Solving sparse linear systems can lead to processing tree workflows on a platform of processors. In this study, we use the model of malleable tasks motivated in [Prasanna96,Beaumont07] in order to study tree workflow schedules under two contradictory objectives: makespan minimization and memory minization. First, we give a simpler proof of the result of [Prasanna96] which allows to compute a makespan-optimal schedule for tree workflows. Then, we study a more realistic speed-up function and show that the previous schedules are not optimal in this context. Finally, we give complexity results concerning the objective of minimizing both makespan and memory.