I planted a California Pepper about 10 feet from my prior house and within 5 years it was HUGE (taller than the 2 story house) and the roots were pushing up the sidewalk. It killed the grass underneath it and there were numerous surface roots. I eventually had to have it removed.
I still love the way they look, but have decided that the only way I will plant another is if I have a 1+ acre lot and have an spot about 40 ft wide that (a) I don’t want anything except the Calif Pepper to grow in, and (b) want to mask something from my view because as I said…it got HUGE!!
A good choice in this part of the country for 1st floor window shade close to a house is a fruitless plum…it doesn’t get too big, roots stay deep, and it loses its leaves in the winter (when you want the tree bare so the sun can come in the window!).
