Tall Tropical Looking trees for athens?

[JimFit]

Hi everyone,

I’m based in Athens, Greece, and I wonder if there are trees that can be planted inside the city — like Eucalyptus, that are tall and lush with a tropical vibe, like they did on Orchard Road in Singapore with the impressive Narra trees. I am trying to create a render of a big road that has the potential to be transformed into something that looks like Orchard Road.

While we obviously don’t have Singapore’s rainfall or humidity, I believe Athens has great untapped potential for this style, especially with supplemental irrigation. Our climate is hot and dry in summer, but winters are mild — temperatures rarely dip below 5°C ( it's usually 8–14°C in winter months). Rainfall is around 400–500 mm/year, but that’s not an issue thanks to available irrigation.

I’ve done a lot of research on trees surviving in Arizona, and I’m impressed by how many tropical or tropical-looking trees actually thrive in low-rainfall, sunny climates if given some water. I’m now looking for tall trees (10m+) with a tropical silhouette — spreading canopies, lush compound or glossy foliage, anything that gives the feel of the tropics.

I’ve already looked into:

• Albizia lebbeck, Khaya senegalensis, Albizia sinaloensis

• Also palms, but this time I'm more focused on canopy-forming trees

What would you plant in Athens if you wanted a lush, tropical, tall-lined boulevard effect?

Any lesser-known species from tropical dry zones or surprising survivors from hot-summer areas (like Phoenix, Tucson, etc.)?

Thanks in advance — I’d love to hear your suggestion!

P.S Chatgpt and ai in general didn't help, it lists the same trees over and over again

[JimFit]

forgot to mention that i am looking trees like tipuana, ficus, Albizia sinaloensis, trees that are big and create a lush canopy, i don't know if there are more, someone from Arizona can help me (we have almost the same climate)

[Jonathan]

An obvious candidate that springs to my mind is Ficus rubiginosa. This is an extremely tough species, grows all over eastern Australia from southern NSW to Cape York...right on the coast to hundreds of km inland. Temperatures can range from at least -5c to around 45.

I've seen these trees clinging to vertical rock faces in the Warrumbungle range in central NSW, see climate statistics Here for the nearby town of Coonabarabran. Spent the coldest night camping that I can ever remember in that national park a couple of winters ago! 

I'd be very surprised if this species isn't already pretty common in cultivation in Greece.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

4 hours ago, JimFit said:

forgot to mention that i am looking trees like tipuana, ficus, Albizia sinaloensis, trees that are big and create a lush canopy, i don't know if there are more, someone from Arizona can help me (we have almost the same climate)

Very vague similarities between the two areas..  Quick look at Athen's climate = more closely alligned w/ parts of S. Cal than here in AZ. 

As far as trees?  First thing you'll need to take into account is space.. How much their root zones will have..  Stuff huge trees into a tiny amount of space = costly future disaster.

2nd thing to consider:  do you want a strictly monoculturistic look, or some diversity among the desired landscape.. IE: Groups of say evergreen Ficus broken up by groups of something that flowers ..and/ or might be deciduous at certain times of the year.. 

Obviously, trees like Eucalyptus come with hazards ( many can drop branches in storms / if severely stressed by drought,  etc )  ..can present fire hazards due to the foliage being flammable, etc..

A 60ft tall X 60ft wide Ficus might be stronger in storms, but it's roots ( Which will spread -at least- 2X's the tree's canopy width ) can destroy surrounding hardscapes / underground utility / water / sewer infrastructure..   ...And no, lol.. root barriers don't work to contain them.. 

Tree wise, aside from anything already being utilized in the hort trade there, that comes from the Americas, would focus your list of any  interesting  new  candidate species to those from that region of the world, with the added layer of noting those sps. that will take * potentially * warmer / not quite as reliably stable rainfall conditions in the future. 

As long as there is space for them, Ficus sps from Africa, India and /or Aus. could work if that is the kind of look you're after with this project..  

Lots of flowering stuff from those areas that will handle the occasional dips below 32F as well. 

Not sure if it is grown there but Calodendrum capense ( Cape Chestnut < S. Africa > ) is a beautiful, large- leaved  tree that can get quite large, and puts on a really attention getting flower display each year. 

While many descriptions of it suggest it will drop all of it's leaves in the winter,  have seen fully evergreen specimens.

https://sbbeautiful.org/cape-chestnut-calodendrum-capense/
 

[JimFit]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Very vague similarities between the two areas..  Quick look at Athen's climate = more closely alligned w/ parts of S. Cal than here in AZ. 

As far as trees?  First thing you'll need to take into account is space.. How much their root zones will have..  Stuff huge trees into a tiny amount of space = costly future disaster.

2nd thing to consider:  do you want a strictly monoculturistic look, or some diversity among the desired landscape.. IE: Groups of say evergreen Ficus broken up by groups of something that flowers ..and/ or might be deciduous at certain times of the year.. 

Obviously, trees like Eucalyptus come with hazards ( many can drop branches in storms / if severely stressed by drought,  etc )  ..can present fire hazards due to the foliage being flammable, etc..

A 60ft tall X 60ft wide Ficus might be stronger in storms, but it's roots ( Which will spread -at least- 2X's the tree's canopy width ) can destroy surrounding hardscapes / underground utility / water / sewer infrastructure..   ...And no, lol.. root barriers don't work to contain them.. 

Tree wise, aside from anything already being utilized in the hort trade there, that comes from the Americas, would focus your list of any  interesting  new  candidate species to those from that region of the world, with the added layer of noting those sps. that will take * potentially * warmer / not quite as reliably stable rainfall conditions in the future. 

As long as there is space for them, Ficus sps from Africa, India and /or Aus. could work if that is the kind of look you're after with this project..  

Lots of flowering stuff from those areas that will handle the occasional dips below 32F as well. 

Not sure if it is grown there but Calodendrum capense ( Cape Chestnut < S. Africa > ) is a beautiful, large- leaved  tree that can get quite large, and puts on a really attention getting flower display each year. 

While many descriptions of it suggest it will drop all of it's leaves in the winter,  have seen fully evergreen specimens.

https://sbbeautiful.org/cape-chestnut-calodendrum-capense/
 

Thanks! The reason I mentioned Arizona instead of California is because Arizona gets hotter than California, its winter temperatures are higher, and the air is dry, like in Athens summers. For example, Delonix regia (Royal Poinciana) thrives in Arizona, whereas in Los Angeles, it has been planted but often looks poor.

I asked ChatGPT to suggest some tall African trees from the savanna region or North Africa. While it did provide some trees, they didn’t resemble Narra trees. I actually found more useful information on this site. etc i didn’t even know that Albizia sinaloensis existed, and that it can survive with the precipitation levels of Athens. That’s why I opened this thread—maybe there are trees I don’t know about yet!

[JimFit]

3 hours ago, Jonathan said:

An obvious candidate that springs to my mind is Ficus rubiginosa. This is an extremely tough species, grows all over eastern Australia from southern NSW to Cape York...right on the coast to hundreds of km inland. Temperatures can range from at least -5c to around 45.

I've seen these trees clinging to vertical rock faces in the Warrumbungle range in central NSW, see climate statistics Here for the nearby town of Coonabarabran. Spent the coldest night camping that I can ever remember in that national park a couple of winters ago! 

I'd be very surprised if this species isn't already pretty common in cultivation in Greece.

 

It's a great, fast-growing, tropical-looking tree. The problem is that its roots grow shallow, and I'm not really a fan of dark green leaves — I think they make the space feel darker!

[JimFit]

Let me clarify my question: I'm not looking for a monoculture, but rather a series of tall trees that can be planted along a street (take Orchard Road as an example). They should have a tropical appearance, like Ficus or Acacia — massive and imposing.

P.S. These Eucalyptus globulus trees are over 10 meters tall in that small space, and their roots do not damage the sidewalk!

[Silas_Sancona]

3 minutes ago, JimFit said:

Thanks! The reason I mentioned Arizona instead of California is because Arizona gets hotter than California, its winter temperatures are higher, and the air is dry, like in Athens summers. For example, Delonix regia (Royal Poinciana) thrives in Arizona, whereas in Los Angeles, it has been planted but often looks poor.

I asked ChatGPT to suggest some tall African trees from the savanna region or North Africa. While it did provide some trees, they didn’t resemble Narra trees. I actually found more useful information on this site. etc i didn’t even know that Albizia sinaloensis existed, and that it can survive with the precipitation levels of Athens. That’s why I opened this thread—maybe there are trees I don’t know about yet!

AI,  Chat ( Cheater's ) gpt  ....whatever the heck that stuff is called = garbage source(s) for information on ..anything..   One of those " make it easy " things very lazy people use instead of doing actual research. 

Plenty of Delonix regia in CA  ..Yes, mainly S. Cal. though.  ...but they look great, majority anyway..  More long term specimens of that species growing out there than here in AZ atm as well..

Forget  *Pseudalbizzia, the correct name for that species now,  sinaloensis..    Barely in cultivation here.  Not a chance it would be cultivated outside this part of the world.   

 Numerous other Albizia ( Albizia = Now only includes species from the old world continents )  from that side of the world that can reach similar height though. 

Athens' summers may be dry,  < " dry " used as a general term,  >  but your humidity levels are -on average- a bit higher than here, except during our Monsoon Season, unless quite dry itself..  Arizona yearly average humidity = 36%.  Athens, Greece yearly average humidity level = 60%   = sizable difference.

Whatever you choose, good luck..

[JimFit]

18 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

AI,  Chat ( Cheater's ) gpt  ....whatever the heck that stuff is called = garbage source(s) for information on ..anything..   One of those " make it easy " things very lazy people use instead of doing actual research. 

Plenty of Delonix regia in CA  ..Yes, mainly S. Cal. though.  ...but they look great, majority anyway..  More long term specimens of that species growing out there than here in AZ atm as well..

Forget  *Pseudalbizzia, the correct name for that species now,  sinaloensis..    Barely in cultivation here.  Not a chance it would be cultivated outside this part of the world.   

 Numerous other Albizia ( Albizia = Now only includes species from the old world continents )  from that side of the world that can reach similar height though. 

Athens' summers may be dry,  < " dry " used as a general term,  >  but your humidity levels are -on average- a bit higher than here, except during our Monsoon Season, unless quite dry itself..  Arizona yearly average humidity = 36%.  Athens, Greece yearly average humidity level = 60%   = sizable difference.

Whatever you choose, good luck..

 I had the impression tha Poiciana loves hotter places like Arizona Cairo, i googled Pociana in California and i didn't get any image and i remember a street in LA with poiciana that look nothing like this in Arizona and Cairo ,lush and big 
 

 

Do you have other trees to suggest for athens that look tropical?

 

Albizia Amara kai Albizia kalkora look promising for athens!