I would like to plant a small tree beside the driveway. The spot stays sunny entire afternoon. I am considering Texas Mountain Laurel or Evergreen Sumac because of small size and high drought tolerance. My neighbor cautioned that tree sap can damage car paint. Unfortunately I cannot find much information about tree sap on internet. Please advise. Thank you.

I think you are safe with both those choices but will either get tall enough for it to be an issue?

Thank you for the note. Yeah, I think I need to choose a little larger tree for shading purpose. What about Yaupon Holly? It is also native in my area and drought tolerant.

The only 'drippy' trees I can think of are pines, elms and birch trees. I wouldn't plant anything that drops fruit that stains or is just messy either like persimmons and black walnuts. Or anything that attracts aphids like Ash trees do.

Beware youpon holly...if you don't keep it under control it will take over. At least that is the case for me. It has popped up EVERYWHERE and has been a total pita to get rid of. I gave it an inch and it has taken a mile!!

Moved to Trees and Shrubs forum.

@Lucy68
Thank you. Now I have a better idea what trees to avoid.

@gingin
If I go with yaupon holly, I will have to choose a male plant without berries. Thank you.

In most cases trees get a bad wrap for dripping sap when it's actually dripping honeydew (excreta) from sap-sucking insects that derive their sustenance from the tree. Then it gets even more annoying when black sooty mold starts growing on the honeydew.

Al

Rupertlee said:
If I go with yaupon holly, I will have to choose a male plant without berries.

Actually... Growing females is a very nice thing to do for the birds.

While there is some minor colonizing done by these shrubs / trees... I think people make a larger deal of it than they deserve.

Around here yaupon are often used in place of boxwood... too hot here for boxwood... The yaupon have a habit of only growing from new wood, though... and shearing them too far back means dead limbs to look at.

I think yaupon is far more attractive left to grow in it's natural shape... And those winter berries are certainly attractive... Some people use them to add interest to the Christmas wreath.