Jacaranda, and not sure if you consider it large or not, but Desert Museum Palo Verde. Oh, and Cottonwoods, but you can't give them enough water here, unless you have flood irrigation...so I wouldn't plant one here. :)

Easy

Dalbergia sissoo...25 to 50 ' and as wide.

In the whole country? Nothing beats a Southern live oak festooned with Spanish moss. Chinquapins, persimmons, hickories, sassafras - they're all beautiful.

In Phx, AZ? A mature, multi-trunked Chinese elm is a beauty to behold. (Same for almost any multi-trunked tree for me.) Chaste trees are at the top of my list as well as Chilean mesquites.

I just thought of another tree. If I had room for one more tree, this would be the first one I would plant (since I already have to Jacaranda's. A Chinese Pistache, beautiful trees, and breathtaking fall color!

easy

Aleppo Pine is hard to beat when it comes to being tough and putting out a lot of shade. Carob also makes a nice shade tree as does the Shammel Ash. Don't think about the ash unless you are planting it in a lawn with flood irrigation-they never look good in gravel yards.

Delonix regia

Got to be a cottonwood. I'm in Tucson and I've never had to water them LOTS....Just water them as I do other trees!

Cottonwoods are native to Arizona riparian areas- meaning streambanks. Your cottonwood might survive, but it will not grow to the height or width of a normal one in its preferred setting.

I second the Chinese Pistache, I also love the Chinese Elms, especially with the "lace" bark. Silk floss trees, too.

With a Western Facing backyard these shade trees have helped keep things cool and I love them for that!

Fan Tex Ash- It has a full western exposure with reflected heat from the wall and does beautifully I paint its trunk since it is still young and it is planted in gravel area with all the sun but it is close to the lawn so it gets more humidity and a little extra water from the lawn sprinklers. This has kept it nice and green with no sunburning or signs of stress. It provides a nice fall color too.

Chilean Mesquite- A messy bugger but provides a ton of shade, is drought tolerant and is nice looking too.

Chinese Pistache- It is finally starting to take off after sitting around sulking for the last 5 years or so and this is the first summer it hasn't shown any leaf burn since I have been better about deep watering it. Looking forward to its fall display

Chinese Elm - This one is having a hard time this summer but it has beautiful peeling bark and is usually full and lush.

Chinese Pistache is a definite Yes, especially in the fall. And cottonwood - nothing smells better after a rain. Assuming we *ever* get rain. Heck, I only know one tree that I *don't* like.

Okay, I gotta ask - what tree don't you like, Tommy?

..an aside to turtleman..Are you growing this in Arizona(the Delonix)or just a favorite of yours?If you actually have 1... could you post the 'needs',you've supplied??
Thx, Dian

I like mesquites and palo verdes. I prefer native or desert adapted trees because they require less water and are beautiful in different ways at different times of the year. Not to say that the trees listed above are not beautiful, but there is just something about the airy beauty of the desert trees.

My personal favorites are the ones shading my back yard right now. Even though they are less than 10 years old my Banyan Tree (ficus benghalensis) and my Ficus religiosa are at least 30' feet tall with 12" diameter trunks. Equally shady is my Earpod Tree (enterolobium contortisiliquum) which is just as big and thriving here.
Also have to cast a cottonwood vote. Love those trees.
Trivia; did you know the largest known cottonwood in the US (and maybe the world?) grows here in Arizona? Near Patagonia.

Oops, got lost there, PC. The name of my non-favorite tree is unknown to me. It grows tall, has long stems with pinnate leaves, pops up everywhere from it's shallow invasive underground root system and - *stinks*. If you pull up the suckers, it has a milky goo that can cause a rash if you get it on your skin. It also drops limbs every year. I think I knew the name once, but probably because I hate this tree so much, I forgot. If anyone knows, please post it for me.

AZJeff I'm also a big fan of Ficus benghalensis. I have one in a pot and it's grown from a one gallon cutting to 7 feet tall in a little over a year. Is your F. benghalensis growing aerial roots? Thus far from all the ones I've seen including mine they have no problem growing aerial roots in our dry climate. The also take the sun in stride.

Ficus benghalensis is certainly one of my favorite shade trees.

Here's a nice one (without aerial roots) in Scottsdale.
{{gwi:406859}}

Lee

Lee,
I've yet to see one in the Valley that has aerial roots. Always thought it was just too dry. The one in Scottsdale is a beauty and there is another large one at the Zoo. They do love our climate here. Good luck with yours.

Tommy, I think you might be talking about an African Sumac, Rhus lancea. If that's not it, I'm not sure what it is.

My favorite tree or bush tree is thevetia peruviana,Fig tree, texas mountian laural, Eucalyptus.

all of those trees are good for any landscape

It was nice reading this list again. My most *hated* tree (I never did ID it correctly) is ailanthus altissima, ironically called "Tree of Heaven".

stuart550, I will take issue with your suggestion that eucs are "good for any landscape". Definitely not. It depends on which one. The ghost gums and other large ones don't belong in most urban yards.

since this got bumped up.

AZjeff, how's your Ficus benghalensis doing now, any update?

and where did you get your plant from?

I love my Sissoo tree. Ficus trees are beautiful too but they're big time drinkers. Another one I wish I had planted is carob. The carob bean is edible, and the tree provides excellent shade.

I love carob trees, too, but they are super messy. However, I wish I'd planted one instead of the euc I did. I've decided that the only eucs I really love are those that are *not* in *my* yard. ;o)

Fantex ash is very beautiful with its symmetrical branches. Chinese elm and desert museum palo verdes are also gorgeous.