Shady Lady Trees, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Shady Lady is a dense, layered shade tree sold in Southwest Florida as a selection of black olive, and it does well in full sun, heat and coastal wind. It reaches 25 to 40 ft with a wide, shady canopy. It is best as a patio shade tree or a specimen on a larger lot, planted well away from pavers and the pool deck.
- Light:
- Full sun; part shade thins the canopy
- Water:
- Moderate; regular water until established, then fairly drought tolerant
- Salt:
- Moderate to high; a good coastal shade tree
Shady Lady Tree sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Shady Lady Tree | 25 Gallon |
Shady Lady Tree in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 25 to 40 ft tall, with a dense canopy 20 to 30 ft wide
- Light
- Full sun; part shade thins the canopy
- Water
- Moderate; regular water until established, then fairly drought tolerant
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate to high; a good coastal shade tree
- Cold tolerance
- Frost-tender: leaves and young branches burn near 30°F and a hard freeze can kill small limbs; coastal Lee and Collier rarely get that cold, inland yards sometimes do
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Spacing
- 25 to 30 ft between trees
- Florida native
- No, a selection of a Caribbean tree
- Botanical name
- Bucida buceras 'Shady Lady' (also listed as Terminalia buceras)
Where Shady Lady Tree works in a SW Florida yard
Give Shady Lady space and it pays you back with deep shade. Plant it 15 to 20 ft from the house and 25 to 30 ft from other large trees, since the canopy spreads wide and drops leaves through the year. Put it over lawn or mulch rather than a pool deck, pavers or parked cars, where its black seed capsules can stain.
It anchors a back corner or an entry court nicely, with liriope, coontie and cast iron plant handling the dense shade underneath.
- Dense patio shade
- Coastal and canal-lot shade tree
- Large-lot specimen tree
- Framing an entry court
How our crew plants it
Dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball and no deeper, with the root flare at or just above the soil. A 25-gallon tree needs two or three stakes or guy lines for 6 to 12 months, with padded straps. Mulch 3 inches deep in a wide ring, off the trunk.
Water in well and keep watering often through the first months, tapering to your assigned days as the roots spread; Lee and Collier allow extra watering on new plantings. We deliver it, plant it, and clean up.
Care after planting
- Water new trees often, then deeply on your assigned days, and keep a wide mulch ring so the roots stay cool in summer.
- Have a pro thin the canopy before storm season and skip pruning in winter, since the tender regrowth can be caught by a freeze.
- Feed with a slow-release fertilizer with minor nutrients in spring and early October, because yellowing leaves in our alkaline soil often mean an iron or manganese shortage, and skip nitrogen and phosphorus June 1 to September 30.
- Expect leaf drop all year, and rake leaves and seed capsules off pool decks and pavers.
What to watch for
- Black olive caterpillars periodically strip foliage and drop droppings that stain pavers and cars, though the tree normally recovers.
- Gall mites cause small bumps on the leaves that shed and mark surfaces; they look untidy but need no treatment.
Shady Lady Tree questions we hear
How big does a Shady Lady black olive get?+
Most reach 25 to 40 ft tall with a dense canopy 20 to 30 ft wide, smaller and tighter than a standard black olive. Growth is moderate to fast, and it fills out into its layered shape over several years. Plan the spot for the full canopy, not for the 25-gallon tree you see on delivery day.
Is Shady Lady the same as a black olive tree?+
Shady Lady is a selection of black olive, Bucida buceras, grown for a denser, more compact canopy with smaller leaves than the standard tree. It is not an edible olive. Plant it the same way, but expect a smaller footprint than the species, which can reach 40 to 50 ft.
Is Shady Lady good for a canal or coastal lot?+
Yes, it is a good coastal shade tree. Black olives handle salt spray and wind better than most shade trees, and the wood is hard. Frost is the weak spot, so inland yards in Lehigh Acres or North Fort Myers need more caution than Cape Coral or Naples canal lots.
How close can I plant a Shady Lady tree to my house or pool?+
Keep it 15 to 20 ft from the house, and well back from pool decks and pavers. The canopy spreads wide, leaves drop all year, and the black seed capsules can stain hard surfaces. A lawn or mulched bed is the better place under its canopy.
Is Shady Lady hurricane resistant?+
Black olive has strong, wind-tolerant wood, and a properly staked, well-rooted Shady Lady holds up well. A dense canopy still catches wind, so have a pro thin it before storm season and never top it. Planting at the right depth with a wide mulch ring matters most in the first years.
How much does a planted Shady Lady tree cost?+
Price depends on size, form and how many, so we text a planted price instead of listing one. Shady Lady comes in a 25-gallon size, and a planted price means the tree is delivered and planted. We usually reply within the hour during the day, and half down holds the tree and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Shady Lady Tree
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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