Plan to be Water-Wise!

Before we get into some valuable advice regarding water-wise tree’s – we wish to say 

 

“Welcome to 2011”! 

We hope that all of you have enjoyed a well earned and refreshing break over the festive season and look forward to the opportunity of assisting you with any advice you need, in addition to our outstanding selection of exceptional quality trees. At TreeCo we are truly motivated by helping you to get the best from your landscape! 

At this time of the year it is common for the Cape to experience extreme heat as well as long dry and windy spells.

Many trees become stressed by prolonged exposure to our harsh conditions, so planting trees that are hardy and can withstand these conditions by using water efficiently, is the wisest solution to a healthy, low maintenance and environmentally friendly landscape.

Using drought tolerant trees is always beneficial as they can withstand high heat and low water conditions while still maintaining a moderate growth rate as well as aesthetic and functional qualities.

A wide selection of our beautiful indigenous trees are ideally suited to hot and dry habitats and can generally be easily identified when certain characteristics are taken into account. 

The Characteristics of Water-Wise Trees

Drought tolerant or resistant trees tend to have smaller leaves than their less hardy counterparts and the leaves are usually DISCOUNT CODE TSMD 0080 lighter green or even grey or silvery in colour. The smaller leaves reduce evaporation and assist the plant in conserving moisture.

The roots of drought tolerant trees either spread widely or grow very deep, enabling them to maximise the use of available ground water. An added benefit of this is their ability to stabilise dry and sandy soils.

Some of the many indigenous trees that are both attractive and drought tolerant are Dodonea angustifolia, Olea africana, Searsia pendulina and Searsia lancea as well as a number of the popular and iconic Acacia family such as Acacia karoo and Acacia erioloba to name just a few.

In South Africa, where water is a precious and an increasingly scarce commodity, we need to plan and design our landscapes responsibly, by ensuring that we select trees that are suited to the prevailing conditions, thereby enhancing our environment without placing undue pressure on our valuable resources.

Please feel free to contact Rudi or Leske for any further information and advice.