Back of our home faces west also,planted this Live Oak, we had planted about 10/11 yrs. ago, this window is 9' wide, you can see all the shade we now get here, because Oak is now about 30' high and 20' wide/spread, it is flanked by a Bauhinia Orchid tree on each side, the oak tree has leaves all year long..

Wow, that looks awesome! I don't want to wait 10 years though...I am hoping the Royal Poinciana I just planted will grow fast and help out.

Remember fast growing means not hurricane proof that Live Oak is beautiful

Katie

My front yard faces west so afternoons can be brutal. I cut down a med. size camphor (too close to house) and replaced with a live oak. It seems to be growing slowly (we transplanted it) but it is growing. I think it will be worth the wait. For now I am toughing it out.
It is a personal decision...

Here's another tree choice? the morning sun is very hot here in zone10 also, and don't forget all FL. sun fades everything it touches, so we planted this Dahoun Holly, it was quite small, now it's up over the roof, it would be thicker on the bottom, but I prune off bottom branches, because I like to see out, that window, however it provides shade to the big dining rm. window, fast growing, and hardy, also keeps leaves all year long, but produces red berries for Xmas.

Another tree, that get's huge, gives lot's of shade is the Southern Magnolia, I have one but it did not grow as fast as the Oak or the Holly.

I don't want to wait 10 years though...

That's a tall order, even for Florida...does it have to be a tree? Look at the pictures half way don't this post....

I was also looking for fast shade when I happened upon this site, fastgrowingtrees.com. Ordered two of the Royal Empress trees on 5/11/09. They arrived in very good condition, tho small in 4" pots. One of them is now 6 ft. tall & the other is 4ft. Beautiful plants. I don't understand why I had never heard of this plant before, but am glad I found them.

I planted a few clumping bambusa bamboos (bought at HD) two years ago and they are twice as tall as our house, so about 20 feet...in two years! When I bought them they fit in my car!

teeka

susieq how big was it when you planted it?

I live is south Florida so I don't have to worry about freezes. SuzieQ how big were the trees when you planted them and how long ago was that? I planted a Royal Poinciana and am hoping that it grows fast, 4 or 5 feet per year; according to what I have researched. Happy Girl, I also found that website, but according to research; that tree has a lot of problems.

Not sure which tree your asking about? but this is the holly when planted about 11 yrs. ago, it was hit hard by Charley (hurricane) head on, but took it quite well... :

pic. taken Xmas 08:
And the Oak tree was about 5' tall when planted about 10- yrs. ago..here's a pic.with Oak tree in it, taken in 2008 also:
Everything gorws fast in SW FL. we live in a natural hothouse after all, BUT! everything needs to be fed, as everything is trying to survive in sand, remember that!

oaks are nice but your grandchildren will be the ones enjoying the shade.

ive always liked Gumbo Limbos, native, fast growing but roots arent invasive, and distinctly beautiful chocolate bark color.
{{gwi:922613}}

boom1
where can i buy one? I have searched the web but can' find a nursery that has them.

well they are native, my brother was lucky enough to have two planted on his property by some birds dropping. they are only a year old and 10 feet.

they are not rare and expensive so it may be hard to find online but check around locally

Propagation is by seed which germinates readily if fresh but, most often, gumbo-limbo is propagated by cuttings of any size twig or branch. Huge truncheons (up to 12 inches in diameter) are planted in the ground where they sprout and grow into a tree. Be sure to properly prune and train a tree grown in this fashion, since many sprouts often develop along the trunk after planting. A tree left to grow in this manner usually develops weak branches which may fall from the tree as it grows older. Space major branches out along the main trunk to create a strong tree. It is probably best to plant seed-grown trees or those propagated from smaller, more traditionally-sized cuttings.

Taken from here, sounds like you need a few cuttings.... Beware, this tree can get huge though, I don't recommend planting it too close to any foundation or you may have have structural problems down the road....

Tom

Tom, thank you for the link. It reads that it is NOT native to North America. I am not sure this would provide enough shade to my patio, as it also reads that it is not a dense crown. I think I will stick with the Royal Poinciana that I purchased and hope it grows quickly.

That tree is not native. There might be one locally at Coral Bay Resort but I doubt boom1 brother has two. This guy is tossing around pictures that do not belong to him and you guys are drooling. lol I'm sure that's against the rules.

Hey boom it might be ok to post a link but the pictures are off limits. Just with what you've posted in the last couple of days you could get sued. lol. I hope you quit before that happens though. It's funny reading peoples expressions when they think you actually own these. lol

I think a great underused native shade tree would be the paradise tree (Simarouba glauca). It grows fast and looks really nice.

As for those who say the Gumbo Limbo is not native, they are native! I do see a typo in the UF site link above stating they are not.

I saw the same article. In one sentence it says they are native to S FL and the islands, about three paragraphs later it says they are not native to north America. I think that means north with a small n. ;>) Take a trip to the Everglades and decide for yourself.

john

SuzieQ07, where did you get the awnings?

oops! sorry I was mistaken about the gumbo limbo and it is native to the US.
guadua yes you're right. I am a native.