By Marc Medefind, UC Master Gardener of Merced County

When’s the best time to plant a tree? 

It’s a great question and I always smile at the answer: “20 years ago.” The answer to the ensuing question — When’s the second best time to plant a tree?” is even better: “Today!”

Right now (even today!) before the intense heat sets in, is a great time for tree-planting. When I became a Master Gardener eight years ago, my final project involved compiling a list of the best trees for the Central Valley. My criteria included being water wise, having heat and draught tolerance, aesthetics (appearance/design/balance), being attractive to wildlife, and requiring minimal care. I’ve also included a mix of fruit and ornamental trees in my list.

For several very good reasons, the Chinese Pistachio is ubiquitous along Merced’s streets. It handles heat and draught; it is a fast grower with an abundant canopy; It puts on a dazzling show in the fall, turning first yellow then red. Its leaves fall fast and are mostly on the ground by mid-December. Its roots are also less problematic for sidewalks than Modesto Ashes and sycamores, two of the first species of trees planted along Merced’s streets. The Raywood Ash is often mistaken for the Chinese Pistachio and shares the same characteristics.

The Desert Museum Palo Verde is dazzling. It’s name references its green coloring; it is thornless (unlike other Palo verdes.)  It displays full, vibrant yellow flowers and it has a multi-trunked, arty, even sculptural shape, that provides a beautiful accent to any landscape. They are highly recommended around backyard patios since the tree’s canopy allows light penetration. Check them out at Merced College.

The Crape myrtle is a small tree usually around 7-12 feet tall with brilliant bright blossoms that come in many colors including pink, purple, red or white that bloom throughout the summer. Crape myrtles are natives of Asia. They can be multi- or single-trunked, and can be shaped as shrubs or trees. I was happy to discover that my crape is a nesting ground for praying mantis. I counted 8 “oothecas” (protective mantis egg casings) on my bare crape tree last winter.

The Chaste tree is a stunner! It attracts hordes of butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees thanks to its long-blooming and gorgeous spiky purple flowers. It has a spreading multi or single-trunked presentation with a broad and open canopy. It has no negatives that I’ve discovered. The name derived from legend. The tree was used by medieval monks who found that chewing its leaves, sleeping on its flowers, or strewing its leaves in places they frequented helped them maintain their vows of celibacy. Don’t believe it! Ironically, oils from this tree have been used to ease PMS and derivatives are still touted as healthful for male and female reproductive systems.

The Pomegranate is a fast grower. After just two years in the ground, the small pomegranate I planted was overwhelmed with fruit. This is a neat, rounded tree that can grow up to 30 feet or can be pruned as a shrub. Multi-trunked trees produce reddish-orange trumpet blossoms in spring and red fruit in the fall.

The Fig is a Valley native. It grows fast and thrives in well-drained soils and seemingly never needs watering. It can grow up to 30 feet tall by 30-feet wide. And what’s not to like about figs? Fig Newtons, fig jam, figgy pudding, and fig cheese. . . And I could go on and on.

The Bearss Lime is both attractive and ornamental. It’s a medium-sized evergreen that reaches up to 20 feet tall. It is a vigorous and successful lime producer that is both water-wise and heat resistant. The limes are seedless and can be used in place of Key limes, though the Bearss is larger and more oblong. (The double “S” is not a typo. John Bearss developed this seedless lime in 1895 right here in the San Joaquin Valley.)

The Persimmon (also called the “opossum tree” in the South due to its predilection for attracting this locally common marsupial)  is a real favorite of mine, truth to tell because I grew up on persimmon cookies. The tree has a classically broad, spreading shape with large glossy, oblong leaves and gorgeous moon-shaped fruit that provides a Christmas tree-like appearance during the holiday harvest season. The persimmon has two very distinct varieties, the Fuyu and the Hachiya. The former can be eaten like an apple and the latter is for cooking and baking. I learned the hard way about its one negative — weak branches. While harvesting one year, a large branch snapped under me and sent me to the ground in an awful hurry.

The Western Redbud is a gorgeous native tree that can be trained as tree or shrub and is very common throughout the foothills. They can’t be missed! Their brilliant magenta-colored blossoms — which attract both butterflies and hummers —give way to beautiful heart-shaped leaves in the summer. Many of these were planted next to the Santa Fe underpass on G Street in Merced. The fruit is in the form of seed pods that eventually produce volunteers.

This last tree is the only one that appears on all the “Best tree” lists. It’s tough and adaptable, it’s a Valley native, and it’s a UC Davis Arboretum All-Star. When I think about trees, this tree is the first that springs to mind. It’s the Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) the largest oak tree in the country. I am simply enamored with this tree. It’s iconic. I love its flowing, wandering branches, and its fairy tale appearance. It provides a home and longish acorns for wildlife, can grow in any soil and doesn’t seem to need any water at all. They are very slow to lose their lobed leaves. Some complain about the tree litter and abundant volunteers, but that doesn’t bother me a bit, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

For an even more comprehensive list of trees suitable for the Central Valley, check out the UC Davis Arboretum “All-Stars” as well as their list of tough and adaptable trees.

Marc Medefind is a Merced Master Gardener. The UC Master Gardener Program is a public service and outreach program under the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.