Large trees that provide ample shade offer several benefits around your home or business property. The shade provides relief from heat when outdoors, particularly in the warmer summer days in Baton Rouge. The tree can also shelter your property from sunlight, meaning more efficient cooling and moderate protection from wind and rain as well.
Trees native to Baton Rouge also offer many beautiful options with lush green leaves, bright fall colors, and dynamic shapes that are valuable additions to your landscaping and curb appeal. These are some of the best shade trees to consider for your property in Baton Rouge.
Fast Growing Shade Trees for Your Yard
One drawback to many shade trees is that they can take some time to grow to maturity and start providing adequate shade. Shade trees tend to be larger which is why they work well for shade, but native Louisiana oaks, for instance, can take several decades to grow from a sapling to a shade tree. This is not ideal when you want to introduce natural shade to your landscaping.
Instead, these fast growing trees give you a range of aesthetic options, sizes, and shapes for a tree that will provide extensive shade and enhance the appearance of your property within just a few years:
- Willow Oaks – One of the oaks that does grow quickly, a willow oak has bright green leaves similar in shape to the willow tree. The leaves turn a rusty red color in the fall. Once established, a willow oak can grow up to approximately 2 feet per year to reach a full height of 70 to 80 feet.
- Sycamore Tree – A beautiful tree native to the south, a sycamore tree grows approximately 2 feet a year until it reaches a majestic height of up to 100 feet with leaves that spread 40 to 70 feet, offering plentiful shade.
- Slash Pine – For evergreen shade, the slash pine produces long needles and bunches of pine cones. It has a medium growth rate averaging 1 to 2 feet and can reach a height of 80 feet.
- Weeping Willow – The weeping willow is an easily identifiable shade tree with its graceful trailing branches. As a young tree, it grows quickly, increasing its height by up to 10 feet per year until it reaches 50 feet making it a great tree for fast shade.
- Drummond Red Maple – The red maple has bright green leaves in the summer before turning to a brilliant red color in the fall. Also known as the swamp maple, this native maple is hardy and does well in Baton Rouge where it grows up to 2 feet per year and can reach a height of 60 feet.
- Blackgum Tree – Prized for its fall color with bright red leaves, the blackgum tree is a hardy shade tree that can survive many environments. It has a fast growing rate and can get up to 80 feet.
- Fan Tex Ash – For a smaller shade tree in more confined spaces, the fan tex ash reaches a height of about 35 to 40 feet. Its golden yellow leaves provide beautiful colors in autumn.
With a wide variety of shade trees that grow well in Baton Rouge, you have many options for customizing the shade in your yard. You can choose from a large tree like a sycamore oak or pine to provide the widest possible area of shade or a maple or blackgum tree for its autumn colors. Alternatively, combine trees for a unique landscaping look and optimal shade.
For beautiful landscaping, Leeson Landscaping can incorporate a range of shade trees on your property, from planning to planting to pruning your shade trees to help them reach their full potential for beautiful shade. Contact us to learn more about our Baton Rouge landscaping services.