Walk any Houston-area neighborhood and you'll see the same handful of trees: live oaks, pecans, magnolias, sweet gums, loblolly pines, crape myrtles, and bald cypresses. Each has very different care needs. Here's a quick guide to all seven.
1. Live oak (Quercus virginiana)
The signature tree of Houston. Slow-growing, massive canopy, drought-tolerant, can live 200+ years.
- Pruning: Every 3–5 years for established trees, every 2–3 for young ones
- Timing: November–January only (oak wilt risk)
- Watch for: Oak wilt, cavity decay in old trees, structural defects from co-dominant trunks
2. Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
The Texas state tree. Large, productive, brittle wood, demanding water needs.
- Pruning: Dormant season only (December–February). Avoid bleeding-season cuts.
- Watering: Deep weekly soak in summer; can use 100+ gallons/day at maturity
- Watch for: Iron chlorosis, pecan scab, brittle limb failure during storms
3. Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Slow-growing, evergreen, signature white flowers. Less work than most large trees.
- Pruning: Light pruning every 4–6 years; magnolias don't respond well to heavy cuts
- Timing: Late winter or right after flowering
- Watch for: Verticillium wilt, root damage from compacted soil. Don't disturb the root zone.
4. Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Fast-growing, pretty fall color, but those spiky seed balls are a problem on lawns and driveways.
- Pruning: Annual structural pruning when young; less frequent at maturity
- Watch for: Heart rot in older trees, sap-sucking insects on stressed trees
- Honest take: Many homeowners regret planting sweet gums. The seed balls require constant raking.
5. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)
Dominant pine of the Houston region. Fast-growing, can reach 100+ feet, common in Kingwood, the Woodlands, Atascocita.
- Pruning: Lower branches removed for clearance; rarely need crown work
- Hurricane prep: Wind-sail reduction every 2–3 years for trees over 60 ft near structures
- Watch for: Pine bark beetles in stressed trees, wind throw during storms
6. Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
Small ornamental, summer flowers, tolerates almost everything. Most over-pruned tree in Houston.
- Pruning: Light shaping in late winter only. Don't "crape murder" — the practice of cutting them back to fat stubs every year. It deforms the tree and reduces flowering.
- Watch for: Powdery mildew in humid years, crape myrtle bark scale (newer pest in Houston)
7. Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)
Native, deciduous conifer (drops needles in winter), excellent at handling wet soil. Common in newer landscapes for its low-maintenance nature.
- Pruning: Minimal — bald cypresses self-prune and rarely need shaping
- Watch for: Cypress knees (root protrusions in lawns near water), spider mites in dry summers
What Houston should plant more of
Recommendations from the Texas A&M Forest Service for Houston-area planting:
- Cedar elm — drought-tolerant, native, great fall color
- Texas red oak — shorter-lived than live oak but still good shade
- Mexican plum — small ornamental, native, supports pollinators
- Possumhaw holly — winter berries, small native
What to avoid planting
- Bradford pear — splits in storms, weak structure
- Chinese tallow — invasive, banned in many municipalities
- Mimosa — invasive, weak wood, short-lived
- Mulberry — messy fruit, surface roots, hard to remove once established
Need help identifying what's in your yard? We do free property walks and ID every tree as part of any estimate. (281) 626-9111.