Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Shamel Ash
Shamel Ash is a fast-growing, big shade tree from Mexico that keeps most of its leaves through winter. It grows upright and rounded with large, dark green leaves and, given room, can eventually reach 60 to 80 feet. It takes Valley heat well in full sun. It does best with regular water, such as in a large irrigated yard or lawn.
Best for: fast, big shade over a large irrigated yard or lawn, shade that stays mostly green in winter, and hot, sunny spots.
It grows fast into a large, upright and rounded tree with a wide canopy. Given room it can eventually reach 60 to 80 feet tall and 40 to 60 feet wide.
It keeps most of its large, dark green leaves through winter. A hard freeze can strip them, but trees recover quickly.
It does well in turf and flood-irrigated yards with regular water, and it takes Valley heat well in full sun.
Its heavy surface roots can lift concrete walks and drives and surface in lawns. It needs a lot of room. Young trees need protection from hard freezes.
- Row of shade trees20 ft apart
- Single shade tree20 ft from other trees
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.
First two weeks. In the Valley, water every 1 to 2 days in summer and every 3 to 4 days in the cooler months. Always water deeply, slow and long enough that moisture soaks down to the root zone, not just the surface.
After that, taper gradually. Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, or every 10 to 14 days in the cooler months, by week 8. Higher and cooler areas water less often. See how to water new plants for your area and plant type.
Read the soil, not a schedule. Push a long screwdriver into the soil about an hour after watering. It slides easily through wet soil and stops at dry soil. Once a plant is rooted, water again when it will not go in more than 3 to 4 inches.
Fertilizer. Most desert-adapted plants establish without heavy feeding. Too much fertilizer pushes soft, leggy growth.
How big does Shamel Ash get?
It can eventually reach 60 to 80 feet tall with a 40 to 60 foot spread. It needs a large yard.
How fast does Shamel Ash grow?
It grows fast when it gets regular water. Plant it where a big tree fits, because it fills in quickly.
Is Shamel Ash evergreen?
It is mostly evergreen here. It keeps most of its leaves through winter and drops them only briefly, mainly in cold snaps and when young.
How much water does Shamel Ash need?
It needs regular water all year, soaked deep at the drip line. It does well in lawns and flood-irrigated yards.
Do Shamel Ash roots cause problems?
Yes, they can. It is shallow rooted, and mature trees have heavy surface roots that can heave concrete walks and drives. Plant it well back from paving, and expect roots to surface in lawns.
How cold hardy is Shamel Ash?
It is hardy to about 20°F. Freezes can strip the leaves and kill young twigs, but trees recover quickly. Protect young trees from hard freezes.
Does it handle Phoenix heat?
Yes. It takes the heat well and grows best in full sun, so give it an open, sunny spot.
Does Shamel Ash drop seeds?
Female trees produce winged seeds, which can come up as seedlings and be a nuisance in late summer.
Is the pollen bad for allergies?
Yes, it can be. Shamel ash trees are full of pollen in spring, and ash pollen is a known spring allergen in the Valley. Keep that in mind if spring pollen bothers someone in your home.
How should I prune Shamel Ash?
Raise the canopy as the tree grows. It needs little other pruning.
How far apart should I plant Shamel Ash?
Plant ash shade trees about 20 feet apart, center to center, and keep a single tree about 20 feet from other trees. See the Spacing tab for the numbers.
Shamel Ash for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Shamel Ash is a fast, large shade tree from Mexico that keeps most of its leaves through winter. It suits big, irrigated yards in the Valley. Below: size, speed, water, winter leaves, roots, cold, seeds and pollen.
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.
Is Shamel Ash a good shade tree in Phoenix?
It is a fast, large shade tree that takes Valley heat and keeps most of its leaves in winter. It needs regular water and a big yard.
How big does Shamel Ash get?
It can eventually reach 60 to 80 feet tall and 40 to 60 feet wide, with an upright, rounded canopy.
Shamel Ash roots
It is shallow rooted, and mature trees can heave concrete walks and drives. Roots can surface in lawns. Keep it well back from paving.
Is Shamel Ash evergreen?
It is mostly evergreen in the Valley. It keeps most of its leaves in winter, losing them only briefly in cold snaps.
Watering Shamel Ash
Give it regular water year round. It does well in turf and flood-irrigated yards.
Shamel Ash vs Arizona Ash
Shamel ash grows faster and larger and keeps most of its leaves in winter. Arizona ash is a native that drops its leaves and turns golden yellow in fall.
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.