Trees

[swampus]

We moved just before Christmas and are in a fairly new subdivision now. The oldest houses are from 1999; new homes are going up every day.

Dh and I want to plant a few trees in our lot. It's not a huge lot, but not tiny. Many of our neighbors have 4 or more trees planted in the backyard--people usually have about 2 in the front yard, depending on size of the trees.

We've contracted a landscaper for fertilizer treatments for the lawn, and went with them for a Ruby Frost Maple and a Red Oak (3 inch trunks--12-15 feet high).

To save money, we want to buy much smaller trees for the other varieties and plant them ourselves.

Here are my priorities:

--fall color-- fall is my favorite season!

--size-- since we have 2 large trees already decided upon, I can't make the other trees bigger than 20-30 feet fully grown

--shape (habit)-- I totally dig the funky trees that have branches everywhere. Weeping, spreading, crazy. I love 'em! :)

The trees need to be able to handle full sun.

I'm considering:
Redbud (what kind?)
Crabapples (pink princess, prairifire, louise...) other suggestions?
serviceberry
lilac
paperbark maple
hawthorn

Are there any arborists out there? I think we'll need 4--2 for the front, then 2 for the back (in addition to the oak and the maple).

One last tidbit--our backyard neighbors have sugar maples, a canadian cherry, and several ash trees.

oh, and we're zone 5!

thanks so much,

[EllasMum]

Hi - don't know too much about zones etc but purely for fall colors, go with a birch - GORGEOUS in the fall. Brilliant yellow/gold leaves. Plus they tend to spread nicely out from the trunk. Also, my personal favourites for fall, and they're not too shabby in the summer, are Japanese Maples. Beautiful.

Good luck with your gardening!

[Marisa6826]

Yes, Japanese Maples are just magnificent and don't grow crazy huge.

Weeping cherry trees are very pretty in the Spring. Flowering Quince is another very pretty one, although it's technically a shrub. Other nice ones (you mentioned some) are Dogwoods and Lilacs.

Curly Filberts are very funky looking. Their branches and leaves are curly! I have one that we planted when we moved in. It's just outside our front door and I can see it from my livingroom window. Love it!

Believe it or not, Costco had some really very beautiful weeping Pussy Willow trees today. I didn't check the price this year, but I seem to recall them being ~$100.

Here's a really good website that describes ornamental trees. Unfortunately, they don't have photos. :(

http://www.cooksgreenhouse.com/shadetrees.asp

Have fun!!

-m

[Momof3Labs]

I also think you'd like Japanese Maples. We have one in front (remember seeing it?? I'm sure you don't, lol!) and it has such a pretty color in the fall. Also held onto its leaves longer than our other trees.

I like pear trees too - pretty shape, and nice leaves. Can't go wrong with a lilac bush, if you have the right spot for one, and there's another one with branches that grow vertically and have gorgeous spring flowers (can't remember the name right now).

[elliput]

The National Arbor Day Foundation website has tons of info. http://www.arborday.org/

[amp]

Many redbuds don't prefer full sun. Doesn't mean they can't take it, but they kind of do better w/ larger trees overhead to filter the light.

Crabs are great! Not all have fall color, so look for that specifically. Most do have the ornamental, tiny fruit though, that adds to fall color.

Dogwoods are great too, but they are similar to redbuds in that while they can make it in full sun if forced to, they prefer filtered sunlight by trees overhead. But we've made them work in full sun.

[bostonsmama]

Crape Myrtles are beautiful, have showy flowers from mid-summer to fall, and require full sun. I love their stemy branches and pretty floral clusters. In northern regions where it's cold (don't know if that's you), they say you can treat them like a perennial that dies/goes dormant in the winter and comes back in the spring. My mother had one for 9 years (in zone 7) that we draped w/ twinkle lights over the holidays b/c of its gorgeous woody branches. It wasn't more than 8 ft at that maturity...it's such a gorgeous tree.
ETA link: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/L331.htm

I have a Japanese Maple that's gorgeous and over 20 years old in my backyard. It's my favorite tree. Folliage changes from purple in spring, to red in summer and maroony-black towards fall.

Birch is also perfect for your hardiness zone (4-5). If you get grey birch, it will be smaller (20-40ft instead of 50-70ft) in final maturity than white American birch. It's got awesome fall folliage and that cool flaky bark (which I love). There's another tree with flaky bark that I love with cute little elliptical leaves (monocot?)...but I don't remember the name.

Here's a website for choosing trees by zone, wind/sun/water/soil conditions, and more.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/treeselector/search.cfm

Larissa
who's trying to create her own miracle

I'm an Aunt again! Introducing Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/25/06 at 6pm (7.5lbs)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[miki]

Plus if you join, you get 10 free trees with your membership!

[Rachels]

Japanese Maples and Birches are my favorite trees ever! Weeping cherries are next. They're beautiful.

-Rachel
Mama to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...ethyst_36m.gif
Nursed for three years!

and Ethan James
10/19/05
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...smilies/bf.jpg


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya

[mskitty]

Stay away from flowering quince! It suckers like there is no tomorrow... and takes over the whole world. Even straight roundup concentrate will not kill it. The only way to get rid of it is to dig it up... we've been digging for 7 years and still can't get rid of it as we have suckers all over our yard.

Here are some of my suggestions:

-If you get a flowering pear, get a Cleveland. They are much sturdier than Bradfords.
-Magnolias are very pretty. Brackens Brown Beauty is an excellent one.
-Mimosas are a little fickle in Zone 5 but there are numerous 15 foot specimens around here. Does best in a shelted spot. Early summer bloomer.
-Dogwoods can also be grown as trees.
-Purple leaf plums are very pretty with pink blooms.
-If you don't mind a little mess, try planting true fruit trees. Apple, cherry and apricot trees are all beautiful in bloom.. plus I get to enjoy fruit later. Just be sure to get the dwarf or semi dwarf varities to keep them pickable.

If you like funky downward trees, try a weeping redbud. It was the most bizarre tree I saw at the nursery last year. It's branches sort of looked like corkscrews pointing to the ground.

Other pretty shrubs to consider:
Pink Flowering Almond (beautiful spring blooms)
Rose of Sharon, flowers most of the summer
Lilacs (very slow growing but the smell is worth it)
Weigela (now come is a pretty varigated leaf)

Hope that gives you some inspiration from a Zone 5 gardener.

MsKitty