To determine the best placement of a tree to build shade around your home, the Regional Municipality of York has created a how-to sheet that can help you complete a shade audit of your yard. Once you have decided where a tree would be most effective, it’s time to decide what species would be best.
Below are profiles a few of the all-star shade-providing tree species that LEAF plants to help you grow a healthier backyard.
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
If you have enough space, there’s no better native tree to provide shade in your yard than a sycamore. One of our largest-growing native species of tree, the sycamore is known for its graceful beauty. The tree’s most distinguishing feature is its brown bark which exfoliates along the upper trunk, exposing a patchwork of browns, yellows, and greens against a background of creamy white. Often referred to as camouflage bark, this ornamental trait, combined with its towering height, facilitates easy identification from a distance. When you get up close you’ll see that its large leaves provide amazing shade –perfect for picnics!
Basswood (Tilia americana)
If you don’t have the space for a large, spreading canopy, the conical-shaped basswood might be right. Basswoods have beautiful, large, heart-shaped leaves that provide dense shade. The sweet smell of their flowers in late June is an added bonus. These shade-providers are also an important food source for pollinators.
Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)
If planted in proper conditions and watered diligently until established, this shade tree grows
relatively quickly (for an oak) and can live to see many centuries. If you’re looking to provide shade for generations to
come, and love providing food to birds and other wildlife, a swamp white oak might
be the choice for you.
There are so many reasons to plant trees, but shade is something we all need
more of and there’s no denying the immediate, tangible benefit of moving out of the
hot afternoon sun and into the shade of a tree.In addition to the re-leaf a tree’s shade offers, it also provides UVR protection which
can reduce your risk of skin cancer. Learn more from the Toronto Cancer
Prevention Coalition about UV Radiation and Shade in the City.
Remember that selecting the right species for your yard also includes considering soil type, amount of sunlight and amount of space above and below ground. Book your consultation and let LEAF help you get the right tree in the right place with our Backyard Tree Planting Program.
Jacqueline Hamilton is LEAF’s Residential Planting Program Coordinator.
The Backyard Tree Planting Program is supported by Ontario Power Generation, York Region,City of Toronto, Town of Ajax, and Toronto Hydro.