Tree Suggestion

Question from Donna:
I live in Pasadena. I have a built in bbq (facing west) and need to plant a tree near it (no fire concern as not that near) for shade. I want a tree that is pretty, NOT MESSY, small, non invasive roots, does not shed seeds. If the tree sheds everything in a few weeks in the winter and stays green and non messy the rest of the year, especially in summer when we are sitting near the bbq and cooking on it, that would be great. I have considered citrus tree but a large tree we had years ago had black sticky leaves at times. I know this is a tall order but I would appreciate your help.

Answer from Pat:
I smiled when I read your question and perhaps also you were smiling when you wrote it. It would be amusing to write back and say the tree you describe does indeed exist but it exists in heaven, not here. But joking aside, “believe it or not ” I do know a tree that fits your description and it is at its best in your climate zone in Pasadena. This virtuous tree is

Chinese flame tree (Koelreuteria bipinnata, K. integrifolia.) or flamegold (K. elegans) Both are small and have non-invasive roots and lacy green foliage which they shed briefly in late winter. K. bipinnata blooms with insignificant yellow flowers in late summer, K. elegans has larger ones, but the real glory of these trees are the orange-red to salmon colored seedpods that follow the flowers. K. elegans has a fabulous show, maybe better than K. bipinnata, but both of these trees in fall look as if a colorful bougainvillea got wound into the top of a green tree. It is hugely colorful in Pasadena (it needs warmth to be at its best) and has been used as a street tree in several inland cities. Though this tree has seed pods, they are the colorful feature of the tree and not hard to clean up later. People fall in love with this tree. (But either one is a good choice and I’ve seen it in a back yard where the folks adored it.)

A word of caution: Take great care not get to purchase golden rain tree (K. paniculata) by mistake. It is a good tree also and far more common than K. elegans and nursery people will tell you it’s the same thing but it is not. It also seeds itself a great deal and the seeds grow into trees, one of the things you apparently don’t want. Its seedpods are an ugly brown.

I can also offer an alternative suggestion, though a little more expensive. Build a sturdy pergola exactly where you need the shade and plant a Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis ‘Cooke’s Special’) on it. You will have flowers in spring, shade in summer and sun in winter, plus a lovely spot for putting table and chairs for your barbecue dinners in hot weather. You choice of vines is wider also than wisteria, you could cover the pergola with a blood red trumpet vine which is evergreen with flowers spring to fall or with Mexican flame vine (Pyrostegia venusta) orange flowers all winter into spring and flat green foliage all summer, or evergreen grape (Rhoiocissus capensis) Lovely year-round shade on a clean plant, like a grape vine but no drippy fruit or flowers. See it growing near Pasadena at the Old Mill (El Molino Viejo) 1120 Old Mill Road, San Marino, Ca 91108. http://www.old-mill.org/directions.asp