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Recommend a Quite Small Tree for This Spot?

14 years ago

We will be removing a damaged dogwood tree that previous homeowners planted in the landscape bed between the house and the front walk, and I'd really like to put in a tree or tree-like shrub that's better suited--it's apparently too sunny for the dogwood.

I've looked through library books and all around the neighborhood, but I haven't come to any real conclusions about what to plant. I'd like advice.

Here's the basics:

We're in central Kentucky, zone 6 and very humid summers.

The site is totally full sun until very late afternoon/evening. Soil is clayish, but not heavy clay.

The tree will be only 10 feet from the front of the house, and the site is sheltered from wind by the L formed by the garage and the house.

We'd like a trunk/s and canopy form, not something columnar, weeping, or shrubby throughout. There are pachysandra and some other low-growing plants growing under the would-be canopy area of the tree.

We want green leaves, not purple, red, etc. unless in the autumn. And I don't like Japanese maples (I know, I am the only one!)

Don't care about flowers or scents one way or the other, just really want the green and the shade.

Thank you!

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Comments (7)

Iris GW
14 years ago
Viburnum prunifolium makes a nice small tree and it is native to Kentucky.
laceyvail 6A, WV
14 years ago
Also nice would be Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) or Seven Son flower (Heptacodium miconioidies).
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The more dwarf JMs don't have really wide-spreading root systems, but they usually don't like full sun, so probably would struggle. I agree with Laceyvail - in this instance, a taller, narrow tree would be my choice. Heptacodium would be a good choice, as would serviceberry. Redbud is another possibility, but might be too wide, as they do spread. Look in a copy of Sunset Magazine Gardening Book for small trees - there should be a list toward the front or in the back. You should be able to get mature sizes and preferred exposures of the various trees from the listings.
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Part of it depends on where in PNW poster is. In western WA vine maples are planted in all manner of situations, with some variation in results of course. Successful specimens in sunny locations fill in and make good screens. With large ones still being wild-collected locally, the much-desired instant screening is possible comparatively cheaply - nearly all other trees of comparable size seen with any frequency at retailers being nursery grown and much more expensive.
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Autumn Brilliance is pretty much the standard serviceberry you see in heavy use where I live (zone 4), but I have also grown some Snow Cloud that did fine. What exact hardiness zone are we talking about for "upper midwest"? As for crabapples, you might want to look at upright and columnar crabs only if you want to be able to walk under/around them. I've seen people trim spreading crabapples up over head height at a young age and make them into hideous umbrella/palm tree shapes. And if you wait until they are bigger, you may have giant branches to remove that may wreck the tree's natural shape for awhile. Some good, narrower uprights are Gladiator, Rejoice, and Red Barron. A few other options you could look at are Amur cherry (Prunus maackii) and showy mountain ash (Sorbus decora.) Both of these tend to be fairly fast growers, in my experience anyway. Two trees I haven't tried but might also be worth a look are Pink Flair cherry (Prunus sargentii - zone 3 claimed) and tree form Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago.)
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mainegrower
14 years ago
There are several new small growing redbuds that should do very well in your climate. Googling "dwarf redbud" should turn up some sources. Some of them should be listed, with pictures, at http://www.rarefindnursery.com
viburnumvalley
14 years ago
Hi leafy02, from a fellow central KY gardener. The Valley is out in Scott County.

You may want to select an uncommon small tree, if you want it to stay within the constraints you've selected. However, you are probably like most gardeners and want something with size already since you don't want to wait for shade. The usual dilemma...

I'd vote for one of the small Asian maples like Acer triflorum, Acer griseum, or Acer maximowiczianum. These will have much more of a tree-like habit, with the dry seed samaras that won't be a nuisance along a walk. Great fall color and winter bark interest supplement reasons to use these trees.

Other smaller trees rarely used in KY landscapes include the many-season interest Stuartia spp. (see also Stewartia, but this is being changed). Early summer flowers, dry seed capsule, lustrous foliage, wow fall color, and very interesting jigsaw puzzle flaking bark cobbled onto a slow growing species. Fun plant.

I'll throw in a few more, just so you can spend more time looking:

Viburnum rufidulum
Symplocos paniculata
Chionanthus virginicus and C. retusus
Osmanthus americanus
Magnolia virginiana

All are good plants, and can be grown well in central KY on normal soils. You may need to decide what your minimum starting size requirements are, determine availability, and then go from there.
leafy02
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you all! I forgot to mention that we do prefer natives, so the yellowhorn and seven son flower are probably not contenders, but I am going to look up the whole lot. It's a tough decision as it's such a front-and-center position.

A local natives nursery has the viburnum prunifolium, but their website says it prefers semi-shade, maybe because of our heat? I don't want to condemn any plant to the unhappy fate of the dogwood.
viburnumvalley
14 years ago
Blackhaw viburnum can grow anywhere you want it. It is native as an understory to edge of woodland tree. I have three 20 year old trees growing right out in the wide open full sun, blooming and fruiting their fool heads off annually. This is a tough tree - I don't believe you could kill it if you wanted to.

If you can't stand to grow something anyone's heard of, get a Hoptree/Wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliata). That's green, will provide shade eventually (if you can find one to buy - Shooting Star might have it), and has relatively insignificant flowers and dry seeds. It is native here in central KY.
leafy02
Original Author
14 years ago
Viburnum Valley, thank you. I do like the way the blackhaw looks and if it takes the sun it's a good fit. I'm going to try to find one that isn't a tiny baby. I am usually pretty thrifty and buy small, happy to wait for my results, but there are plants underneath that need the shade if they can have it.

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