Zone 9 Trees

Vitex agnus-castus

Chaste Tree

Family Verbenaceae

SelecTree. UFEI. “Vitex agnus-castus Tree Record.” 1995-2022. Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. Accessed on Jul 19, 2022.
< https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/1464 >

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 2’ – 5’ 
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Low
  • USDA zones: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Very Alkaline
  • Soil salinity tolerance: Good Inland 
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 15 feet
  • Canopy width: 15-20 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
  • Flower color: Blue or Lavender
  • Flowering: Summer or Fall
  • Fruit: Small Black Drupe
  • Fruiting: Summer or Fall 
  • Litter: Dry Fruit

Site Consideration 

Streetscape, Screen, and Tree Specimen

Acca sellowiana ‘Coolidge’

Coolidge Pineapple Guava

Family Myrtaceae

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 5’ – 10’ 
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Low
  • USDA zones: 8, 9, 10, 11
  • Sun exposure: Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Very Alkaline
  • Salt spray tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Evergreen
  • Maximum height: 25 feet
  • Canopy width: 18 – 25 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy
  • Flower color: Purple or Red or White
  • Flowering: Spring or Summer
  • Fruit: Large Gray or Green Berry
  • Fruiting: Fall or Winter
  • Fruit value: Edible
  • Litter: Wet Fruit

Site Consideration 

Hedge, Screen, and Tree

Quercus suber

Cork Oak

Family Fagaceae

Photos taken at Cal Poly Campus – San Luis Obispo, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, Davis, CA, Sonoma, CA, Balboa Park – San Diego, CA, Sacramento, CA and Quail Arboretum – Encinitas, CA by M. Ritter, W. Mark, J. Reimer

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 10’ 
  • Root Damage Potential : Moderate
  • SelecTree Water Use: Low
  • USDA zones: 8, 9, 10
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Very Alkaline
  • Soil salinity tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: No

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Evergreen
  • Maximum height: 70 feet
  • Canopy width: 70 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24-36 in/year
  • Flowers: Inconspicuous
  • Flowering: Spring
  • Fruiting: Fall or Winter
  • Litter: Acorn

Site Consideration 

Streetscape, Tree Specimen

Cedrus deodara

Deodar Cedar

Family Pinaceae

Photos taken at Fresno, CA, Huntington Botanical Gardens – San Marino, CA, Strybing Arboretum – San Francisco, CA, Bakersfield, CA, Los Altos, CA, Stanford University – Palo Alto, CA and UC Santa Cruz Arboretum – Santa Cruz, CA by M. Ritter, W. Mark, J. Reimer, C. Stubler

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 10’ 
  • Root Damage Potential : Moderate
  • SelecTree Water Use: Medium
  • USDA zones: 7, 8, 9
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Very Alkaline
  • Soil salinity tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: No

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Conical
  • Foliage type: Evergreen
  • Maximum height: 60 feet
  • Canopy width: 20-30 feet
  • Growth rate: ~36 in/year
  • Flowers: Fragrant
  • Flowering: Fall
  • Fruiting: Spring
  • Litter: Large Green and Brown Cone

Site Consideration 

Parkland, Wildland, Tree Specimen

Parkinsonia x ‘Desert Museum’

Desert Museum Palo Verde

Family Fabaceae

Photos taken at Pasadena, CA, Huntington Botanical Gardens – San Marino, CA, Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo, CA and UC Davis, Davis, CA by M. Ritter, J. Reimer

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 2’ – 5’ 
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Very Low
  • USDA zones: 6, 7, 8, 9
  • Sun exposure: Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Neutral to Very Alkaline
  • Soil salinity tolerance: Inland Good 
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 20 feet
  • Canopy width: 20-25 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24-36 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
  • Flower color: Yellow
  • Flowering: Spring or Summer
  • Fruit: Large Brown Legume
  • Fruiting: Fall 
  • Litter: Dry Fruit

Site Consideration 

Streetscape, Screen, and Tree Specimen

Chilopsis linearis

Desert Willow

Family Bignoniaceae

Photos taken at UC Davis – Davis, CA, Palm Springs, CA, Los Angeles County Arboretum – Arcadia, CA, Cal Poly Leaning Pine Arboretum – San Luis Obispo, CA and Albuquerque BioPark – Rio Grande Botanic Gardenby Robert O’Brien, M. Ritter, W. Mark, J. Reimer

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 2’-5’
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Very Low
  • USDA zones: 8, 9
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand
  • Soil pH: Neutral to Very Alkaline
  • Salt spray tolerance: Low
  • Powerline friendly: No

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 30 feet
  • Canopy width: 10-20 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24-36 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
  • Flower color: Purple or Pink or Red or White
  • Flowering: Spring or Summer
  • Fruit: Brown Capsule
  • Fruiting: Fall 
  • Fruit value: Wildlife use it
  • Litter: Dry Fruit

Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’

Natchez Hybrid Crape Myrtle

Family Lythraceae

Photos taken at Dallas Arboretum – Dallas, TX, Cohn Arboretum – Baton Rouge, LA, Independence Park Botanic Garden – Baton Rouge, LA, River Banks Botanical Garden – Columbia, SC and The National Arboretum – Washington, DC by W. Mark, J. Reimer, C. Stubler

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 5’-10’
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Medium
  • USDA zones: 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Slightly Alkaline
  • Salt spray tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded or Vase
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 25 feet
  • Canopy width: 15-25 feet
  • Growth rate: ~12-24 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy
  • Flower color: White
  • Flowering: Summer
  • Litter: Dry Fruit Capsules

Site Consideration 

 Screen, Tree Specimen

Lagerstroemia indica ‘Powhatan’

Powhatan Crape Myrtle

Family Lythraceae

Photos taken at The National Arboretum – Washington, DC by C. Stubler, J. Reimer, W. Mark

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 2 – 5’
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Very Low
  • USDA zones: 7, 8, 9
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Slightly Alkaline
  • Salt spray tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 20 feet
  • Canopy width: 8 – 12 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy
  • Flower color: Purple or Pink
  • Flowering: Summer
  • Litter: Dry Fruit Capsules

Site Consideration 

Hedge, Screen, and Tree

Lagerstroemia ‘Seminole’

Seminole Crape Myrtle

Family Lythraceae

Photos taken at Independence Park Botanic Garden – Baton Rouge, LA and The National Arboretum – Washington, DC by Robert O’Brien, C. Stubler, J. Reimer, W. Mark

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 2’-5’ 
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Very Low
  • USDA zones: 7, 8, 9
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Slightly Alkaline
  • Salt spray tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded or Vase
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 15 feet
  • Canopy width: 6-15 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy
  • Flower color: Pink
  • Flowering: Summer
  • Litter: Dry Fruit Capsules

Site Consideration 

Screen,  Tree Specimen

Olea europaea ‘Swan Hill’

Swan Hill Olive

Family Oleaceae

Photos taken at San Diego, City of – San Diego, CA by DeLorenzo Inc.

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 5’ – 10’ 
  • Root Damage Potential: Moderate
  • SelecTree Water Use: Low
  • USDA zones:  8, 9, 10
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam, Sand, or Clay
  • Soil pH: Slightly Acidic  to Very Alkaline
  • Soil salinity tolerance: Coastal Moderate 
  • Powerline friendly: No

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Evergreen
  • Maximum height: 30 feet
  • Canopy width: 25 – 30 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24 in/year
  • Flowers: Inconspicuous
  • Flowering: Spring
  • Fruit: Fruitless
  • Litter: Null

Site Consideration 

Hedge, Screen, and Tree Specimen

Cercis occidentalis

Western Redbud

Family Fabaceae

Photos taken at Leaning Pine Arboretum – Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA, Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo, CA, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Los Angeles County Arboretum – Arcadia, CA and UC Santa Cruz Arboretum – Santa Cruz, CA by Robert O’Brien, D. Lorenzo, J. Smith, M. Ritter, W. Mark, J. Reimer

Site Conditions

  • Planting area: 2’-5’ 
  • Root Damage Potential: Low
  • SelecTree Water Use: Medium
  • USDA zones: 7, 8, 9
  • Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
  • Soil texture: Loam or Sand or Clay
  • Soil pH: Very Acidic to Very Alkaline
  • Salt spray tolerance: Moderate
  • Powerline friendly: Yes

Tree Characteristics

  • Tree Shape: Rounded
  • Foliage type: Deciduous
  • Maximum height: 20 feet
  • Canopy width: 10-20 feet
  • Growth rate: ~24-36 in/year
  • Flowers: Showy
  • Flower color: Purple
  • Flowering: Spring
  • Fruit: Brown Legumes
  • Fruiting: Fall to Summer
  • Fruit value: Wildlife use it
  • Litter: Dry Fruit
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