Best tree nurseries in PHX?

I'm going to look for trees this weekend & am very leery of Moon Valley & Whitful. Has anyone dealt with P&M in Scottsdale?

I haven't dealt with P&M, but I sure echo your leeriness of both MV and Whitfill - I guess they're brothers or something.

I do highly recomment Bakers, they have a pretty good selection, too. Are you looking for something specific?

I need 3 trees to start.
- I love the jacarunda's, but after reading about everyone's problems with cold spells on GW, I've decided an Ironwood would be a better choice.
- My DH likes ficus trees. He says they remind him of big bonsai's.
-I would love a Chinese pistache. I really don't care if it turns red, orange or yellow. I just want something that turns color, so I'm hoping it isn't the wrong time of year to get one & plant it.

Any other suggestions?

Let me echo the recommendation for Baker's. A week or so ago I was there, the guy drove me all around on his cart looking at a variety of trees and shrubs. Very knowledgeable, very helpful, can special order some stuff, lots cheaper than Berridges. A real good selection, a lot more area than there looks like from the street.

Mmm - I think it's a matter of keeping the Jacaranda covered for the first couple of years, or just planting it in a place that tends to be warmer - near a wall, closer to the driveway, etc. If you have problems with cold, you'll have just as much trouble with a Ficus (assuming we're talking about a Nitida - there are a lot of different Ficus that I don't know anything about). I'm not going to go on my typical anti-Ficus tirade. No matter how much Fish-Knees loves it, I just won't do it.

I really like the Chinese Pistache - you can plant them now, the only thing about picking them out in fall is knowing what color they turn. I assume it's either red or gold but I guess there is a chance that some just kinda go brown ....??? but I doubt it!

Good luck, hope you find just what you like.

Thanks for the great advise!
We went to Baker's yesterday & found a few trees that were really great & quite reasonable too. One was called a Bottle tree, but I can't find anything online that has the same kind of leaves. I'm trying to determine the mature height of this tree. Does anyone know?

Is this what it looks like?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/89525/

If so, it's a Brahychiton populenus or something spelled kind of like that.... They get about 30-40' tall. If it's a bottle brush tree, Calliandra something or other, then it gets about the same height, maybe even bigger if you have flood irrigation.

I would hesitate on getting a Brahychiton populenus. The seed pods are so messy. I know several people that took these trees out.

PC - what was the tree we saw this morning? The "Person's Tongue"? I cannot remember the latin name. Neat tree. And wow, so fast growing!

If you haven't already purchased it...don't. They get MASSIVE are extremely messy, leaf litter all the time. And Jim is right, those seed pods are a nightmare! If you barely touch one or brush up against it. It leaves hair like stickers in your skin/clothing. I have one @ my rental property in Glendale :(

Womans tongue - remember? 'Cause it RATTLES so much!!!

Darn that George, sometimes!

I thought the Woman's Tongue tree we saw was Albizia. No? sam

Sam, you are right. Found it on the Internet. Albizia lebbeck. Very fast growing as you saw. But, considered invasive in some climates including Hawaii and Florida. Neat tree, though!

Kinda dumb, but there is a silver lining to the brachychiton pods - they look like little mice with the long "tail" stems - the young kids can put little eyes & whiskers on them & make mice.

Hi!
After everyone's great advice & talking to Larry from the Mastergardener hotline, I went to Bakers yesterday & purchased 3 trees. I told Larry that an older gentleman with quite a sense of humor had taken us around all the trees for sale at Bakers & had recommended a few types for our yard. Larry said to go back to Bakers find the gentleman I described & buy what ever he told me to get, as this was Mr. Baker himself & he knows everything there is to know about trees. The trees are being delivered today & I'm very nervous. I've never planted a tree before. By the way - that Bakers is a crazy place on weekends! People were actually waiting for parking & three other people tried to steal Mr. Baker when he was helping us. Beautiful place. I can't wait 'til this project is over, as I saw lots & lots of plants I must have.

Nice story - I LOVE Bakers. But what did 'ya buy?

Oops! That's the most fun part.
Flowering plum & Brazilian pepper & Chinese pistache

Ahhh, good choices. I love all three of those. I have heard the Brazilian pepper can be quite messy - hopefully you have factored that in and can plant it where that won't be a big issue. Good luck and keep us posted.

I am thinking I will check out Bakers this weekend. I spent quite a bit of time at Moon Valley this weekend. We picked some trees out but had to leave due to sick baby. DOes anyone know if they are comparatively priced?

Okay, I'll try not to turn this into a TIF, but Moon Valley's practices are not exactly ethical. Beware of their 'guarantees' and don't depend on them for accurate information. I've been told that you can pick out a tree and get a totally different plant delivered - sometimes not even the same species, believe that one or not. Caveat emptor (sp?).

Hi Marie!

Believe me I checked everywhere before we purchased anything. Money's extremely tight right now, but I just had to get some trees in here. Moon Valley & Whitfill both sounded cheaper until I added in delivery & extra charges for substitutions of specific trees in their specials. Bakers has beautiful trees they are a tiny bit more expense than the big tree farms, but their 15 gallons seem so much bigger & bushier than everyone else. What finally did it for me was when I called the Maricopa County Coop Extension & they told me to get my butt to Bakers, find Mr. Baker & buy the trees he selected.

The trees were planted yesterday & look great. DH thinks I have the most expensive stick in the neighborhood, as the Chinese pistache is just a 10 foot toothpick. I'm praying to every plant god & goddess I can think of that it survives :)

Lets all hold hands and VISUALIZE Sand_Dragons stick growing ;)

Koum-bhay-ya.
... or is it
Kuum-by-yah?
.. you know what I mean.

Ok everybody.

Does anyone have a living Chinese Pistache?
Does it have leaves yet or is it just teasing with HUGE buds?

Ok I went to Baker's and that is where I purchased my trees. :o)