Spring has arrived, and it is the perfect time to start planting beautiful trees. The warmer weather and longer days have awoken our trees of spring. Trees can create a better living environment, add greenery to our arid environment, and offer respite from the heat. Trees will always be a welcome addition to the Arizona landscape. The temperatures are already starting to rise, and we are going to want to find a nice place to chill - and what better place than under a shade tree!

Trees of Spring Provide Shade, Privacy, and Beauty!

Shade trees and privacy trees – these types of trees can block unwanted views and create shade for relief from the hot sun, and they can also help increase property value! From trees for small spaces to drought-tolerant varieties, you can find the perfect tree at any of our Phoenix Moon Valley Nurseries locations.

Chinese Elm ‘True Green’ (Ulmus parvifolia). The ‘True Green’ strain we grow features an upright, rounded growth habit that makes it an excellent tree for a wide range of landscape styles. Specimen size trees offer a wide, natural umbrella-shaped canopy that can provide a massive amount of shade. Attach a tire swing to the limbs or climb and explore a larger Chinese Elm – families love this tree! They also feature camouflage-like mottled bark, which is an added attraction that helps to make this a favorite tree for homeowners in Arizona.

Raywood Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa ‘Raywood’). These ash trees are seedless, so they are an excellent street tree! They can grow with a bold, round-headed form that can provide the right amount of shade, and if you want shade coverage now, buy specimen size trees. It is deciduous that can put on a show in the fall when the attractive dark green foliage transforms to a beautiful burgundy color. We also like to use them as a screen to block unwanted views in style!

Arizona Ash (Fraxinus velutina). Native to the Southwestern United States, these cold hardy and heat resistant trees are ideal for yards in Arizona. These are deciduous shade trees, and they have gray-green leaves that turn to a bright yellow color in the fall. Since they are a seedless variety, we like to use them as a street tree that can add plenty of curb appeal to neighborhoods throughout the Phoenix area.

Majestic Ash (Fraxinus uhdei ‘Majestic’). Large, glossy green leaves that stay greener than other as trees are just one part of its attraction. They are also seedless and low-maintenance, virtually pest-free trees! We like to plant them as an attractive street tree. If it is the shade you are after, a specimen size tree can provide plenty of coverage. Plant them to cool off hotter parts of a home or to create a resting spot to help cool off during those hot and sunny Arizona days.

Modesto Ash (Fraxinus velutina ‘Modesto’). These attractive shade trees feature a high canopy so that they can provide shade coverage to a large area. They can help reduce temperatures inside a home with proper planting - ask us how! This deciduous shade tree features glossy green foliage that turns to a bright golden yellow color in the fall and creates a picturesque landscape scene. They get bonus points for heat tolerance, so they are ideal for growing in Arizona.