Oh, and I also wanted to know, when is the best time to plant trees in zone 6?

Depends on what the tree is.

If you want something only 5 feet tall, you'll want to consider large shrubs; some can be pruned to "tree form".

Some to consider: witch hazel,loropetalum, double file viburnum, some hollies, star magnolia (magnolia stellata), english laurel (prunus laurocerasus), leatherleaf viburnum (v. rhytidophyllum).

I would strongly suggest Japanese maples, which thrive on rocky ledge and come in many different sizes.They give you beautiful foliage and handsome trunk structure year round; often yellow to bright red spring and fall foliage.Their foliage density and shade are not as light-blocking as a holly or viburnum or laurel. Nov. is fine tree planting month.

best,
Mindy

Thanks for the suggestions. As far as Japanese Maples go, I've read that the do not do well in western exposures due to the hot afternoon sun. Is this true?

I would get local advice for the hardiness of JM's - I know a bit about what they will do here, but...

Another shrub-into-tree to think about is one of the other deciduous magnolias. They come in a myriad of shapes and flower colors, and hardiness, so again, I will bow to local knowledge. Many of the common ones may grow to be too tall, so research is called for.

Even though they may be taller than you want, there are trees that stay light and airy - serviceberry comes to mind. If there is a dwarfish birch, it might be good. Supposing, of course, that the borers aren't a problem....

One of the shrub roses or a rambling rose might do, chosen for mature height/width - you might have to take out a third of the canes annually to keep it in bounds.

There are small lilacs - 'Miss Kim' comes to mind, or, again, prune out a third of the trunks annually. S. microphylla, also stays small, and may rebloom.

Buddleia x farqurhari may not be easily findable - supposedly it is hardy to z 5b, and stays under 6', flowering from July to frost.

Siberian dogwood (C. alba) has winter red twigs and branches, white May flowers and grey-white fruit. If you pruned it to keep it under the 9' it normally grows, you might lose the flowers, but the winter color is most intense on this years branches, anyway. It is said to be upright, unlike the red-twig which makes thickets.

Fothergilla, both the F. major and F. monticola, are hardy to z5 - F. monticola is the smaller. You get late spring flowers and good fall color.

Oakleaf hydrangea may be more shrub-like than wanted, but can be shaped - you get flowers and good fall color. Hardy to z 5b.

Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' is hardier than the single one - you would have to do some shaping to get the tree-like form, but the spring flowers and green stems in winter are interesting for more than one season.

Hardy orange (Poncirus trifolata) is hardy to z 5, giving scented spring flowers and inedible late fall fruit. It may reseed, and it has large and sharp thorns, which may make keeping it to size difficult.

I am a little reluctant to suggest it, due to the many ills cherries fall heir to, but the sand cherries stay small, and give edible fruit, if the birds will share. FLowering almonds and Nanking/Manchu cherry are also smallish, with the same caveat.... Beach plum is quite hardy, and since it is native....

Last one I will toss out is Pyracanth coccinea 'Lalanderi', hardy to z 5b, with orange-red flowers. It, like the hardy orange, has thorns. There are newer cultivars which may be more resistant to scab and fire blight, but which may grow taller naturally.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I'm now researching each of these options.

I have to admit I'd be a little scared of doing a lot of pruning since I basically have no experience with it.

What about a Rose of Sharon? You can prune it into a tree and it will not get too tall. I has pretty blooms and nice leaves.

You've got a lot of good suggestions already. One more that I thought of is Sargent crab. Nice little tree that really stays little.

+oM

5 feet tall, you'll want a standard shrub not a tree. A tree would not be called a tree if it only reached about 5 feet. That being said, the best tree-wannabe shrub i have seen is leatherwood Dirca palustris

Sargent crab. A perfect choice for your needs.

Most of the Sargent crabs that I have seen have been small as far as height goes, but with time, they seem to spread out until they are wider than tall. Since the OP said he was inexperienced with pruning, I figure that might be more than he will want to cope with.... An annual removal of a third or so of stems at the ground is pretty easy, but tipping back limbs that want to spread so they look good does take a little skill.

I haven't thought of a Rose of Sharon - I did see some on the internet that were already pruned to tree form.

As for Sargent crabs, I LOVE the way these look, but I'm not sure if it will have the space to spread out.