Photo: Contributed This screen shot of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association's plant database on its website, shows one of the new additions to the trees category, now considered a good choice for this valley, in consideration of climate change. After the hardscape part of your landscaping, which can include pathways, patios, retaining walls and water features, your most expensive purchase will be for trees in your landscaping. With the past two years of extremely erratic weather, we have to reconsider our traditional tree choices and embrace other options.
It is vital that we choose trees adapted to our climate in the Okanagan and that are both drought and heat tolerant, as well as able to survive temperature swings of a staggering 70 F. Trees which we have traditionally selected are now suffering under these new climactic conditions and are therefore more susceptible to pests and disease. One example which has been traditionally used in street and residential plantings is the London Plane tree, (Platanus x acerifolia), which is now frequently infected with anthracnose at sites throughout this region.
This foliar disease causes bud damage, wilted leaves and substantial defoliation. Although not fatal, it certainly creates an unsightly and weakened tree. Historically, we planted lots of ash trees (Fraxinus spp) in urban areas but this species is susceptible to the Agrilus planipennis, or emerald ash borer.
Emerald ash borer originated in Asia, so it has few native predators to c.