If your backyard gets full sun, planting trees brings in welcome shade. You’ll have to find shade trees that thrive in full sun. If you live in zone 9, you’ll have a wide selection of tree for sun in zone 9 to choose among. Read on for information about trees that tolerate full sun in zone 9.
Trees that Tolerate Full Sun
Many trees prefer growing in a site that gets sun all day long. If you are looking for trees for sun in zone 9, you’ll have to select among hundreds. It will be easier to narrow down the field if you evaluate other qualities, you’d like in trees for sun in zone 9. Consider things like:
- Do you want an ornamental with showy flowers?
- Are you thinking of zone 9 trees for full sun that also provide an autumn display?
- Do you have your height limits for the trees?
- Are you worried about invasive roots?
- Would you like a weeping or an erect habit?
Use this information to help select zone 9 trees for full sun that will work best for you.
Zone 9 Trees for Full Sun
If you’re thinking of bringing in ornamental trees with showy flowers, here are a few to consider: The crepe myrtle tree "Seminole" (Lagerstroemia indica "Seminole") produces frothy pink blossoms in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 9. It likes a full sun location and acidic soil. Red dogwood (Cornus florida var. rubra) is a lovely flowering dogwood tree that produces red blooms in springtime. Its crimson berries are lovely and provide food for wild birds. It thrives in full sun in zone 9. The purple orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata) is also one of the flowering zone 9 full sun trees. Its lavender blossoms are attractive and fragrant. Or why not plant Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) and enjoy its gorgeous pink blossoms in spring. Some deciduous trees offer an autumn show as the green leaves blaze red, yellow, or shades of purple in fall. If the idea of fall color attracts you, you can find some full sun trees that fit the bill. One is red maple (Acer rubrum). It thrives in full sun in zone 9 and can grow to 60 feet (18 m.) tall. Red maple grows fast, and it offers fantastic autumn color. The leaves turn brilliant red or fiery yellow in fall. For fall color plus edible nuts, plant black walnut (Juglans nigra), one of the great zone 9 full sun trees. Black walnut leaves turn bright yellow in fall, and, in time, the tree produces delicious nuts, appreciated by people and wildlife alike. It grows to 75 feet (23 m.) in both directions.