Carolina Silverbell is great - Its blooms can best be seen from below, and it is free of pests and disease, unlike redbud. It is also tolerent of shade. Its much longer lived also.

Is the patio a dirt one? How much open area free of traffic is there. Is the plant going beide the patio or directly in the center?

Hi fledgling!

Thank you for your reply and encouragement!

I will blushingly admit that I purchased a small potted CS early Saturday morning before reading your post. I was a little anxious that someone else might have already purchased the tree I wanted while I was doing research, so I went first thing in the morning. LOL. I was delighted that the two small pots that I had seen before were still available. I was relieved to discover that the past-bloom trees did not reach out and grab other buyers before my return:) Whew!

Both trees were either allowed or encouraged to grow as a multi-stemmed clumps with crowns at ground level. I would prefer a tree with a single trunk for better weathering of wind and snow. I know that I could prune away and dispose of the other stems, but I would prefer to try to root them. The largest stems are only about 1 inch wide, with several smaller stems. I read that the CS is adaptable to layering. Do you know if the tree will send roots into compost mulch mounded over the crown?

The patio is actually a future plan. Currently, the area is an unused grassy side yard that gets foot traffic on two edges. The tree is now planted in the direct center. I plan to lay brick pavers in the walkways before the tree roots approach those areas.

On my way to purchase the tree, I stopped in at another nursery I had not previously visited and inquired about CS. The attendant mentioned to me that there is a specimen at the College Of Lake County, Grayslake campus. Also, the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glenco told me that they have a few CS planted there as well.

Thanks again!

Regards,
PoseyPlanter

Blushing again PoseyPlanter

Carolina silver bell can easily be propagated by root and greenwood cuttings and by air-layering. Cuttings should be taken after elongation of new growth but before hardening beings.

I dont know how tolerant the silverbell is to soil compaction... a patio would be pretty compacted, so i would recommend a very wide area of unpaved area around the tree- perhaps, 4 or 5 feet of mulched area around the rootzone (or more) when the tree is bigger, if at all possible. Thats probably not possible, but i strongly suggest you leave as much room as you can around the tree paved and traffic-free.

eh that should read UNpaved and traffic free, not paved and traffic free

Hi fledgeling!

Thank you for the additional information.

IÂm having second thoughts about CS performing as a shade tree after taking a hike in the Morton Arboretum in NE IL. I found a few of the plantings of CS there and the most mature tree I saw still looks like a straggly bush, NOT any kind of shade tree. If I interpreted the tag information correctly (565 Â 39 *1 SD), that specimen was planted as a seed 68 years ago! I hope to go back again this summer and find the other specimens. If it turns out that CS does not look promising as a small shade tree, I will move it to a border area in my shade garden where it can be a lovely bush, perhaps eventually transitioning to a recognizable "tree" or not as it prefers.

While at the arboretum, I was enchanted by the American Hornbeam plantings that I found in the same area as one of the CS trees. The group planting of AH was elegantly graceful  the branches had been allowed to develop in a semi-weeping habit, nearly to the ground. I guess IÂm still looking:/

Regards,
PoseyPlanter

I would encourage you to look at Magnolia virginiana, Sweetbay Magnolia, especially the multitrunked ones. Beautiful, airy shade and wonderful fragrance for about 6 weeks from early June to early July. Nice winter silhouette too. Great tree.

Hi laceyvail!

Thank you for your input!

I have considered Sweetbay Magnolia. What a delicious fragrance!

I have not yet found a locally established SM specimen that looks like it could shade the area I have in mind. So far, the ones IÂve seen are small with a sparse twiggy form. I donÂt need instant gratification, but want to have reason to hope that the chosen tree will eventually be able to perform as desired.

Next time I go to the Morton Arboretum, I will put SM on my hunt list too. I did see other magnolias on my hike. One specimen of Magnolia x loebneri ÂMerrill looked perfect for the role of a small shade tree.

Regards,
PoseyPlanter

Also consider Magnolia salicifolia 'Wada's Memory (once called x kewensis)

Here is a link that might be useful: photo

posey, for future additions to your trees, I am a big believer in choosing plant material with the priority of "how many seasons of wonder does it provide?" This priority should not rule over the "I have wanted one of these my whole life" or "I just fell totally in love with this plant" , but those occasions aside, I go for the seasons priority. Given that, I highly recommend trees w/ purple or yellow or variegated leaves, for the simple reason that for at least 3 seasons,they will give you a big area of color that will brighten up a mostly green landscape. Unfortunately for me, Forest Pansy does not have a dependable long lived track record here in new eng.
How I wish it were otherwise! Purple leaved tree options are few and far between indeed.
best,
Mindy

Arboretum's mention of colored foliage brought to mind a tree I'm lusting after that might work for you, Cornus alternifolia 'Golden Shadows.' That's the yellow-variegated version of the native pagoda dogwood. I have 2 volunteers of the plain green & I'm always thinking about getting 1 of these. It truly is a 4 season tree.

Hi fledgeling!

Thank you for your continued interest:)

That picture of WadaÂs Memory shows a medium size tree compared with other descriptions I find on the internet (about 12 feet tall). The poster hales from Alexandria, VA Zone 6B. Wonder how it would do in Zone 5? IÂll have to put it on my list of quarry for my next visit to the Morton Arboretum. LOL.

Hi arbo_retum!

True, true. IÂm definitely interested in multi-seasonal interest. Just for their woody structure, trees beat most herbaceous perennials on that criterion:)

Hi entling!

I love dogwood, but IÂm a little afraid of Cornus at the moment because I unknowingly bought a C. florida this spring that I believe had Dogwood Antracnose. After I read up on the subject on the internet, I returned the tree with some printed articles, asking the vendor to destroy the tree. I actually had planted and tended it for awhile before realizing what the funk on the leaves was. There are probably disease spores all over my desired planting area. Not good!

Regards,
PoseyPlanter