Shade trees and bushes for African Tortoises?

[TortieLuver]

Which shade trees and bushes do you have for your Leopards or Sulcatas? I wanted to get more and want someone big, full, and fast growing.

 

[mightyclyde]

Mulberry, loquat, hibiscus, heather, tea tree, sage, grape vines. Also begonias, marigolds, california poppy, bermuda grass. I know there are a lot more, but these do well in my area.

 

[moswen]

I just have huge hibiscus and a rose bushes, they were the biggest bush plants I could find. I don't know if crepe myrtles are safe for torts, but those things grow incredibly dense and incredibly fast, and you really cannot kill them. Those would be the perfect plant in my opinion if they are safe. You can cut them back at the end of every summer and keep them in bush form or you can leave them alone and they will basically grow into a bush tree, ours has grown so tall in 3 yrs that I am going to have to cut it back this year, it's clogging our gutters on our roof!

 

[Yvonne G]

I have a huge pineapple guava bush in Dudley's back 40. He loves to hang out under it.

 

[Greg T]

I have several large bushes of different types, but mine prefer to hide under a fern plant. Perhaps because it matches their shells and they can still get some sun, but feel safe. Strangely enough, they also like to hide under the wheelbarrow in the corner. They change hiding spots every week or so, so each day is a hide-and-seek game to find them.

 

[TylerStewart]

I really like multi-trunk African Sumac trees, but they are slower growers. Mulberries are great if you have the space for them.... They won't let us plant them here in Vegas anymore (too many people getting allergies), but there's tons of them here, and people still bring them in from California and plant them here. They're pretty and green and grow fast - plus they make a good food source for sulcatas. Hibiscus are nice if your climate works for them.... We seem to be a little too hot and a little too cold for them.

Edit: Found a Sumac Photo. These are small, but they look great when larger and pruned correctly.

 

[Missy]

Rose of sharon makes a nice bush or small tree and they love the blooms

 

[TortieLuver]

Great ideas! Thanks everyone. I went today and bought more hibiscus, and two pineapple guava plants. I plan to go to the nursery tomorrow, as they were closed by the time I went. I'll ask the nursery about the others. Thanks again!

 

[You Me and Mr T]

Mr. T loves to snuggle up under my Purple Sage. Sometimes he eats it, but mostly he likes to attempt to plow it over. The good news is that the purple sage is pretty robust and can survive a 100 lb tortoise attack.

-Jason