Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Indian Rosewood (Sissoo)
Indian Rosewood, also called sissoo, is a fast-growing shade tree with glossy, light green leaves that tremble in the wind. It grows upright and vigorous to about 40 to 60 feet, spreading 30 to 40 feet with age. It is one of the most popular big shade trees for streets and backyards in the Valley. It does best with regular, deep summer water.
Best for: fast, dense shade for large yards and streets, a lush look on moderate water, and wide open spaces.
It grows fast, especially with regular summer water, into a tree 40 to 60 feet tall. It is used as a shade tree for streets, parks and large backyards.
Its glossy, light green leaves tremble in the wind like aspen leaves. It gives a lush, green look in a desert yard.
Give it open ground with trees at least 20 feet apart. Its wide root system also helps hold soil on slopes.
The wide roots can send up suckers and cause trouble near walls and foundations, especially in shallow soil. It drops leaves, flowers and seed pods through the year, and young trees take frost damage below about 28°F.
- Trees in a group or row20 ft or more apart
- Single shade tree20 ft from other trees
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly by the second month, and keep up deep, regular soaks for its first 3 years. Once rooted, soak it at the drip line every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter. Regular summer water gives the densest canopy.
Take off the nursery stake at planting, and stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball and soft, wide ties that let the trunk sway. Remove them after about a year.
Shape it young and raise the lower branches over time. Prune in winter, and never take more than a quarter of the canopy in a year.
Its wide roots can send up suckers some distance from the trunk, especially in shallow soil. Plant it well away from walls, foundations and paving, and pull suckers as they appear.
Drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again in spring.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How fast does Indian rosewood grow?
It grows very fast, especially with ample summer water. Deep, regular soaks give the best growth and a dense canopy.
How big does it get?
It grows about 40 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide. Plant it only where it has that much room.
Are sissoo roots a problem?
They can be a problem, because the wide roots can send up suckers some distance from the trunk, especially in shallow soil. Plant it well away from walls, foundations and paving.
Is it evergreen?
It keeps its leaves in mild winters, but mature trees often drop many leaves in Valley winters. Expect some winter leaf drop.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated to about 28°F, and young trees take the most damage below that. Cover young trees on the coldest nights.
How much water does it need?
Water it regularly the first few years. Once rooted, deep summer soaks every 7 to 14 days keep the canopy full, with less water in winter.
Is it messy?
It drops flowers in spring, leaves and seed pods at other times, so expect some cleanup through the year. Keep it back from pools.
Does it flower?
It has small, pale spring flowers that are not showy. The tree is grown for its shade and leaves.
Indian Rosewood (Sissoo) for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Indian Rosewood, or sissoo, is one of the fastest big shade trees for Valley yards. Below: size, speed, water, cold, roots and suckers, litter and where it fits best.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How fast does sissoo grow in Phoenix?
It grows very fast with regular summer water, reaching 40 to 60 feet over time.
Indian rosewood roots and suckers
The roots spread wide and can send up suckers, especially in shallow soil. Plant it well away from walls, foundations and paving.
Is sissoo evergreen in Arizona?
It keeps its leaves in mild winters, but mature trees often drop many leaves in Valley winters.
How cold hardy is Indian rosewood?
It is rated to about 28°F, and young trees take the most damage below that.
Watering Indian rosewood
Deep summer soaks every 7 to 14 days keep it full once it is rooted, with less water in winter.
Sissoo tree size
Plan for 40 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide, and space trees 20 feet or more apart.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.