Shade Trees For Southern Regions: Best Trees For Shade In Hot Climates

Large Tree Making A Shaded Area On Green Grass
sc shade
(Image credit: Medley of Photography)
Susan Albert
By Susan Albert
last updated

Who doesn’t love to linger under a shade tree in the yard or sit a spell with a glass of lemonade? Whether shade trees are chosen as a place for relief or to shade the house and help lower electric bills, it pays to do your homework.

For example, large trees should be no closer than 15 feet (5 m.) from a building. Whatever tree you are considering, find out if diseases and pests are frequent issues. It is very important to know the height of the mature tree to be sure placement is correct. Also, be sure to watch out for those power lines! Below are recommended shade trees for South Central states-- Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas.

Shade Trees for Southern Regions

According to university extension services, the following shade trees for Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas are not necessarily the best or the only trees that will do well in these regions. However, research has shown these trees perform above average in most areas and work well as southern shade trees.

Deciduous Trees for Oklahoma

Texas Shade Trees

Shade Trees for Arkansas

  • Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
  • Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
  • Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
  • Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
  • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
  • Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
  • Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
  • Lacebark Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
  • Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
  • Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Susan Albert
Susan Albert
Writer

After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a degree in English, Susan pursued a career in communications. In addition, she wrote garden articles for magazines and authored a newspaper gardening column for many years. She contributed South-Central regional gardening columns for four years to Lowes.com. While living in Oklahoma, she served as a master gardener for 17 years.