south side of town where it can dip below 22F on occasion.. Tops get a bit toasted but also bounce back once it warms up..

Visiting a nursery down there just after this year's regional cold spell, none their short ( under 5ft in height ), 5gal specimens were damaged.. Kept out under open sky in the nursery.  Report from someone i know there confirmed the back to back mornings that bottomed out between 31 and 26F i'd noticed on the nearest neighborhood Wx station at that time ..


 

[ahosey01]

Caesalpinia paraguarensis maybe?

I could do this all day....

[Keys6505]

On 3/3/2025 at 9:38 AM, Chester B said:

Any of the large leaf Magnolias - tripetala, macrophylla, ashei

Have you seen any of these around?  I don't know if they'd handle the heat well in full sun.  The Ashei should be ok because it's small enough for understory, but i believe the other 2 get too big to provide any type of shade.  I also believe they're not super wind-friendly.  I'd love to be proven wrong though, these were some of my favorites when I lived in NJ.  I'm trying a Ashei here but not having great luck, although it is *technically* still alive.

[Chester B]

11 hours ago, Keys6505 said:

Have you seen any of these around?  I don't know if they'd handle the heat well in full sun.  The Ashei should be ok because it's small enough for understory, but i believe the other 2 get too big to provide any type of shade.  I also believe they're not super wind-friendly.  I'd love to be proven wrong though, these were some of my favorites when I lived in NJ.  I'm trying a Ashei here but not having great luck, although it is *technically* still alive.

I haven't seen them but then again I rarely see anything interesting in Houston.  You are correct they need to be sheltered from the wind.  The only one I've seen for sale locally is the ashei.

[happypalms]

Manchurian pear, crepe mrtyle Japanese maple. You could try brachychiton species kurrajong, pecan nut, persimmon tree, a lot of fruit trees can be ornamental. 

[Than]

On 3/7/2025 at 4:44 AM, Keys6505 said:

Have you seen any of these around?  I don't know if they'd handle the heat well in full sun.  The Ashei should be ok because it's small enough for understory, but i believe the other 2 get too big to provide any type of shade.  I also believe they're not super wind-friendly.  I'd love to be proven wrong though, these were some of my favorites when I lived in NJ.  I'm trying a Ashei here but not having great luck, although it is *technically* still alive.

Macrophylla is very common here and takes 100+ F temperatures and strong winds every year. 

[Silas_Sancona]

4 hours ago, Than said:

Macrophylla is very common here and takes 100+ F temperatures and strong winds every year. 

Pictures of specimens??

Highly doubt M. macrophylla  would be widely grown outside where it is native,  esp. anywhere it is both really hot  and fairly dry.. 

A very picky species..

[Than]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Pictures of specimens??

Highly doubt M. macrophylla  would be widely grown outside where it is native,  esp. anywhere it is both really hot  and fairly dry.. 

A very picky species..

OMG this is embarrassing, I was thinking of M. grandiflora. 🫣 Sorry.

[Ben G.]

Have any of you in the Houston area tried Asimina triloba? I think they look fairly tropical with large leaves and large exotic-looking fruit. I grew them in Oklahoma and I have read that they range naturally down into north Florida, but I don't have any idea if they would do well in SE TX or not.

[Silas_Sancona]

21 minutes ago, Than said:

OMG this is embarrassing, I was thinking of M. grandiflora. 🫣 Sorry.

No worries... Had a feeling M. grandiflora  was what you were aiming for, but thought i'd ask because it would be interesting if macrophylla -or any of the other sps in that group-  were being grown beyond the states,  under the radar....

On that note, as mentioned previously in a Magnolia- oriented thread,  those can do ok in CA.  though most i grew up around are long gone now ( pulled due to getting to big for the space allotted / debris < Fruits > / killed by drought )

Forget it here though..  ..Even though you'll see a couple dozen in local Big BX stores here this time of year, yet to see one planted  -anywhere-  locally. 

....with the exception of one i stumbled across in 2017 ..and ugly doesn't come close to how bad it looked..  Even a Charlie Brown X-mas tree would have looked magnificent next to it,  lol..

Reasonably adaptable, but definitely has a limit for how much heat / dry air it will tolerate  ..in this corner of the world at least..

Want a big leaved evergreen tree in a hot desert?  Ficus  ..esp. the 6-9 sps from Western / S.W. Mexico, would be you're option for that..  If you have the space..

[Than]

32 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

No worries... Had a feeling M. grandiflora  was what you were aiming for, but thought i'd ask because it would be interesting if macrophylla -or any of the other sps in that group-  were being grown beyond the states,  under the radar....

On that note, as mentioned previously in a Magnolia- oriented thread,  those can do ok in CA.  though most i grew up around are long gone now ( pulled due to getting to big for the space allotted / debris < Fruits > / killed by drought )

Forget it here though..  ..Even though you'll see a couple dozen in local Big BX stores here this time of year, yet to see one planted  -anywhere-  locally. 

....with the exception of one i stumbled across in 2017 ..and ugly doesn't come close to how bad it looked..  Even a Charlie Brown X-mas tree would have looked magnificent next to it,  lol..

Reasonably adaptable, but definitely has a limit for how much heat / dry air it will tolerate  ..in this corner of the world at least..

Want a big leaved evergreen tree in a hot desert?  Ficus  ..esp. the 6-9 sps from Western / S.W. Mexico, would be you're option for that..  If you have the space..

Hmmmm here they take 42-43C every summer with no issues. But I guess this is breakfast temperatures where you live lol. 

Maybe some Aussie ficus would also do OK there, like macrophylla?

[Silas_Sancona]

4 minutes ago, Than said:

Hmmmm here they take 42-43C every summer with no issues. But I guess this is breakfast temperatures where you live lol. 

Maybe some Aussie ficus would also do OK there, like macrophylla?

It probably has to do w/ the duration on the heat / hot nights, combined w/ our constantly dry air..  Local soils might -or might not- be a detrimental factor too..


No Moreton Bay ( Ficus ) -that i know of / can recall seeing- planted here.  Might have to check a spot that has several sps planted again though..

Non- native Ficus you do see with any regularity here would be F. benjamina,  microcarpa / nitida,  elastica, and benghalensis.. 

Looking at my list again, there are  ...13 regionally native ficus options that can be seen here / have a decent shot at surviving here:  2 that are in almost every local Bot garden / a couple parks here = F. petiolaris var. petiolaris, and F. p. var palmeri, 4 others i've seen for sale ( F. trigonata, pertusa, insipida, and F. p. var. ** brandegeei  < ** = questionable whether or not it is it's own separate species, or a 3rd variety / subspecies of F. petiolaris > ),  ...and 7 others that are  -at the very least-  trial worthy.. ( F. aurea, americana, crocata, obtusifolia, pringlei, citrifolia, and maxima )

If all were easily available, combined w/ the 4 ( at least ) non natives seen, ...that's a lot of Ficus options for a desert fig junky to play around with, ...if they had the space, lol...

[Chester B]

On 3/9/2025 at 12:56 PM, Ben G. said:

Have any of you in the Houston area tried Asimina triloba? I think they look fairly tropical with large leaves and large exotic-looking fruit. I grew them in Oklahoma and I have read that they range naturally down into north Florida, but I don't have any idea if they would do well in SE TX or not.

I have a feeling they would struggle in your area.  Just too dry in the air and the ground.  I grew them in Oregon where we had no summer rain, and not nearly the temps that you do, and they struggled in late summer.  I'd have to deep water and they still would get relatively crispy.  If you had a damper shady spot it might be worth a try.  You need two unrelated trees to get fruit planted fairly close.

I have three here in Houston and I do see them for sale in the garden centers, but we're humid and wet which is what they like.  I just got mine mail order and potted them up, so no experience here yet.  They are still dormant.

[Than]

11 hours ago, Chester B said:

I have a feeling they would struggle in your area.  Just too dry in the air and the ground.  I grew them in Oregon where we had no summer rain, and not nearly the temps that you do, and they struggled in late summer.  I'd have to deep water and they still would get relatively crispy.  If you had a damper shady spot it might be worth a try.  You need two unrelated trees to get fruit planted fairly close.

I have three here in Houston and I do see them for sale in the garden centers, but we're humid and wet which is what they like.  I just got mine mail order and potted them up, so no experience here yet.  They are still dormant.

Mine also died in the summer despite frequently watered. Our summers are very dry.

[Ben G.]

On 3/11/2025 at 1:13 PM, Chester B said:

I have a feeling they would struggle in your area.  Just too dry in the air and the ground.  I grew them in Oregon where we had no summer rain, and not nearly the temps that you do, and they struggled in late summer.  I'd have to deep water and they still would get relatively crispy.  If you had a damper shady spot it might be worth a try.  You need two unrelated trees to get fruit planted fairly close.

I have three here in Houston and I do see them for sale in the garden centers, but we're humid and wet which is what they like.  I just got mine mail order and potted them up, so no experience here yet.  They are still dormant.

Oh, I definitely don't want to plant one here. I only wanted to suggest it as a possibility for the original poster in this thread. I didn't know, but I thought it was possible that pawpaws would do pretty well there in the Houston area. I had five pawpaws in the ground in Eastern Oklahoma where I got twice as much rain as a do here, and the pawpaws still needed lots of water and afternoon shade there.

I have planted a good number of broad leaf evergreens in my yard, but I have focused on species that I have seen doing well here in the San Antonio area. I have loquats, pineapple guava, and satsuma mixed in with my palms. I am hoping to get a Lila avocado this year as well.

I also like growing fruit trees when I have space, so I have an Angel Red pomegranate, a peach tree, a jujube, a fig, and an improved Meyer Lemon.

[ahosey01]

59 minutes ago, Ben G. said:

Oh, I definitely don't want to plant one here. I only wanted to suggest it as a possibility for the original poster in this thread. I didn't know, but I thought it was possible that pawpaws would do pretty well there in the Houston area. I had five pawpaws in the ground in Eastern Oklahoma where I got twice as much rain as a do here, and the pawpaws still needed lots of water and afternoon shade there.

I have planted a good number of broad leaf evergreens in my yard, but I have focused on species that I have seen doing well here in the San Antonio area. I have loquats, pineapple guava, and satsuma mixed in with my palms. I am hoping to get a Lila avocado this year as well.

I also like growing fruit trees when I have space, so I have an Angel Red pomegranate, a peach tree, a jujube, a fig, and an improved Meyer Lemon.

I have long wondered what pretentious and uncreative prick managed to somehow name his brand new cultivar something as boring as..........

"Improved Meyer lemon"

lol

[Chester B]

12 hours ago, Ben G. said:

Oh, I definitely don't want to plant one here. I only wanted to suggest it as a possibility for the original poster in this thread. I didn't know, but I thought it was possible that pawpaws would do pretty well there in the Houston area. I had five pawpaws in the ground in Eastern Oklahoma where I got twice as much rain as a do here, and the pawpaws still needed lots of water and afternoon shade there.

I have planted a good number of broad leaf evergreens in my yard, but I have focused on species that I have seen doing well here in the San Antonio area. I have loquats, pineapple guava, and satsuma mixed in with my palms. I am hoping to get a Lila avocado this year as well.

I also like growing fruit trees when I have space, so I have an Angel Red pomegranate, a peach tree, a jujube, a fig, and an improved Meyer Lemon.

I'm the same I always have some edibles in the mix, but the choices here are more limited due to the extremes.  I can't remember the names of all the varieties but they are southern ones. I currently have:

2 plums - Santa Rosa, and something else'

Nectarine - can't remember

Peach - Can't remember

4 Pineapple guavas - unknown variety

2 Pomegranates - I'm assuming they are Wonderful

Loquat "Gold Nugget"

3 Paw Paws - 2 Collin's Select and a seedling (unknown) type

Bananas - Dwarf Orinoco, Dwarf Namwah, Raja puri and Ice Cream/Blue Java

The citrus faired poorly and the Improved Meyer Lemon and Cara Cara Orange have been killed to just above the graft.  The Silverhill Satsuma defoliated but no branch dieback and is flushing new leaves.

 

Back to original topic

I have seen Bottlebrush trained to a standard form

Longleaf pine looks funky for the first few years before it starts to branch

Desert Museum Palo Verde - some might think its looks tropical, I don't necessarily

Gordlinia grandiflora

 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

Desert Museum Palo Verde - some might think its looks tropical, I don't necessarily

Might survive a colder, -but not atypical-  winter there..  2021 repeat? ..might survive, but sustain lots of damage.

One good hurricane?  Considering how often you see branches / limbs / whole canopy sections snapped off after a good monsoon storm here,  several hours of 80mph+ winds from a Hurricane there would probably  = smashed to pieces, ...if not being completely torn out of the ground, ....which also occurs fairly regularly here..

 

[Chester B]

3 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Might survive a colder, -but not atypical-  winter there..  2021 repeat? ..might survive, but sustain lots of damage.

One good hurricane?  Considering how often you see branches / limbs / whole canopy sections snapped off after a good monsoon storm here,  several hours of 80mph+ winds from a Hurricane there would probably  = smashed to pieces, ...if not being completely torn out of the ground, ....which also occurs fairly regularly here..

 

Good to know, I have no experience with this tree.  I see the regular one for sale around here at a few places, and those thorns are nasty.

[Silas_Sancona]

4 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Good to know, I have no experience with this tree.  I see the regular one for sale around here at a few places, and those thorns are nasty.

Sounds more like Parkinsonia aculeata  rather than X Desert Museum, which is thorn-less..

[Xenon]

15 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

I have long wondered what pretentious and uncreative prick managed to somehow name his brand new cultivar something as boring as..........

"Improved Meyer lemon"

lol

Some of the og meyer lemon scions/cuttings passed around were infected with a virus. Iirc it was triteza virus which is very bad for most other citrus while Meyer lemon was a mostly tolerant carrier. 

The improved part just denotes the micropropagation techniques used to remove the virus and subsequent (re-)"release" of the virus-free "improved" Meyer lemon which is now widley circulated. 

[Xenon]

I don't know why anyone would waste time growing a struggling half-dead pawpaw in Houston when citrus is proven to be 1000x more productive, the rare freeze notwithstanding. Hell even avocados are way more productive with some luck. 

The real (almost) no-effort trinty here is loquat, persimmon, and jujube. 

My 0.02 

[Chester B]

7 minutes ago, Xenon said:

I don't know why anyone would waste time growing a struggling half-dead pawpaw in Houston when citrus is proven to be 1000x more productive, the rare freeze notwithstanding. Hell even avocados are way more productive with some luck. 

The real (almost) no-effort trinty here is loquat, persimmon, and jujube. 

My 0.02 

Well I'm more than willing to give it a go with the Paw Paws.  I really like they way they look and at least I won't have to worry about them come winter time.

I have a loquat and hope to get another variety, all they sell around here is gold nugget and unnamed.  I may have to order one from Oregon.  Persimmon is a definite yes, I have grown them and enjoy the fruit.  Jujube is going to be a no due to the suckering.

[ahosey01]

1 hour ago, Xenon said:

I don't know why anyone would waste time growing a struggling half-dead pawpaw in Houston when citrus is proven to be 1000x more productive, the rare freeze notwithstanding. Hell even avocados are way more productive with some luck. 

The real (almost) no-effort trinty here is loquat, persimmon, and jujube. 

My 0.02 

Is there anywhere in Texas besides Amarillo that Loquat isn't a no-effort rockstar?  There are huge ones down here.

1 hour ago, Xenon said:

Some of the og meyer lemon scions/cuttings passed around were infected with a virus. Iirc it was triteza virus which is very bad for most other citrus while Meyer lemon was a mostly tolerant carrier. 

The improved part just denotes the micropropagation techniques used to remove the virus and subsequent (re-)"release" of the virus-free "improved" Meyer lemon which is now widley circulated. 

Yeah I knew this story I just think it's the most boring and government-y way to name things.  At least nurserymen and florists add a little passion to their names.  Citrus growers are just like "C-190 Trifoliate" and call it a day.  It feels like the citrus version of a gulag inmate ID lol

[Xenon]

19 minutes ago, ahosey01 said:

Is there anywhere in Texas besides Amarillo that Loquat isn't a no-effort rockstar?  There are huge ones down here.

Loquat isn't a reliable fruiting tree north of I-10(ish). The problem is that it flowers in the winter and a hard freeze will knock them out. 

[Xenon]

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

Well I'm more than willing to give it a go with the Paw Paws.  I really like they way they look and at least I won't have to worry about them come winter time.

I have a loquat and hope to get another variety, all they sell around here is gold nugget and unnamed.  I may have to order one from Oregon.  Persimmon is a definite yes, I have grown them and enjoy the fruit.  Jujube is going to be a no due to the suckering.

Winter is unpredictable but summer is guaranteed to roast the poor pawpaws alive. Combine that with the alkaline soil and tap water to torture them more. Still waiting for someone to have major success with pawpaw here, people always say they beat the odds but never post anything more than little sticks they managed to keep alive for a year or two. There are photos of big mango and star fruit trees in Houston and yet not a single pawpaw LOL

I don't think a bad loquat exists. Some of the random seedlings around make phenomenal fruit imo. 

[Chester B]

7 hours ago, Xenon said:

Winter is unpredictable but summer is guaranteed to roast the poor pawpaws alive. Combine that with the alkaline soil and tap water to torture them more. Still waiting for someone to have major success with pawpaw here, people always say they beat the odds but never post anything more than little sticks they managed to keep alive for a year or two. There are photos of big mango and star fruit trees in Houston and yet not a single pawpaw LOL

I don't think a bad loquat exists. Some of the random seedlings around make phenomenal fruit imo. 

Well I guess I'll find out.  I can't return them so I have to give it a shot.  I'm surprised you say they do poorly considering they are native to East Texas.

[Swolte]

On 3/3/2025 at 11:47 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

X Chitalpa might be worth trialing, though, again, not sure how they'll handle the soil there.. A bit skeptical myself, but is supposedly hardy to -at least- zone 7 < various sources >

xChitalpa do good here. They don't get as full as in milder climates but it actually makes for a great 'overstory' tree leaving enough sunlight for under-plantings. No problem with the droughts or extreme cold. I have several varieties.

 

On 3/3/2025 at 11:47 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

Texas Ebony ..Beautiful, though there is conflicting info. regarding " absolute " hardiness.. Some sources list it as being hardy to 8B,  while other sources suggest it can be killed outright by long exposure to temps below 20F.. 

No dice. I tried a few and so have friends of mine. Winters do it in (then again, we have moved from 8b to 8a the past few years). I think I may have seen one specimen popping out from under a bridge in college station but nowhere else in the area.

 

On 3/3/2025 at 11:47 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

Erythrina herbacea  is the hardiest of the Coral Trees, but acts more like a large bush rather than a tree.. Erythrina X bidwillii, and E. crista- galli  would be hardiest of the tree sized sps.  Thought both were tough enough to handle the weirder winters there.  Trial- worthy at the very least.

Hebacea indeed more like bush here. Does return reliably from cold events. The Bidwillii is also reliable (wonderful plant) but it simply does not make it into a tree as it gets frozen down to the ground every winter. The Crista-galli won't make it. I tried it twice. They had a large one at Peckerwood that didn't make it through some of the cold events (even pre-2021).

Great thread with excellent suggestions. I'll respond to some more later (kids call...)

One that is missing is Firmiana simplex.

~ S

 

[amh]

19 hours ago, Chester B said:

Well I guess I'll find out.  I can't return them so I have to give it a shot.  I'm surprised you say they do poorly considering they are native to East Texas.

Avoid afternoon sun and watch out for Dolba hyloeus caterpillars. You will need to water the trees for the first year, but if you get more than 20 inches of rain per year, you will be fine.

The biggest issues is that pawpaws will leaf out around April, so there will be a short growing season before summer hits.