Drought Resistent Tree

dorian821 · #1 September 27th, 2009, 11:03 AM

Hi, Ive got some land in Cuyama valley CA, which is in the north east part of Santa Barbara county, which I would like to live on in a few years. the problem is that there is no well on the prop, and the valley is quite arid, 1-1.5 feet of rain per year, with a couple inches of snow as well. otherwise it is hot and dry. Though I would like to plant some trees now, so that in a few years when I have money to dig a well and move out there I will already have shade. as of now, there are is only tumbleweed and juniper bushes.

are there any trees that will grow in these conditions without considerable water supplement?

**Ron B** · #2 September 27th, 2009, 11:13 AM

Sounds like junipers grow there. Maybe there are some pines that would live there as well. Any of those nearby? What else do you see growing nearby? Maybe with mulching and occasional buckets of water during visits you can get some other kinds going.

Cypresses are also typical of semiarid regions. But these look generally like junipers. They do tend to grow fast.

**Michael F** · #3 September 28th, 2009, 06:02 AM

Given the name of your home, Cuyamaca Cypress Cupressus stephensonii would be a good one to try.

Alevin · #4 September 30th, 2009, 11:19 AM

Hi, here in Southern Italy in a similar condition you would plant Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) or Olive (Olea aeuropea). They are both really drought resistent, but I am concerned about snow. How cold does it get there? Olive is slightly hardyer.

alex66 · #5 September 30th, 2009, 11:53 AM

one native tree is a good solution, in this forum there is one thread with plant list for xeriscaping,however my preferite is nerium oleander.
uhuh Alevin with Ron B and Michael F in this page .. 3 teacher ;-)
ciao Ale

greenboy · #6 October 8th, 2009, 02:22 AM

If you have Junipers you have water underground, are you too far from the sea? Sea water farming is something very profitable in some parts of the world, and you can plant mangroves in the property when you are able to move there your mangroves will give you not only shade but a forest, where you can farm crabs, and shrimps, and with the green leaves from the plant you can raise goat, sheep and even cattle. But if you are too far away from the sea. you should drill the well first. because if the Junipers keep growing they are going to use that underground water, and you well will get more expensive to drill. GB

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**2annbrow** · #7 October 16th, 2009, 04:12 AM

Dorian,
Have you considered some native oaks? I think an oak that can survive east Texas could survive anywhere!
http://oaksofthewildwest.com/OakVarieties.html

**saltcedar** · #8 October 21st, 2009, 05:44 AM

12" to 18" of rain may be too optimistic. 7" to15" inches is listed on this site some others show even less!

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=c...ifbgmAImQWgJQA

You may need to go to Las Pilitas nursery to find drought adapted plants that may be able to
grow there without supplemental irrigations. Hope that helps.

http://www.laspilitas.com/stores/santa-margarita