Plants have long been used as passive, energy-savers in the landscape.
Trees are the main type of landscape plants used to modify the temperatures in and around the home.
The benefits of new shade trees should be felt within 5 years. To accomplish this goal, a distance of 7 to 20 feet from tree to wall is recommended. Lot size and mature tree height directly influence this distance. The closer a tree is to the house, the longer its shading effects last during the day. The shadow of a tree planted 10 feet from the home moves across the shaded surface four times slower than a tree planted 20 feet away.