esh-- Thanks for narrowing it down! I missed two keys identifiers earlier this year, being too busy to get to the semi-abandoned side yard: the flowering period and the fruiting (thus my comment that they don't fruit). Your link above and some quick reading reminded me that I did indeed see "light red fruit" on an older tree of identical habit back in Aug. I'm thinking Prunus pensylvanica over the other 2. I'll be watching closely next spring and late summer at the flowers and fruit. These trees are just sprouting all over on me--I'll keep some for screening and because I like them--nice color and nice branch effect (to me, anyway) in winter. Many thanks!! PJP

2nd plant sounds like Primrose Jasmine. Here is a link that might be useful:

Mindy__ What method do you use to keep them small? I have several and right now I am growing them in pots for size containment. I would like to plant them in a small wooded area at the rear of the property, but they would need to be restricted in size, for protection of many other native plants and shrubs now growing there. I now have them in the front garden and they are starting to bloom. They are a great addition in their present location, but I'm concerned about their long term survival, as the roots are restricted and they require frequent irrigation, in the long term absence of rainfall. (Like now!) They are about 5 years old and 5-6 ft. tall and are single stem (trunk) shrubs. Any advice would be appreciated.

Welcome to Louisiana ........My guess is Red Tip Photinia..I could be wrong as I do not have any in my yard ) If it is..... lots of imformation if you to a search on the forum..... ....I read this recently :Ten years ago, one of the most popular shrubs in the South was the Red-tip Photinia (Photinia fraseri). Everybody wanted this handsome evergreen shrub and it was widely grown by Southern nursery growers for use in both commercial and residential landscapes. Red-tip is a wonderful, large, evergreen shrub with attractive foliage and showy white flowers. Its claim to fame is brilliant red new foliage that appears in the spring. Nevertheless, in the last 10 years or so, Red-tip has gone from the top of the list to the bottom due to intense pressure from a devastating fungal disease. Red-tip is highly susceptible to the fungal pathogen known as Entomosporium that causes leaf spots and ultimately defoliation. The disease has all but eliminated Red-tip from the list of recommended shrubs for Southern landscapes. In fact, the disease is so widespread that one plant pathologist jokingly explained that there are two types of Red-tip, those that have the disease and those that are going to get it! So, even though newly planted Red-tip bushes may stay disease free for many years, ultimately they will succumb to the inevitable. Carol