Loving The Shade This Summer? Thank an Old Tree!
What to Know About Shade Trees
Shade Trees
Among the many wonderful things about trees, one of the most relieving is the knowledge that we can find refuge from the sun under a tall, leafy tree in the heat of summertime. Here, we’ll go over how shade trees make an impact on the climate, which species are sun-loving powerhouses of shade production, and how we benefit from them in multiple ways throughout the warmest months of the year.
Thank an Old Tree
The biggest trees are the ultimate sunblockers in summer. Tall trees with wide, bushy crowns block sunlight and ultraviolet rays, cooling the area immediately under and around them, and many trees working together compound this effect. We have all experienced the major contrast when moving from direct sunlight to the shade of a tree, where it can be several degrees cooler.
When we plant young trees and care for them over decades, it’s in the hope that they will reach mature size and live as long as possible to fully provide their ecosystem services, including creating shade. In addition to reducing temperatures in this way, mature trees release moisture as water vapor that absorbs heat, filter the air of carbon and other particulates that warm up the air, and perform other functions like rainwater management, soil stabilization, and furnishing wildlife habitat.
In fact, the cooling effect of trees effectively helps to mitigate the urban heat island effect, where the built environment absorbs and radiates heat, making cities warmer on average than the surrounding rural areas. For the long-term comfort and sustainability of urban places like Nashville, keeping mature trees around is essential. The bigger the tree, the more it can do!
Which Trees Provide the Most Shade?
Some of the tallest, widest-spreading trees that give shade include:
The tulip poplar and elm are among the fastest-growing trees for shade.
Throughout the day, the sun shines down at different angles, with the middle of the day receiving the most intense and direct sunlight. However, morning and evening sunlight can be very bright and warm when it shines directly into our homes and buildings through the windows, especially in the summer. This means all vertical angles should be considered when planting a tree for shade. Understory trees and evergreen trees and bushes can be planted near windows and along property perimeters for both shade and privacy.
Tree Shade Cools Homes in Summer
When the sun shines onto our homes and other buildings, they can heat up rather quickly. In the winter, this helps keep the indoors warmer (especially since summer shade trees lose their leaves in fall), but in the summer, it requires us to take action to cool down temperatures inside.
Planting a shade tree or two on the east and west sides of a house (where it receives the most direct light as the sun rises and sets) can make a real difference in how warm the interior gets. This affects how much we need to run air conditioners, and an effective shade tree can actually lower cooling costs in summer!
Refuge From the Sun
A big, shady tree offers some shelter from the summer sun as a place to gather and enjoy the warm weather outside. Not only does it provide cooler temperatures, but a tree’s interception of ultraviolet rays can also make summer safer for us, our children, and our animals.
Too much direct exposure to sunlight can lead to sunburn, dehydration, or heat exhaustion, and it increases the risk of skin cancer. While wearing sunscreen is a summertime essential for exposed skin, nothing protects us from UV rays like physically blocking sunlight. This might mean staying indoors during the brightest times of the day, or, when outdoors, wearing sunglasses and long-sleeved shirts and pants to cover up. Having a well-shaded yard or enjoying time in a park or forest helps us enjoy summertime outside while keeping ourselves protected from too much sun.
Gardening in the Shade of Trees
A shady yard doesn’t mean that you can’t have a garden as well! Certain plants prefer partial or full shade, so you can take advantage of shaded areas by planting your more sensitive flowerbeds and vegetable gardens in places that don’t get as much sun. Some popular shade-loving plants include hostas, astilbe, and begonias. Vegetables that grow in partial shade include broccoli, peas, garlic, beets, lettuce, and herbs, in addition to many other leafy greens and root vegetables.
We Love Big, Shady Trees
When we plant trees, it’s to keep them in the ground for a long time! Maintaining trees in good health and protecting them over their lifetime is essential to keeping a productive canopy that can provide us with shade and help moderate temperatures, especially in the warmest months of the year. This summer, if you’re finding yourself in the shade of a mature tree, take a moment to appreciate the time and care it took to grow and survive in that spot!
If you’d like to plant a shade tree or two in your own yard, consider acquiring it through the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ tree sale! Or help us achieve our mission to promote, preserve, protect, and plant trees in Davidson County by volunteering with NTCC. If you haven’t already, sign up for our email newsletter to stay updated on all sorts of information on tree care and Nashville’s canopy.