The Best Trees to Plant in Las Vegas

The right tree gives a Las Vegas yard shade, curb appeal, and a lower cooling bill — the wrong one becomes a thirsty, messy problem. These desert-adapted trees are proven performers in the valley.

Fall is tree-planting season

Plant trees in fall so roots can establish through the mild months before facing their first desert summer. Water deeply and infrequently to encourage deep roots.

Best desert shade and flowering trees

• 'Desert Museum' palo verde — thornless, fast, yellow spring blooms
• Honey or Chilean mesquite — quick, sculptural shade
• Sweet acacia and mulga (Acacia aneura) — tough and low-water
• Desert willow (Chilopsis) — trumpet flowers, loves the heat
• Texas mountain laurel — evergreen with fragrant purple blooms
• Ironwood — long-lived native, light shade
• Chinese pistache — real fall color (a bit more water)
• Southern live oak — big, dense shade for larger yards (more water)

A local heads-up: restricted trees

Clark County restricts planting new olive and mulberry trees under a long-standing pollen-control ordinance, because of their heavy allergenic pollen. Rules can change, so confirm with a local nursery before buying. It's also wise to avoid notoriously messy, invasive, or high-water species — a good local landscaper can steer you clear.

Give a new tree a strong start

• Plant in fall, not mid-summer
• Stake loosely for the first year, then remove so the trunk strengthens
• Water deeply and less often; widen the watering zone as the canopy grows
• Keep gravel — not grass — around the base to reduce competition and rot

Not sure what fits your space, soil, and irrigation? Get matched with a local pro who plants trees in the valley every week.