Really fast trees: these 15 speedsters sprout 2 to 4 feet in a single year - Garden

Sunset, Nov, 2003 by Jim McCausland

At Sunset's annual Celebration Weekend, visitors often ask our garden staff: "Can you recommend a tree that grows really fast?" With that in mind, we figured there were many more readers who might have the same question. So we talked with arborists and horticulturists to learn about the pros and cons of fast-growing trees for each region in the West. The chart on page 59 can help you find a good tree for your garden.

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Illustrations by Mimi Osborne

Most trees grow fastest when they're young, then slow down as they mature. In mild areas of the West, plant early this month; in cold-winter areas, wait until the ground thaws in early spring.

Throughout the year, nurseries offer balled-and-burlapped or container-grown stock. In late winter or early spring, they may offer bare-root stock (trees without any soil around the roots); these are cheaper and usually adapt faster to native soil.

15 trees for rapid results

These trees are deciduous unless noted. Expect them to grow about
2 feet per year or more as noted. However, growth rates can vary
from zone to zone and garden to garden. Zones (below) refer to
Sunset climate zones, which are detailed in the Western Garden Book.

Common name (Botanical name)  Height/width         Zones

'Accolade' elm                70 ft./45 ft.        2A-9, 14-21
(Ulmus x 'Accolade')


Beefwood, or she-oak          20-35 ft./20-35 ft.  8, 9, 12-24;
(Casuarina stricta)                                H1, H2

Cajeput tree, or              20-40 ft./15-25 ft.  9, 12, 13, 15-17,
paperbark tree                                     20-24
(Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Catalpa (C. speciosa)         40-60 ft./20-40 ft.  2-24

Chitalpa                      20-30 ft./20-30 ft.  3-24
(x C. tashkentensis)

Desert willow                 15-30 ft./10-20 ft.  3B, 7-14, 18-23
(Chilopsis linearis)

Empress tree                  50 ft./40 ft.        4-9, 11-24
(Paulownia tomentosa)

Gold medallion tree           20-25 ft./30 ft.     15, 16, 20-24;
(Cassia leptophylla)                               H1, H2

Green ash                     30-40 ft./30-40 ft.  A2, A3; 1-6
(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Honey locust                  35-70 ft./25-35 ft.  1-16, 18-20
(Gleditsia triacanthos)

Nichol's willow-leafed        36-48 ft./15-36 ft.  5, 6, 8-24;
peppermint                                         H1, H2
(Eucalyptus nicholii)

Peppermint tree               25-35 ft./15-30 ft.  15-17, 20-24
(Agonis flexuosa)

Plains cottonwood             80 ft./50-60 ft.     1-4, 6, 7, 10
(Populus sargentii)

Purple-leaf acacia            20-30 ft./20-30 ft.  8, 9, 13-24
(A. baileyana
'Purpurea')

Silk tree, or mimosa          40 ft./80 ft.        4-23
(Albizia julibrissin)

Common name (Botanical name)  Characteristics

'Accolade' elm                Dark, shiny leaves. Can grow 3 ft. per
(Ulmus x 'Accolade')          year. Shows resistance to Dutch elm
                              disease and elm scale.

Beefwood, or she-oak          Evergreen. Attractive silhouette, with
(Casuarina stricta)           fine-textured branches like pine needles.
                              C. cunninghamiana (often sold as C.
                              stricta) reaches 70 ft. tall, 30 ft. wide.

Cajeput tree, or              Evergreen. Yellowish, pink, or purple
paperbark tree                flowers in summer and fall. White or tan
(Melaleuca quinquenervia)     bark peels off in sheets. Needs little
                              water. Not invasive in California or
                              Arizona.

Catalpa (C. speciosa)         White, trumpet-shaped flowers come in
                              late spring and summer over big,
                              heart-shaped leaves. Grows fastest in
                              mild climates. Brittle wood; aggressive
                              roots.

Chitalpa                      Pink, lavender, or white flowers appear
(x C. tashkentensis)          from spring to fall. Susceptible to
                              verticillium wilt in cool climates.

Desert willow                 Orchidlike burgundy to white flowers
(Chilopsis linearis)          appear all summer among willowy leaves.
                              Grows 3 ft. per year. Seedpods hang on
                              through winter and can look messy.

Empress tree        Fragrant, trumpet-shaped purple flowers
(Paulownia tomentosa)         appear in spring, followed by large,
                              heart-shaped leaves. Can grow 4 ft. per
                              year with good soil, water, plenty of sun.

Gold medallion tree           Nearly evergreen, Fast, shapely growth if
(Cassia leptophylla)          pruned to a single trunk; otherwise low,
                              spreading form. Deep yellow flower spikes
                              bloom heavily in summer.

Green ash                     'Marshall', 'Patmore', 'Prairie Spire'
(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)      are best bets for intermountain zones.
                              Good leafy shade trees; some have
                              yellow or bronze fall color. Needs
         regular water.

Honey locust                  Airy, fernlike foliage, but trunk is
(Gleditsia triacanthos)       thorny and seedpods are messy. Choose
                              the pyramidal 'Skyline' or upright
                              'Shademaster', both of which grow 3-4
         ft. per year.

Nichol's willow-leafed        Evergreen. Graceful, open form with
peppermint                    reddish brown bark. Narrow leaves that
(Eucalyptus nicholii)         exude peppermint scent when crushed.
                              Hardy enough for coastal Northwest.

Peppermint tree               Evergreen. Willowy leaves smell like
(Agonis flexuosa)             peppermint when crushed. Abundant white
                              flowers come in late spring. Spreading
                              form; prune to maintain pleasing look.

Plains cottonwood             Can grow 3 ft. per year in youth.
(Populus sargentii)           Pyramidal when young, rounded with age.
                              Keep its invasive roots away from sewage
                              and water lines.

Purple-leaf acacia       Feathery leaves turn from purplish to
(A. baileyana                 blue-gray as they age. A profusion of
'Purpurea')                   yellow flowers appears from early to
                              midwinter. Needs little water.

Silk tree, or mimosa          Pink powder-puff flowers appear in summer
(Albizia julibrissin)         among finely cut leaves. Brittle branches
                              break in snow. Needs regular water for
                              fast growth.