denise ra wrote:Cristo Balete, I'm on my phone and so it doesn't show where you're located. What climate are you in, and was this tree you're speaking of a fast-growing tree?
Denise, I'm on the West Coast, mild winter climate. The description for the Chinese Flame Trees says it can grow in Zones 7-9. I think it could be a very invasive tree, considering the shocking number of little trees forming underneath it. The description also says it can live 50-150 years. It is a real commitment, not sure I'll keep it. It's already up where it takes a ladder to trim it, even though it's been trimmed.
If you are looking for something that is manageable, makes a great hedge, and fixes nitrogen, and provides great leaf mulch, check out Elaeagnus, one without thorns. The thorns are painful. They are drought tolerant once established. Haven't watered mine in 30 years. Some have edible berries.
An important distinction: Permaculture is not the same kind of gardening as organic gardening.
Mediterranean climate hugel trenches, fabuluous clay soil high in nutrients, self-watering containers with hugel layers, keyhole composting with low hugel raised beds, thick Back to Eden Wood chips mulch (distinguished from Bark chips), using as many native plants as possible....all drought tolerant.