Trees with Light Shade
- Trees are a permanent landscape feature and can live for up to 100 years or longer.trees image by Marta Reimpell from Fotolia.com
Choosing a landscape design requires an understanding of trees. Certain trees produce more shade than others. Although some shade in an area is usually preferred, trees that create dense shade can make your yard too dark and limit plant growth. There are a number of trees that offer light shade. - According to the Virginia Cooperative Extension, the thornless honey locust (also spelled honeylocust) produces a light partial shade that does not hamper the growth of plants underneath it. It's a fast-growing tree that produces aromatic flowers. The tree has an open silhouette, which allows some sunlight to pass through. Its smallish green leaves turn yellow in the fall. The tree thrives in a number of soil types and prefers full sunlight. A honey locust can grow as tall as 70 feet with a 50-foot spread, reports the Arbor Day Foundation, an organization dedicated to trees.
- A birch tree yields light shade. Although it grows up to 70 feet tall, it only has a spread of 35, as indicated by the Arbor Day Foundation. It's considered to be a narrow tree with relatively loose branches that offer light shade. The tree's leaves transition from green to yellow during the fall months. It has velvety, white bark. Birch trees grow best in areas with sandy or silty loam soil that is well-drained. It needs full sunlight.
- The red maple tree generates partial shade. It's an ideal tree if you want to add color to your yard. The tree's green stems change to red in the winter, while the color of its leaves transition from red to green. During the fall months, the tree's leaves become dark red or yellow. It also has red flowers that bloom in the spring. The tree is of an oval shape with dimensions ranging from 40 to 60 feet in height and 40 feet wide. While it's a shade tree, its limbs are loose and scattered, enabling some light to pass through.
