There are far more trees and bushes you shouldn’t plant in your yard than ones that you should. When shopping around for low maintenance landscaping choices, you’ll need to consider the plant’s susceptibility to illness, critter infestation, its shedding patterns and pruning needs. These are 4 of the lowest maintenance trees and why you should consider using them in your landscape design.
Crape Myrtle
Varieties of Crape Myrtle provide a beautiful range of colors, usually in the pink and purple family. They require little work in pruning if given enough room to span and they enjoy hot climates. They could easily survive a drought and bloom well past other trees “showing times”. They make a beautiful choice for a first level landscaper who wants something “showy” and flowering. Most Crape Myrtle varieties can be found for between 30.00 and 40.00, with some more rare or extravagant varieties costing upwards of 100.00.
Colorado Spruce
Colorado Spruce trees, among other spruces, provide a beautiful needle producing tree with greater purpose. Birds love to nest in them and pesky deer do not enjoy this variety because they cannot eat it. This tree can survive almost anywhere but needs space to spread. It makes a good visual barrier between properties and can be harvested in winter as an ornament tree. Otherwise, it makes a perfect wintery picture blanketed with snow. Spruce trees can be found for as little as 10.00 per potted tree and may take a few years to establish, but once it’s strong enough it can grow as quickly as 24 inches per growing season.
Maple Varieties
There are many low maintenance trees in the Maple family, such as the sugar maple and Amur maple. These trees are sturdy and provide good shade with their thick leaves. They are the types of trees you drive around looking for during fall season when the leaves change from shades of dark maroon to red and orange before they fall. Young maples can be found for between 50.00 and 80.00 per tree.
Apple Trees
For the beginner wanting to plant something fruitful, Apple Trees lend themselves one of the easiest to grow and maintain fruit trees. Gardeners might enjoy harvesting something from their trees and expanding their gardening knowledge. Mid-range apple trees can be found for 30.00 to 50.00 per tree.
Of these four options, one is sure to fit your landscaping vision and improve your curb appeal. They are year round landscaping favorites, quite affordable and are widely available. In writing this article, we’ve made sure these tree varieties were available through your neighborhood hardware stores, so they should be made easily available by your local nurseries as well.
