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Suggestions for a small ornamental tree

13 years ago

We have recently moved to southeast Michigan, zone 4. We have an "alcove" on the west side of our house that needs a point of interest. I would like any suggestions for a hardy, but small (from 8 to 15 feet or thereabouts) tree or shrub for this spot. The tree would have walls on three sides with the west wall absent. I am hoping for a hardy tree since we will also be spending a week or more at a time aboard our sailboat. Maybe this is impossible, but I'm hoping for some possible suggestions. I'm hoping for something other than one of the weeping trees.. thanks for any help.

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Comments (6)

Embothrium
13 years ago
Maybe an Amelanchier.
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corkball
13 years ago
maybe Amur Maple or burning bush? Both have outstanding fall red color. You may have issues with not getting enough sun - if shade is issue maybe holly or rhododendren might work.
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Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) grows well where I am and is hardier than rgular flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). It has nice winter branch strucure & fall color. It has spring flowers that look a bit like Queen Anne's lace and dark, almost black August berries that the birds love. Kousa dogwoods are in general healthier than regular flowering dogwoods, though they may get a bit bigger than you want. They have similar looking flowers to C. florida and mine have good fall color and seem to be fully hardy here in a windy exposed spot. I know that there are weeping crabapples that can be pruned to stay relatively small, though I don't know any specific variety names. You can get grafted weeping Siberian pea shrub (Caragana arborescens), including one with quite finely cut leaves called 'Walker' or 'Walkerii'. They are very hardy (zone 3, I think) and have yellow pea-like flowers. You may have to trim back stem suckers, though. I'm not sure how big it gets, but the Japanese maple 'Emperor I' is supposed to be hardier than other Japanese maples.
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I wouldn't think an 8' plant would cast a whole lot of shade for a person. If it's 8'x8', how would a person get under it? If you aren't concerned with an evergreen for year round coverage, perhaps a crape myrtle? One of the hardy ones that can handle your zone? Be mindful their shed flowers can damage some things; you wouldn't want them on your car, and maybe not staining a patio. Have you looked at the Japanese Maples? One of the dissectum types with red foliage could give you a lot of color. You mention 8'x8' - are you wanting a mound of vegetation, or are you wanting a 'lolly pop' - a 'stick' bare trunk below with a rounded crown of vegetation above? Do you look weeping plants? Pyramidal? Evergreen or deciduous? Richard.
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Comments (2)
A Heptacodium would work well there. They have a unique shape and flower in the summer. You could try an Umbrella pine, They are very slow growing and would do well in zone 5 in the SW corner of a home. Also, there is nothing that quite looks like them or has their character. There are many larger Junipers like Wichita Blue that would work in that spot and give you a fine blue color. Sudworth is an excellent yellow conifer and there are many other Chaemicyperus or Arborvitaes that would fit in this spot. Good Luck
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Comments (21)
Calliope -- I winder why your Serviceberry has no fall color? Oh, it has but they can go any shade from yellow to gold to red. Mine is a very light gold with a watery red wash. Not what I'd call very spectacular, especially if you consider its delicate and open structure, smaller leaves and the riot of the display in the trees around it like vibrant gold ash and the gaudy red of the acer rubrums. Shadblow is a very 'natural' looking tree. It certainly looks like nature stuck it there and doesn't have the 'in your face' looks of many ornamental cultivars. IOW not a tree I'd plant where it has to be the center of interest if I had other choices. The leaves on mine tend to drop early too compared to many around it. Mine is almost bare by now, one of the first ones to shed, actually in that area. Great to carry off a naturalistic theme, however. The berries are over-rated too compared to other trees I plant for wildlife.
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artdeco
13 years ago
If you want a focal point maybe a conifer or evergreen might be good for winter. Or peeling bark...
I had an issue w/ Amelanchiers and poor air circulation, so maybe such a protected site might cause leaf problems.
Also notice if the alcove gets blasted w/ full west sun for a short time w/ little breeze, & what the wall behind it is. My west exposure is red/brown brick, and some plants too close have showed leaf burn although it's moist. They are in shade until 2:00, then they get quick-fried.
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greenthumbzdude
13 years ago
I would look into the many different varieties of dwarf conifers.
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simcan
13 years ago
I would suggest redbud (Cercis canadensis). Should be hardy, and as an understory tree can handle more shade. Lovely year-round in my opinion but wonderful in early Spring.

Another good choice for that space would be a pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), especially the variegated one, var. Argentea.
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
13 years ago
Is 8-15 feet just width or is height an issue?

tj
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