Your business property's landscape can create a welcoming environment for visitors and staff. It can also reduce energy costs when it incorporates shade trees that insulate buildings. These are five excellent shade tree options to consider for your commercial real estate.
This low-maintenance tree requires very little pruning to maintain good health and has a strong trunk that can withstand cracking and splitting. It is ideal for smaller properties, reaching a maximum 40-footheight and 30-foot spread. Hornbeams can grow in the sun or shade, and their autumn foliage colors in shades of orange, red and yellow are particularly stunning.
This versatile tree has a growth rate of approximately eight feet per year, making it one of the fastest-growing shade trees. The tree grows up to 50 feet with a 30-foot spread and thrives in full or partial sunlight. It provides excellent shade due to its broad, triangular-shaped leaves, which turn a brilliant yellow in the autumn. Hybrid poplars require minimal pruning because of their natural oval shape. They need approximately one inch of water per week and are ideally suited to temperate climates. The hybrid poplar is an excellent choice for commercial real estate landscapes because it is disease-resistant and does not drop cotton, which requires frequent clean-up.
These fast-growing and hearty shade trees thrive in a wide variety of climates and will shield taller buildings from the sun due to a maturation height and spread of up to 60 feet. In addition, the tree's broad expanse of lush foliage turns a cheery yellow color in the spring. The leaves remain bright green throughout the summer, providing ample shade along with the tree's noble presence. The sawtooth poplar also produces acorns at a young age, attracting wildlife to give a rustic touch to a commercial landscape.
Although tulip trees produce tulip-shaped flowers, they area species of the Magnolia family. These magnificent shade trees require ample sunlight and moist soil conditions, making irrigation essential for their health during dry months. With proper care, these stunning trees can grow to heights of 90 feet with a 50-foot spread, though their rapid growth necessitates frequent pruning.
The tulip tree's cupped flowers bloom in the late spring and are pleasantly fragrant, featuring yellow petals with an orange band at the base. The leaves have a distinct appearance, with blades up to eight inches long and wide and four different lobes. They combine with the trees' immense size to provide excellent shade during the hottest months. In addition, they turn breathtaking shades of gold and orange during the fall, giving any landscape a stunning appearance.
The Zelkova is native to Japan, and it is an excellent choice for any urban setting due to its low moisture requirements and pollution tolerance. Plantings on commercial real estate require ample space because their height and spread can reach 80 feet at maturity. The tree's graceful growth shape and leaves, unique bark texture, and immense size result in a shade tree that is both attractive and resilient, provided that it receives some pruning in the Autumn to promote structural strength to resist drought and wind.
The Zelkova is also naturally resistant to Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetles, making it an excellent alternative to the American elm tree. In addition to providing ample shade, the Zelkova promotes a gorgeous landscape year-round as its green leaves turn shades of yellow, orange, red and purple through the autumn season.
In addition to attracting customers and tenants, shade trees near your property's buildings can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 30%.
Regardless of the size of your property, contact Monarch Landscape for advice about selecting the perfect shade trees to add value to your commercial real estate investment.
