reduced light.. if significant enough.. will reduce or stop flower production ....

so your crab MIGHT go flowerless eventually ... and without flowers.. frankly .. its not worth the ground its planted in ...

so i would go in the other direction ...

i would plant a redbud.. but i think i recall you dont like them ...

i have no clue about a serviceberry ....

but what about variegated trees ... like variegated norway maple.. or a tricolor beech .... etc ... or a variegated liquidamber ... see link ... though it probably exceeds the space ... unless you skip the maple ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Does anyone have good pictures of a juvenile or mature redbud with full foilage?

I can't say I dislike them but I know they are fussy and prone to many disease and pest problems. Would the redbud still flower with the reduced light? I'd assume the flowerbuds form before the leaves drop.
From what I hear, Redbuds seem to decline with age vs. becoming more glorious as they age.

Yeah, all those would be too big.

I was considering a Varigated Cornus Mas...but like the Crapapple I believe they need full sun for the canopy.

If you are actually going to end up with 5 hours of direct sunlight most full sun plants will do fine. If it is going to a lot less or filtered sun then there would be a problem.

David

It'll bascially get sun while its at its high point.

Best case, 11-4PM, worst case 11-2PM.

Here is my shortlist...hmm, so many choices.

Leaning towards the Robin Hill Serviceberry or the Sugar Tyme Crabapple.

Sugar Tyme Crabapple
Homestead Horsechestnut
Musclewood
Cornus Mas Golden Glory or Varigated
Ironwood
Golden Eclipse Lilac Tree
Eastern Redbud
Robin Hill, Cumulus or Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry

I am thinking the only two that might not thrive under your "worst case" are the crab and lilac. If we are talking at least 10 years, maybe more, I would go with what I want and reassess when the time comes. It plant may still be fine or you may have to replace it. I guess I don't see every plant in the garden as having to be a permanent fixture, especially when maturing shade trees are involved.

"I can't say I dislike them but I know they are fussy and prone to many disease"

I read that description of redbuds from time to time in these forums and it's just not true. I don't know how that belief got started. Redbuds are quite tolerant of a variety of situations. Sure if they are unhappy in their location, it makes them disease prone but you can say the same thing for almost any other tree. I think they are strikingly beautiful. Their spring display of flowers is truly excellent and their lavender flower color is somewhat unique as are their heart-shaped leaves. The fall color is a excellent yellow that contrasts the bark color especially after a rain when the bark looks black. I have two redbuds on either side of an October Glory maple and both are doing great. Since my soil is very sandy, I've been dumping compost in that area for years and the two redbuds have responded with gigantic pancake-sized heart-shaped leaves. Both are very healthy and growing at a very fast rate.

I also have an Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry that I would rate highly, too. It's in a situation that would be the closest to your situation. It gets full sun in the morning and then substantial shade in the afternoon although it's not dense shade. It's doing great. Nice show in the spring and another good foliage show in the fall. It suckers like crazy, though.

Definitely not disagreeing with the Redbud's ornamental value for home landscapes.

Disease and pest issues would still be a concern, but my main concern is the varability of reported fall color (by plant, not by year) and the long seedpods.

I think it gets negative press because it is well documented:

Borers attack the trunk of older and stressed trees.
Scale insects can usually be controlled with
horticultural sprays.
Webworm can defoliate parts of the tree in
summer and fall.
Canker is the biggest problem with Eastern
Redbud. Dieback begins as a canker on a branch.
The cankers, at first small and sunken, enlarge to
girdle the branch. Bark in the canker turns black and
a crack forms between diseased and healthy bark.
Once girdled, the part of the stem beyond
the canker wilts and dies.
Leaf spots can be a problem during wet weather.
Verticillium wilt attacks and kills Eastern Redbud.

Dirr says "Leaves may develop spotting or discoloration in summer and with the excess baggage of abundant long seedpods, may prove less than aesthetic."

I would offer the premise that you need to choose a tree that will be a succesful understory dweller when the sun lessens down the road.
Conditions can be species positive or adverse for the same tree in different areas of the country. What may be a problem here isnÂt a problem there and vice versa because environmental conditions and stresses change so much from place to place. So, I will only aver the way it seems hereÂ
I have observed Autumn Brilliance serviceberry both in full sun and as a heavily shaded understory tree. Full sun can get just a bit scorchy here in a mean summer but at the same time the species excels as an understory tree with great spring bloom and autumn color. Pests don't seem to be a problem.
I have both Oklahoma (Cercis reniformis) and Eastern (C. Canadensis) redbuds in my yard. Biggest problem around here for both is lecanium scale and the fact that indigenous redbuds are considered short lived trees here (15-25 years), albeit worth the bloom in spring. Seed pods can be detractive in heavy years. The one thing for sure about their culture is that they do not do well in heavy, poorly drained wet soil. Ever.
Cornelian cherry may be a good one, too, in Wisconsin. But I would probably lean toward the Amelanchier. Neat tree.
hortster