smauk43, I got the same ice storm you got. Those types of ice storms are extremely rare, and in those types of ice storms, it doesn't matter the tree. EVERYTHING took major damage. Pick your oak, it went down. Pick your maple, it went down. Pick anything you like, if it grows here, it went down in very large numbers. While some species were absolutely destroyed (birches and willows), I know many many "resistant to ice storms" tree reduced to trunks or worse, and almost all took some amount of significant to major damage. While others that some people on here swear as basically waiting to fall over, like Autumn Blaze, suffered relatively little damage. I see it with my own eyes, and yes I'm sure that is exactly what they are. Point being, is not to let this ice storm make you believe that every ice storm will be that way. So if you like something that normally survives just fine, but did not in that storm, don't let it stop you. Odds are you are not going to get the same thing for some time. Still you need something that will grow vigorously. The tulip tree is a good start. But allot depends on how big a tree you want, and any other characteristic. Larger Size Trees: Sycamore Tulip Tree Plane Tree Seedless Honey Locust maybe (not sure of the growth rate) Red Maple cultivars Catalpa Purple Robie Locust (spelling?) Bald Cypress Dawn's Redwood Various other conifers Various elms Zelkova's Med Size Trees: Shantung Maple (very tough tree, fast growing, and hard wood) Chinese Pistache Norwegian Sunset Maple Pacific Sunset Maple Oklahoma Redbud Smoke Tree Crepe Myrtle (Tree Form) Amur Maple Trident Maple (not sure of growth rate) Many other medium size rarer maples These are a few that comes to mind. Also if I recall correctly, Yellowwood tends to have brittle wood, and prone to breakage. Also if I remember correctly, is not fast growing, or so thats literature says. Hope something here helps. Arktrees

We have a Fire Dragon that the owner of Metro Maples (and patent holder) brought to us about 18 months ago, when he happening to be coming to the area. It has done very well. It has endured several late freezes in the 21-25F temp range, after buds have opened, and shots about 6 inches long, with very little to no damage resulting. Tough little tree. I can look out the window at ours as I type and see a very dark green dense body to the tree, with red growing points at the end of the shots. Hasn't got the glossy leaves that it does when it gets hot yet. We are very happy with ours. Look to the link provided for additional info. And since you seem to go for the rarer stuff, it would be a candidate from that standpoint as well. I think he will ship smaller ones during winter, or I think he did at one time anyway. Also on the Pistache, I can speak for elsewhere, but those that are planted here are kinda like a lollipop in from. They are not that greatly spreading, but maybe that just because of the age of the trees. These are fairly new to the area, and mostly planted near roadways, and parking lots with something like 8-10" caliper. Occasionally elsewhere. But these aren't as large. As for the other columnar trees, you will probable have to special order them. I don't know this, but I would expect that most of these are expected to be sold to towns, cites, and landscapers for commercial projects. You might try a landscaper in the area as well. Try the local cities, and see what they will tell you. Might even piggyback one on for you in their next shipment. Just depends. Also look to tree farms within driving distance. There are a goodly number in that area of the world. Sometimes they can be of help. Nurseries will have you believe they are the only place to get the plants you want, but that's not always the case. Arktrees Here is a link that might be useful: Metro Maples

My list is for Southern California. I'm no tree expert but I chose my list for eye appeal. My list also features a lot of palms. They just do so well here. 1. London Plane. This is my favorite. I sat in a restaurant on a corner that had their parking lot shaded by very large planes. Looking out the window at them I was very impressed by how un-So Cal they looked. I had the illusion of being someplace greener and more northerly or mountainy. 2. Deodar Cedar. Stately, classy and tough in So Cal. 3. Mexican Fan Palm. These are stunning when a street is lined with 100 foot tall ones. 4. Canary Island Date Palm. This one is actually better planted in medians. Just so pretty with a beautiful form. I like them best when not over-trimmed so the fronds make a perfect sphere. 5. Jacaranda. Yeah they're messy but the purple clouds they turn into are stunning. 6. Crape Myrtle. Again stunning colors in flower, fall leaves and beautiful winter form -if they are not pruned in a ghastly manner. Crapes only need removal of root suckers or limiting number of trunks. 7. California Fan Palm. The trunks of these are like pillars wide with a gradual taper. They make a beautiful living colonnade. I like them alternated with something colorful like Crapes. 8. California Live Oak. Love the twisting branches and dark bark of this one. 9. California Sycamore. The leaning trunks and zig-zagging branches of this one are picturesque. I love the big hand shapes leaves. Sycamore also has this sweet spicy scent. Queen Palm. The feathery airy fronds of this one wave and whisper in the slightest breeze. There are other trees I like. I am fond of Sweetgum but here in so cal they topple in the wind a little too often for me and they're prone to a fatal die back. I also like tuliptree but they spit sticky stuff all over sidewalks and cars.

over time.. no matter what you do .. a maple will kill everything under it.. they are super competitors.. with a shallow root system that will steal all available nutrients and water ... if you want to garden under trees.. shade gardening... you have the wrong tree ... i can refer you to the hundreds of posts about maples in the hosta forum ... i once .. on a mature tree.. added 2 feet of soil in a raised bed around a 50 foot tree ... within 3 months... you could NOT put a shovel through the added soil as the maple COMPLETELY invaded the new soil ... now i know better.. and it did not kill the tree ... good luck ken