You know a little something about trees!? HELP ME!

[MrsKemmerlin]

Okay, I live in zone 8... About 45min/1 hour away from the mid/lower coast of SC - I'm looking for a fast growing shade tree for the middle of my yard.

My biggest concern is that it isn't poisonous - dog, pig, chickens, ducks - must be friendly to my babies because gracious knows, they eat it all

It will stand alone, but it will share the yard with a light pole and a shed... any suggestions!?

Poplar are too skinny... and the only other suggestions I've gotten are Sugar Maple and Shumard Oak.

Thank you in advance! My pig & pup will thank you for it... eventually, haha!

 

[Capvin]

My first thought was Poplar as it is a large, fast grower that does well where you are. There are several types of Oaks that are also fast growers (Pin Oak is one). One of the fastest growing tress that is in your area is sometimes called a Royal Empress. It is fast growing and flowering. Off the top of my head there is also Eucalyptus and River Birch. Both fast growing and nice. I would not think the Sugar Maple would be as fast growing as the Red Maple.

 

[NYboy]

Sister site the easy garden has a lot of people who know trees. There is a link to it at bottom of this page.

 

[GardenerGal]

I'm in Zone 6b-7a, and as a professional horticulturist/gardener I'm always recommending and planting tress and shrubs for my clients. Here are some thoughts on trees that are great choices here and would do well in Zone 8 too --

Sourwood. I love this tree
Sweetgum. Can get messy with seedpods, but they're great for decorative crafts.
Willow oak. Very nice.
Weeping willow, if you plant it at least 30' from your house.
Paulownia (Empress tree). It grows wicked fast, and it is covered with fragrant pink blossoms during spring before the leaves sprout.
Tulip tree (one of my favorites)
Japanese zelkova. It looks much like an elm and has been used to replace elms downed by Dutch elm disease. There's a variety called 'Village Green' that grows fast.

I wouldn't go with sugar maple as it needs a cold winter, and Zone 8 is too warm for it to thrive.

Hope this helps!

 

[chickened]

Mulberries do well and there are some with berries and some without they all do well in your area. The berries are good and chickens love them.

 

[EweSheep]

Ooooooooh NOOOOOOOO! Not mulberries! They have beautiful fruit but HORRIBLE when they plant themselves on the fence lines. I can never get rid of them! You keep cutting every other month. Terribly invasive and I've been trying to KILL them. One neighbor said to use tons of rock salt and water in a cup, let it seep and it will kill the mulberry tree. NOt sure if it will work.

Mulberries do well and there are some with berries and some without they all do well in your area. The berries are good and chickens love them.

 

[Mattemma]

My corkscrew willow has grown very fast.

 

[ApronStrings]

Eastern RedBud. Or even it's relative, the Forest Pansy (as both do well in zone 8). Beautiful trees with year round interest. The branching pattern is sculptural, they flower in the spring, new leaves emerge a wonderful burgundy red then turn to green as the season progresses. The leaves are large and easy to clean up in the fall. I hope you find what your looking for.

 

[GardenerGal]

I was going to suggest eastern redbud on my list too, but forgot! Glad that ApronStrings added it!
Mulberries.... great fruit, wonderful wildlife attractor... but MESSY!!!!! Not something I'd want for a shade tree to sit under.
We had a mulberry tree that came up on its own by the front walk. The mailman got it all over his shoes and tracked a purple trail down our driveway every year. lol

 

[SillyChicken]

Tulip tree is my fav... it's actually a tulip poplar .. The wood is also really pretty after it ages in the air. The wood is green with cream striping, but as it ages the green turns a rich dark brown and the cream a tan. Nice wood to work with too. It makes a great shade tree, much like a Maple.

I'd avoid mullberries (there are several on my property) they're horribly messy, can really smell if the fruit is allowed to sit on the ground... and the purple bird poo is hard to get out of laundry!