25 Trees that thrive in the maritime Northwest's Dry Summers.
25 trees that usually thrive --even in especially hot or sunny sites .
We should plant more trees that need little or no watering once established. Seattle and nearby Puget Sound has a dry-summer climate --as does most of western North America. Yet we plant many trees that hail from summer-rainfall regions such as Back East, and Japan. Katsura-tree, for example. We ought not exlude thirsty trees, but they should be used more sparingly --or planted where ground-water is accessible such as near streams. Water is precious. And in gardens of mixed plantings, watering encourages more growth, fungal problems, and weeds --hence more maintenance. Less watering on many species also induces brighter fall color. Aspens are an example.
The following 25 trees are by no means the only ones I promote: I have a much longer list used in consulting. Those below were all I could fit onto one 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper given as a handout at my lecture in the February 2010 Northwest Flower and Garden Show. At the same venue, nurseryman Mike Lee lectured on drought-tolerant shrubs. We will repeat this lecture at the April PlantAmnesty meeting.
