Consider it a big “Thanks” for sticking with us even when I forgot to email you back, or when we skipped your house to clean up the neighbor’s yard because we weren’t paying attention to street numbers, or for that one time I set up a truckload of mulch to be delivered on the wrong day, and you were delayed getting to work for 2 hours while we frantically shoveled a clear path for your trapped car.   Aww we’ve sure had some good times!

So to celebrate the mutual love (and to fill a tiny little hole in the winter work schedule) we’re having a big native tree sale!

Probably some time within the next 4-6 weeks, Tree Folks will have their annual fruit tree sale.  If they do, we’ll be there, so if you have a limited space and want fruit trees, you might want to hold out for that event instead.

Otherwise, costs for our winter native tree sale include purchase, delivery, and installation, per tree, plus tax.  Height and width measurements represent mature size of tree.  Offered pricing is at least 50% off normal pricing!  The fine print: minimum order is $60, please.

For our winter native tree sale, we have a nice selection of native trees from two local growers.  The first, from our good friend Mitch at Hill Country Natives nursery in Leander: 

3-gallon/7-gallon Possumhaw (15′ tall x 8′ wide; full sun or part-shade)  One of my favorite Central Texas native trees, the Ilex decidua is best known for it’s super bright red berries on bare white branches during the bleak months of winter.  The floral department at Whole Foods sells ribbon-tied cuttings of “Ilex” for like twenty bucks, as a really cool and overpriced seasonal floral arrangement.  One of these in your yard, and you’ll never get ripped off on a winter centerpiece again!   $30/$60

3-gallon Bur Oak (BIG; full sun) – Bur oaks look wise old men when they mature, with their huge sprawling branches and deeply textured bark.  Oak wilt resistant.  Quercus macrocarpa gets its name from its massive acorns, I have to stop writing now to avoid saying something really immature…but..phfff….it’s…hmmmfphh…areallygreattree.  $30

3-gallon Chinquapin Oak (60′; full sun) – Quercus muehlenbergiiare relatively pest and disease resistant, including to oak wilt.  Leaves turn colors in fall.  Does best in well-drained soil, but can tough out a variety of conditions.  $30

The second group is grown by the largest native plant nursery in Austin, who produces some of the best specimen plants around:

10-gallon/30-gallon Mexican Buckeye (20′ tall x 15′ wide; full sun, part-shade, shade) – Ungnadia speciosa is one of the first native Austin trees to bloom in the spring.  It’s an under-used shrubby tree that grows pretty much anywhere, but the more sun the better.  They usually hang on to seed pods during fall and winter, and leaves turn bright golden yellow in fall.  $100/$200

10-gallon Mexican Redbud (12′ x 12; full sun, part-shade) – Cercis canadensis var. mexicana is a small native deciduous trees have a little bit smaller leaves than the Texas variety, but still bloom in February to cheerfully announce the approach of spring in Austin.   $100

10-gallon Retama (15′ tall x 20′ wide; full sun) – Dad taught me to be a big fan of the underdog, so I gotta love Parkisonia aculeate.  They usually grow in the most disturbed, scarred, and totally destroyed patches of Austin, so you know they can handle your yard.  But without much love given, these guys love you back with bright green thorny branches and yellow fuzzy flowers in spring and summer.  $100

10-gallon Possumhaw – See description above.  $100

15-gallon Mexican White Oak (45′ x 45′; full sun) – My favorite shade tree, Quercus polymorpha are almost evergreen in mild winters, and new growth in spring is pinkish and looks like blooming flowers from a distance.  Mostly disease and pest resistant, and relatively fast growing.  $100

15-gallon Huisache(20′ tall x 15′ wide; full sun) – This south Texas native is about as tough as it gets.  Just like the Missus., thorny and mean and feisty, but uncommon and beautiful.  Acacia smallii has yellow, fuzzy-ball flowers in spring and summer.  Evergreen except in harsher winters.   $100

30-gallon Texas Mountain Laurel (15′ tall x 12′ wide; full sun, part-shade, or shade) – The George Straits of native plants, mountain laurels are hard not to like, even if you think modern country music sucks.  Small evergreen tree that grows native all over Austin.  Purple clusters of early spring blooms that smell like bubble gum, though denser shade gives fewer blooms.  $200

45-gallon/100-gallon Mexican White Oak – See description above.  $300/$600

We also have access to more native species with similar pricing, so let me know if you want something else and we’ll do our best to abide. 

 Also, the only way to take advantage of this deal is to leave a comment on this blog.  So leave a comment with what you want and I’ll get in touch with you via email.

10-gallon Possumhaw

10-gallon Texas Mountain Laurel

30-gallon Texas Mountain Laurel

15-gallon Mexican White Oak

30-gallon Mexican White Oak

100-gallon Mexican White Oak