Fast Growing Trees | Moon Valley Nurseries

Fast Growers

Many varieties of trees are considered fast growers here in our region, where winters are short and trees tend to grow nearly all year round. Fast growing trees bring cooling shade sooner and provide privacy earlier as well. Of the varieties that perform well in our area, these are the best choices when a high growth rate is desired.

Types of Fast Growers

Ficus Indian Laurel

Ficus nitida

Ficus nitida is one of the best trees you can plant. Great for any landscape. Our number one seller for over 20 years.

Ficus Nitida Multi-Trunk

Ficus microcarpa 'Nitida'

Multi-trunk Ficus offers thick, wide and green shade all year long. Beautiful tree great for privacy, shade and as a noise barrier.

Indian Laurel Columns

Ficus nitida columns

A popular choice for making an evergreen privacy hedge to block out unwanted views, noise, and help create your own private escape.

Chinese Elm 'True Green'

Ulmus parvifolia

For those searching for a large, stately tree that provides maximum shade, this is a tree you definitely want to consider.

Sissoo

Dalbergia sissoo

Drought tolerant, large shade-providing tree with bright green foliage. Sissoo has an Aspen-like look and thrives in warmer areas.

Tipu

Tipuana tipu

One of, if not the best shade tree you can plant on your property. Colorful, Tipu Tree's provide great shade and year-round beauty.

Chilean Mesquite

Prosopis chilensis

Thornless Chilean Mesquite with a wide canopy that can provide light filtered shade. An excellent choice for a dry rock garden or planted near pathways and patios.

Museum Palo Verde

Cercidium-parkinsonia hybrid

A very fast growing water wise hybrid version of the classic Palo Verde. Bright yellow, showy blooms in spring.

Acacia Saligna

Acacia saligna

These Acacias grow a very wide umbrella-shaped canopy that provides filtered shade year round. They are a very fast growing tree with great durability to heat and cold.

Majestic Ash

Fraxinus uhdei 'Majestic'

Prized for its shiny green foliage and quick growth rate, the Majestic Ash is a grafted seedless variety specially grown by Moon Valley Nurseries

Arizona Ash

Fraxinus velutina

The Arizona Ash is a very large, fast growing tree, providing cooling shade in the summer followed by beautiful yellow leaves in the fall.

Fan Tex Ash

Fraxinus velutina 'Fan Tex'

Slightly rounded in shape and a little smaller than the Shamel ash, this shade tree is perfect for almost any residential or commercial application.

Shamel Ash

Fraxinus udhei

This is the number one selling ash variety that we carry. It's big, has a perfect shape, and grows extremely fast! Plant anywhere shade is needed.

Raywood Ash

Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood'

This is the darkest green of all the Ash varieties available. During the fall this tree is dominated by a rich burgundy color before its brief deciduous period.

Bonita Ash

Fraxinus velutina ‘Bonita’

If you’re looking for an excellent shade tree with lots of beauty, the Bonita Ash tree is it!

Modesto Ash

Fraxinus velutina 'Modesto'

This ash variety is very popular because of its bright golden color in the fall. It is one of the fastest growing varieties available and makes a great shade tree!

Berrinda Ash

Fraxinus velutina 'Berrinda'

The Berrinda Ash grows to a near perfect shape with little to no maintenance and provides a dense cooling shade during the warm summer months.

Brazilian Pepper

Schinus terebinthifolius

Brazilian Pepper is an attractive medium to large shade tree with a dark green, dense, umbrella shaped canopy. Year-round beauty!

California Pepper

Schinus molle

This large evergreen tree provides the incredible weeping appearance of a traditional Weeping Willow. It's a great shade tree that loves the heat!

Willow Acacia

Acacia salicina

Unique silver-blue leaves with a slightly weeping appearance make this tree useful for many landscape styles.

Jacaranda

Jacaranda mimosifolia

The Jacaranda tree is a beautiful, large, and great-for-climbing shade tree grown and nurtured at Moon Valley Nurseries.

Blue Gum

Eucalyptus globulus

Blue Gum eucalyptus tree grows fast with beautiful fragrant foliage. Makes an excellent windbreak and shade tree!

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus Spp.

Ultra-fast growing tree native to Australia. Eucalyptus are suitable for many landscape applications and have proven durability, strength & growth.

Flowering Pear

Pyrus calleryana

This bright green tree features a cascade of snow white flowers during early spring with brilliant red fall foliage.

Cottonwood

Populus deltoides

The Cottonwood grows a wide canopy that provides lots of shade, making this tree well suited for pastures or as a windbreak on larger properties.

Eldarica Pine

Pinus eldarica

The Eldarica pine provides wonderful shade and ambiance to landscapes! They tolerate heat, wind and drought conditions. Plant in groupings for an effective windbreak or privacy screen.

Chinese Pistache

Pistacia chinensis

Chinese Pistache are becoming increasingly popular in landscapes because of their distinctive fall color. Provides fantastic shade during the summer months.

African Sumac

Rhus lancea

A wide spreading, durable & fast-growing shade provider that has a large, stately appearance and thrives in intense heat or cold.

Australian Bottle

Brachychiton populneus

A hardy evergreen shade tree known for its distinctive canopy shape with bright green leaves. Drought tolerant variety fits almost any landscape.

Mimosa

Albizia julibrissin

This beautiful rainforest-style tree actually performs very well in the intense sun. Unique pink blooms highlight the tree throughout most of the late spring into early summer.

Carob

Ceratonia siliqua

Classicly umbrella shaped, durable and dark green, this unique tree makes a great addition to any yard.

Bay Laurel

Laurus nobilis

Traditionally used for cultivating the versatile Bay Leaf, these trees make fantastic evergreen hedges or stand-alone shade trees.

Sycamore

Platanus wrightii

The Sycamore Tree is a large, majestic tree with a spreading canopy, large deciduous leaves, and gorgeous white bark that peels back to reveal darker patches.

Carrotwood

Cupaniopsis anacardioides

Carrotwood trees are known for their unique carrot-like appearance, as the network of trunks twist and turn upwards forming a unique shape.

Chinese Flame Tree

Koelreuteria bipinnata

Flame trees are easy to grow, adapt to most soils, and make the perfect addition as a shade tree in just about any landscape.

Strawberry Tree

Arbutus 'Marina'

A strikingly beautiful, medium sized tree that will bring year-round interest to your landscape. It's a waterwise tree with lots of beauty and character.

Goldenrain Tree

Koelreuteria paniculata

This tree lends grace and charm to just about any landscape throughout the year. Rare yellow blossoms in late spring and summer.

Shumard Oak

Quercus shumardii

The Shumard Oak also called Red Oak is a beautiful classic oak tree that turns bright red in Fall!

Chinquapin Oak

Quercus muehlenbergii

These trees are well adapted to many soils, growing in harsh limestone conditions to clay soil types.

Red Push Pistache

Pistacia x 'Red Push'

Red Push Pistache is a beautiful deciduous shade tree with stunning red fall color! Beautiful dark green foliage most of the year and a large shade canopy.

Angel’s Trumpet

Brugmansia

Angel’s Trumpet flowers are guaranteed to steal the show! The long trumpet-shaped flowers take over with shades of white, peach, pink, orange or yellow.

Autumn Gold Maidenhair Tree

Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold'

The Autumn Gold Maidenhair tree has fan-shaped green foliage that turns to a vivid golden yellow color in the fall! A beautiful medium size shade tree!

Bald Cypress

Taxodium distichum

The classic Southern shade tree, noted for its spreading canopy capable of blocking sunlight and providing dense shade where you need it most!

Bartlett Pear

Pyrus communis 'Bartlett'

The quintessential pear flavor that is the standard by which all other pears are measured. Produces large, yellow fruit with smooth and juicy white flesh in the summer.

Bloodgood Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum 'Bloodgood'

Bloodgood Japanese Maple is slender and airy, so we like to plant them as a show-stopping small lawn tree, and they are also perfect for patios and entryways.

Cedar Elm

Ulmus crassifolia

Cedar Elm is one of the native Texas trees that can survive in difficult soil types with little care. An excellent shade tree or street tree!

Drake's Chinese Elm

Ulmus parvifolia 'Drake'

Drake's Chinese Elm is a weeping tree with shiny dark green leaves and an attractive broad-spreading crown that cast plenty of shade wherever planted.

Eastern Cottonwood

Populus deltoides

Eastern Cottonwood is well suited for pastures or as a windbreak on larger properties. We like to plant them as a showy, fast-growing shade tree too.

Japanese Zelkova

Zelkova serrata

One of the best large shade trees with a vase shape, fast growth rate, and stately appearance. Beautiful red autumn foliage.

Loblolly Pine

Pinus taeda

Loblolly Pine grow fast so that they are an ideal tree for use as quick privacy screen solution or to provide shade. A majestic pine for any landscape.

Mexican Sycamore

Platanus mexicana

A majestic medium to large tree that can bring instant shade to any property! We love how its far-reaching canopy provides a wide umbrella of cooling relief.

October Glory Red Maple

Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’

October Glory Red Maple trees are majestic shade trees and very colorful, especially when the intense bright orange-red fall foliage arrives. Excellent for lining driveways or boulevards.

River Birch

Betula nigra

One of the most popular landscape trees for designers and homeowners because it can tolerate just about any soil condition. Voted tree of the year in 2002.

Texas Walnut

Juglans microcarpa

A smaller version of its relative the Black Walnut, it’s a good choice for smaller yards desiring a shade producing walnut tree. Highly prized wood.

Weeping Willow

Salix babylonica

Weeping Willow are wide and tall trees with green curtains of dropping branches that sweep to the ground. Fast growing and an excellent shade tree!

Shumard Oak

Quercus shumardii

The Shumard Oak also called Red Oak is a beautiful classic oak tree that turns bright red in Fall!

Red Maple

Acer rubrum ‘Autumn Blaze’

This fast-growing shade provider establishes a large presence on any landscape and is especially stunning when it turns a bright red color in fall!

Silver Maple

Acer saccharinum

Plant a Silver Maple tree in your landscape and in no time at all you’ll have the shade coverage you want!