fast growing trees /shrubs alentejo region Portugal

turbotad

hello

we have recently bought a property in the Lower Alentejo regio of Portugal and are looking to provide a tree/shrub perimeter along our boundaries.

We are not yet living in the property and are looking for ideas of what sort of trees to plant that will look after themselves in this climate.

the temperature high summer can reach 40C with winter temperature fluctuating between 18C and zero overnight.

The local area supports cork oaks and Holm oaks,eucaliptus etc but I would not be expecting to plant any of these.

Also what in your opinion would be the best time of the year to plant and also what age would you expect saplings to be in order for them to be sustainable.

I was thinking yuccas palms etc but would welcome advice from any old boughs out there to a mere sapling like myself

turbotad

Sean Freeman

Hello and welcome turbotad hopefully a couple of other expats in Portugal will chime in on this thread but I'll give you my limited opinion.

One of the toughest small trees large shrubs around is Prunus lusitanica, very drought tolerant (once established) great foliage and flowers.

Remember however that fast growing almost always means short lived, so mix up your plantings..use fast and short to protect slow and longer lived specimens.

Two very long lived and resiliant oaks that love Portugal in all its extremes are Quercus suber (cork oak) and Quercus ilex plant them both you won't regret it.

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

Sean Freeman

I was going to include olives but hen reread your post and the reference to very cold winter nights...nevertheless Portugal has some of the oldest Olive trees in Europe.
One I've read about is certified as being more than 2000 years of age. It is on a tourist development, Pedras del Rei near Tavira It can be found between villas 46B and 48A. It is from a variety brought over to Portugal by the Phoenicians in the 7th Century BC from Mesopotamia.

Attached Images

ancient olive.jpg (93.0 KB, 34 views)

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran