TABLE 2. TREES

Name Mature Size Cold Hardiness Adaptability Desirability Notes
Height feet Spread feet
Acacia Baileyana
Robin’s Egg Blue Acacia
0- 8 4- 6 8 1 0 Special soil requirements
Acacia cultriformis
Crowded Leaf Acacia
6- 8 4- 6 9 9 9 Valuable ornamental foliage
Acacia decurrens
Green Wattle
10-15 4- 6 9 4 1 Unadapted
Acacia delanthus
African Acacia
10-15 4- 6 9 4 1 Unadapted
Acacia Farnesiana
Huisache
18-30 15-29 9 9 9 Valuable native flowering tree
Acacia longifolia
var. floribunda
Flowering Acacia
10-15 4- 6 9 7 4 Unadapted
Acacia Greggii
Long Fld. Catsclaw
8-10 4- 5 9 9 0 Too thorny; undesirable
Acacia Roemeriana
Round Fld. Catsclaw
6- 8 4- 5 9 9 5 Useful in droughty locations
Acacia Wrightii
Tree Catsclaw
25-35 10-15 9 9 9 Valuable native tree
Acer argutum
Silver Maple
20-25 10-15 9 0 0 Unadapted
Acer saccharinum
Soft Maple
80-90 15-25 9 0 0 Unadapted
Albizzia Julibrissin
Powder Puff Tree
4- 8 2- 3 9 8 4 Slow growing; deciduous
Albizzia Lebbek
Woman’s Tongue Tree
20-35 10-15 2 9 9 Cassia-like tree
Aleurites Fordii
Tung Oil Tree
10-25 8-10 6 0 0 Unadapted
Amyris madrensis
Torchwood
6-15 2- 5 9 9 9 Desirable native tree
Araucaria excelsa
Norfolk Island Pine
20-25 4- 8 6 8 9 Very showy specimen tree
Araucaria araucana
Monkeypuzzle Tree
30-50 15-18 9 9 9 Interesting cone-bearing tree
Arbutus Unedo
Strawberry Tree
12-15 8-10 9 7 3 Very slow growing
Averrhoa Bilimbi
Sweet Carambola
8-12 4- 6 2 6 5 Interesting, but lacks vigor
Averrhoa Carambola
Pickle Tree
8-12 4- 6 2 6 5 Interesting, but lacks vigor
Bauhinia variegata
var. candida
White flowered Orchid Tree
15-30 10-15 5 9 9 Very showy white flowers
Bauhinia Galpini
Red flowered Orchid Tree
8-10 3- 6 3 9 1 Lacks vigor
Bauhinia purpurea
Purple flowered Orchid Tree
15-30 5-10 5 9 9 Not a profuse bloomer
Bauhinia tomentosa
Yellow flowered Orchid Tree
8-10 3- 6 0 9 1 Lacks vigor
Bauhinia trianda
Pink flowered Orchid Tree
15-30 10-15 5 9 9 Numerous pink flowers
Bixa Orellana
Annatto
10-15 8 5 2 0 Short lived
Bumelia lanuginosa*
Chittamwood
15 15 9 9 9 Attractive native tree
Bumelia Schottii
Como
15-20 15-18 9 9 9 Very desirable native tree
Calliandra hemaetocephala
Calliandra
10-20 8-10 7 9 6 Showy flowering tree
Callistemon lanceolatus
Weeping Bottlebrush
6-10 2- 3 9 9 9 Useful tall growing type
Callistemon rigidus
Rigid Bottlebrush
6-10 3- 4 9 9 9 Very desirable, dense type
Caragana arborescens
Siberian Pea-Tree
15-20 8-10 9 0 0 Unadapted
Carica Papaya
Papaya
10-25 3- 6 3 9 9 Ornamental tropical fruit tree
Carya Pecan
Pecan
20-40 15-20 9 6 9 Excellent deciduous shade tree
Cassia Fistula
Golden Shower
10-20 6- 8 4 6 4 Well adapted, but tender
Cassia grandis
Grand Shower
8-15 6- 8 4 6 4 Well adapted, but tender
Cassia nodosa
Pink Shower
6- 8 5- 6 2 4 4 Well adapted; very tender
Cassia laevigata
Smooth Senna
10-20 3- 4 9 9 7 Hardy flowering plant
Cassia splendida
Showy Senna
6- 8 5- 6 7 9 9 Very attractive native plant
Cassia tomentosa
Wooly Senna
10-15 5- 6 9 9 9 Very attractive native plant
Casuarina Cunninghamiana
Cunningham Beefwood
25-50 10-15 7 9 9 Pyramidal, pine-like tree
Cassuarina equisetifolia
Horsetail Casuarina
25-50 10-15 5 4 3 Useful on saline soils
Casuarina glauca
Australian Pine
25-50 10-15 6 4 3 Less attractive than others
Casuarina lepidophloia
Hardy Australian Pine
25-50 10-15 7 9 9 Most desirable type
Casuarina montana
Australian Pine
25-50 10-15 6 4 3 Unattractive
Catalpa bignonioides
Catalpa
18-25 15 9 5 5 Difficult to grow
Catalpa Bungei
Manchurian Catalpa
18-20 15 9 1 2 Unadapted
Catalpa speciosa
Western Catalpa
18-25 15 9 2 2 Unadapted
Cedrus Deodora
Deodor Cedar
15-30 10-15 9 9 9 Very desirable conifer
Ceiba pentandra
Kapok
18-20 8-10 6 4 3 Interesting tropical plant
Celtis laevigata
Southern Hackberry
25-35 15-20 9 9 5 Strictly ordinary
Ceratonia Siliqua
Carob
15-20 12-15 9 9 7 Thrives in heavy soils
Cercidium floridum
Palo Verde
15-20 10 9 9 8 Graceful, flowering native
Cercidium texanum
Texas Palo Verde
10-15 10 9 9 2 Dwarf; very thorny
Cercis canadensis
Redbud
8-10 2- 5 9 9 6 Desirable flowering plant
Chilopsis linearis
Desert Willow
15-25 8-15 9 9 7 Flowering, willow-like native
Chrysophyllum oliviforme
Star Apple
15-20 8-10 4 5 5 Attractive foliage
Cinnamomum Camphora
Camphor Tree
15-20 12-15 9 9 9 Attractive light green foliage
Citrus mitis
Calamondin
20-30 8-10 9 9 9 Ornamental fruit and foliage
Cochlospermum vitifolium
Buttercup Acacia
10-15 8-10 7 3 3 Occasionally successful
Condalia obovata
Brasil
15-20 12-15 9 9 9 Dense, bright green foliage
Cordia Boisseri
Anacahuita
10-15 8-10 9 9 9 Continuous profusion showy flowers
Cordia Sebestena
Geiger Tree
8-15 6-10 4 6 7 Showy flowering tree
Couroupita guianensis
Cannon Ball Tree
20-30 15-18 1 0 0 Unadapted
Cornus florida
White flowered Dogwood
10-15 5- 6 9 1 1 Unadapted
Cornus florida
var. rubra*
Pink flowered Dogwood
10-15 5- 6 9 1 1 Unadapted
Crescentia alata
Small Fruited Calabash
15-20 8-10 1 6 2 Too tender for general use
Crescentia Cujete
Large Fruited Calabash
15-20 8-10 1 5 2 Too tender for general use
Cupressus arizonica
Arizona Cypress
15-20 15-20 9 9 6 Usually rather short lived
Cupressus lusitanica
Portuguese Cypress
12-15 10-12 9 9 7 Well adapted; compact
Cupressus sempervirens
var. horizontalis*
Horizontal Italian Cypress
15-20 10-12 9 7 6 Limited usefulness
Cupressus sempervirens
var. stricta
Royal Italian Cypress
20-30 2- 6 9 7 6 Limited usefulness
Cupressus tortulosa
Rhutan Cypress
15-20 15 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Daubentonia Tripetii
Red flowered Sesbania
20 2 9 9 7 Showy, deciduous flowering tree
Delonix regia
Royal Poinciana
15-35 15-25 2 9 8 Showy flowering tropical
Diospyros Kaki
Japanese Persimmon
15-20 10 9 9 5 Valuable for showy fruits
Diospyros texanum
Texas Persimmon; Chapote
8-10 4- 5 9 9 9 Small native fruit tree
Diospyros virginiana
Wild Persimmon
15-20 8 9 9 4 Rapid growing; deciduous *Not grown on the Experiment Station.
Dovyalis caffra
Kei Apple
15-20 8-15 7 9 7 Glossy-green, thorny tree
Ehretia anacua
Anacua
15-20 8-10 9 9 9 Attractive, flowering native
Eriobotrya japonica
Loquat
8-18 8-10 9 9 8 Ornamental leaves and fruit
Erythrina Cristi-galli
Brazilian Coral Tree
15-18 8-10 9 9 8 Very slow growing
Erythrina herbacea
var. arborea
Native Coral Tree
8-10 4- 6 8 9 8 Odd-flowering, native
Esenbeckia Ivunyonii
Esenbeckia
10-15 5 9 9 8 Rare, citrus-like native
Eucalyptus algeriensis
Algerian Eucalyptus
35-50 10-15 9 9 7 Tall; rapid growing
Eucalyptus crucis
Silver Eucalyptus
35-50 10-15 9 0 2 Unadapted
Eucalyptus ficifolia
Scarlet Eucalyptus
10-20 8-10 7 3 5 Difficult to grow
Eucalyptus globulus
Blue Gum
50-60 15-20 5 5 5 Large; tender
Eucalyptus rostrata
Creek; Red Gum
35-50 10-15 7 5 6 Limited usefulness
Eucalyptus tereticornis*
Gray Gum
40-50 10-15 7 6 6 Few lower limbs
Eucalyptus viminalis
Manna Gum
35-50 10-15 8 7 7 Useful roadside tree
Eugenia Jambos
Malabar Plum
12-18 8-10 4 9 5 Attractive foliage; tender
Ficus benghalensis
Banyan Tree
20-30 20-30 3 9 9 Tropical foliage plant
Flacourtia indica
Governors Plum
15-20 10-15 5 9 8 Attractive fruiting tree
Fortunella crassifolia
Melwa Kumquat
4- 5 4 9 9 8 Ornamental fruit and foliage
Fortunella japonica
Marumi Kumquat
5- 6 4 9 9 8 Ornamental fruit and foliage
Fortunella margarita
Nagami Kumquat
6-10 4 9 9 8 Ornamental fruit and foliage
Fraxinus Berlandierana
Mexican; Rio Grande Ash
20-25 18-20 9 8 5 Strictly ordinary
Fraxinus velutina
Velvet; Arizona Ash
20-25 18-20 9 9 5 Deciduous shade tree
Ginkgo biloba
Maidenhair Tree
40-50 20-30 9 2 0 Unadapted
Gleditsia triacanthos
Honest Locust
20-30 8-10 9 9 0 Too thorny to be desirable
Grevillea robusta
Silk Oak
20-30 8-10 9 9 9 Very showy tropical tree
Helietta parvifolia
Barretta
5- 6 2- 3 9 9 7 Dwarf citrus-like native
Hibiscus tiliaceus
Mahoe
20-30 10-12 6 7 7 Showy flowering tropical tree
Ilex ambigua
Carolina Holly
3- 5 2 9 0 0 Unadapted; oblong leaves
Ilex aquifolium
English Holly
10-20 3 9 0 0 Unadapted; spiny toothed leaves
Ilex cassine*
Dahoon Holly
10-20 4- 6 9 3 0 Unadapted; leathery, oblong leaves
Ilex cornuta
Chinese Holly
10 3 9 3 0 Unadapted; large spiny leaves
Ilex opaca
American Holly
10-20 2- 3 9 3 0 Unadapted; spiny, leathery leaves
Ilex sp.*
Native Holly
8-20 4- 6 9 9 7 Native holly; corinceous leaves
Jacaranda acutifolia
Jacaranda
20-35 15-20 6 8 8 Ornamental foliage and flowers
Juniperus chinensis
var. sylvestris*
Chinese Juniper
18-25 6- 8 9 9 7 Limited usefulness
Juniperus excelsa stricta
Spiny Greek Juniper
6- 8 3 9 9 9 Make interesting specimen plants
Juniperus lucayana*
Southern Red Juniper
8-10 8 9 9 7 Limited usefulness
Juniperus Sabina*
Savin Juniper
6 6 9 9 7 Limited usefulness
Juniperus virginiana*
Red Cedar
25 6-10 9 9 7 Desirable specimen plant
Juniperus virginia glauca*
Silver Juniper
25 6-10 9 9 7 Desirable blue-green foliage
Kigelia pinnata
Sausage Tree
20-35 8-10 2 9 8 Showy cylindrical seed capsules
Koelreuteria bipinnata
Golden Rain Tree
25-40 18-20 9 3 2 Not especially desirable
Koelreuteria formosana
Bougainvillea Tree
18-20 8-10 9 9 7 Interesting ornamental tree
Leucaena pulverulenta
Tepehuaje
25-35 15-20 9 9 5 Fern-like foliage
Ligustrum japonicum
Japanese Privet
15-25 15 9 9 7 Glossy green; drought resistant
Liriodendron tulipifera
Tulip Tree
20-35 8-15 9 0 0 Unadapted
Litchi chinensis
Litchee
18-30 15-20 5 9 7 Ornamental tropical fruit tree
Macadamia ternifolia
Queensland Nut
15-30 10-15 5 7 5 Odd, tropical tree
Magnolia grandiflora
Southern Magnolia
25-40 15-20 9 5 6 Occasionally successful
Melaleuca armillaris*
Drooping Melaleuea
15-25 4- 6 6 9 8 Dark, dense foliage
Melaleuca elliptica
Tree Bottlebrush
20-35 3- 6 9 9 8 Bright green foliage
Melaleuca Leucadendra
Cajeput Tree
25-35 3- 6 4 6 2 Useful in swampy locations
Melia Azedarach
var. umbraculiformis
Umbrella Chinaberry
18-30 15-20 9 9 2 Strictly ordinary
Mimosa fragrans*
Pink Mimosa
1- 4 1- 3 9 9 7 Small flowering native
Mimosa Lindheimeri*
Lindheimer’s Mimosa
6 3- 4 9 9 7 Small flowering native
Morus alba
var. pendula*
Weeping Mulberry
6- 8 6- 8 9 7 6 Interesting specimen plant
Morus nigra
Black Mulberry
25-35 25-30 9 9 7 Fruiting shade tree
Morus rubra*
Red Mulberry
15-25 12-15 9 9 6 Abundance of fruit
Nicotiana glauca
Sacred Mustard
6-30 6- 8 9 9 6 Interesting flowering native
Olea europaea
Olive Tree
10-15 4- 6 9 3 3 Occasionally successful
Osmanthus americanus*
American Olive Tree
10-15 4- 6 9 9 7 Ornamental flowering plant
Parkinsonia aculeata
Retama
15-25 10-15 8 9 9 Graceful flowering native
Peltophorum sp.
Peltophorum
15-35 8-10 7 9 9 Rapid growing flowering tree
Persea americana
Avocado
16-40 10-20 3 7 8 Ornamental subtropical tree
Pinus canariensis
Canary Island Pine
50-60 10 9 5 0 Occasionally successful
Pinus echinata*
Shortleaf Pine
50-60 10 9 9 8 Occasionally successful
Pinus griffithii
Griffith’s Pine
40-50 8-10 9 3 0 Occasionally successful
Pinus halepensis*
Aleppo Pine
40-50 10 9 5 7 Occasionally successful
Pistachia vera
Pistach Nut
15-25 6- 8 9 3 0 Unadapted
Pithecolobium flexicaule
Texas Ebony
18-30 12-15 9 9 9 Dense, dark green, native
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore Tree
25-40 10-15 9 7 3 Strictly ordinary
Podocarpus macrophylla
Podocarpus Yew
6-40 2- 8 9 6 7 Attractive dense foliage
Populus lasiocarpa
Cottonwood
25-35 15-20 9 8 5 Strictly ordinary
Populus nigra
var. italica
Lombardy Poplar
25-50 6- 8 9 2 3 Unadapted
Prosopis chilensis
Mesquite
18-35 15-20 9 9 8 Usually short lived native
Prunus caroliniana
Cherry-Laurel
20-30 15-20 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Prunus cerasifera
var. Pissardi
Purple-Leaf Plum
10-20 6-10 9 8 7 Interesting specimen tree
Ptelea Baldwinii
Wafer-Ash
8-12 5 9 9 9 Attractive, citrus-like native
Pterocarya stenoptera
Wing Nut
18-25 8-10 9 9 6 Rapid growing: deciduous
Quercus myrsinaefolia
Japanese Oak
20-50 10-20 9 9 8 Glossy green; evergreen
Quercus virginiana
Live Oak
20-30 12-15 9 9 9 Glossy green; evergreen
Rhus viminalis
Fragrant Sumac
6-30 6-10 9 6 3 Subject to root disease
Robinia Pseudo-Acacia*
Black Locust
30-40 15-20 9 9 4 Rapid growing; flowering
Salix babylonica
Weeping Willow
20-25 8-12 9 5 5 Occasionally successful
Salix discolor
Pussy Willow
10 8 9 0 0 Unadapted
Salix interior*
Brittle Willow
20-30 20-25 9 9 8 Native river willow
Salix nigra
Black Willow
35-50 20-30 9 9 9 Large native willow
Samanea Saman
Monkeypod Tree
30-40 30-40 2 9 5 Ornamental foliage; tender
Sapindus Drummondii
Western Soapberry
15-25 6-10 9 9 6 Deciduous; strictly ordinary
Sapium sebiferum
Chinese Tallow Tree
15-25 8-10 9 9 8 Leaves turn red in fall
Schinus Molle
California Pepper Tree
18-25 10-15 7 3 0 Unadapted
Schinus terebinthifolius
Brazilian Pepper Tree
15-18 10-15 7 9 9 Ornamental foliage and berries
Semecarpus Anacardum
Marking Nut
20-25 10-15 8 0 0 Unadapted
Sophora secundiflora*
Mescal Bean
12-18 4- 6 9 9 8 Glossy foliage; flowering native
Spathodea campanulata
Santa Domingo Mahogany
10-20 8-12 2 9 2 Showy flowers; tender
Tabebuia argenta
Bignonia Tree
25-30 6- 8 6 8 6 Tropical flowering tree
Tamarindus indica
Tamarind Tree
25-35 20-25 3 8 5 Ornamental foliage; acid fruits
Tamarix articulata
Evergreen Athel
25-40 10-15 8 9 9 Rapid growing; useful windbreak
Tamarix gallica
French Salt Cedar
10-12 10 9 4 3 Strictly ordinary
Tamarix odessana
Plumy Tamarisk
6- 8 4- 6 9 9 6 Attractive plumy foliage
Taxodium mucronatum*
Mexican Cypress
20-40 10-15 9 9 3 Interesting native
Terminalia catappa
India Almond
18-25 8-12 2 9 5 Ornamental tropical
Thespesia populnea
Portia Tree
10-20 5- 6 4 9 8 Showy flowering tropical
Thevetia nereifolia
Orange flowered Tiger Apple
15-25 8-10 6 9 9 Ornamental foliage and flowers
Thevetia nereifolia flava
Yellow flowered Tiger Apple
15-25 8-10 6 9 9 Ornamental foliage and flowers
Thuja orientalis
var. aurea nana
Berckman’s Golden Arbor-Vitae
6- 8 3 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Thuja orientalis
var. bakeri*
Baker’s Arbor-Vitae
10-20 3 9 6 6 Limited usefulness
Thuja orientalis
var. bonita*
Bonita Arbor-Vitae
5- 8 3 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Thuja orientalis
var. beverlyensis*
Beverley’s Golden Arbor-Vitae
10-18 6- 8 9 9 5 Limited usefulness
Thuja orientalis
var. cupressifolia*
Ramsey’s Hybrid Arbor-Vitae
10-20 3- 5 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Thuja orientalis
var. glauca
Texas Blue Arbor-Vitae
25-30 12-15 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Thuja orientalis
var. rosedale
Rosedale Arbor-Vitae
8 5- 6 9 9 6 Limited usefulness
Ulmus alata
Winged Elm
18-30 15 9 9 9 Native shade tree
Ulmus crassifolia*
Cedar Elm
20-40 15 9 9 9 Native shade tree
Ulmus pumila
Asiatic; Chinese Elm
20-30 15 9 0 0 Unadapted
Zizyphus Jujuba
Jujube
10-18 6- 8 9 9 5 Ornamental fruiting tree

Ornamentals for the Rio Grande Valley