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Help! Small TREE recommendations - Zone 5

16 years ago

Hellllloooo ... I'm looking for a smallish tree, maybe 15-20 H/W, that you've successfully planted hosta under ... I mean, a bed directly under the tree (not starting 10-20+ft. away from tree). Not a lot of surface roots. I've been able to do this with an apple and dwarf apple, but my dwarf is dying and needs to be replaced. I do not really want another fruit tree though. I'm thinking serviceberry and redbud (yes/no?) ... any other recommendations?

Thanks!

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Comments (11)

ademink
16 years ago
I'm sure ken will chime in w/ a list a mile long b/c he is our resident tree guy (especially w/ the tricolored beech) but here is what I have had good success w/:

Redbud
Dogwood
Serviceberry
Hawthorne
playinmud
16 years ago
I'm zone 6, not certain how different zone 5 is, but here's what I plant hosta under...

Redbud
Dogwood
Fringe Tree
Japanese Maples
Purple leaf plum

Donna
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I passed this average, run of the mill horse pasture this morning. You will notice that the field is dominated with buttercup which is one of the plants on OP's link. The horses simply eat around the weeds. Should we pay attention to livestock pasture, by all means. Pastures should be limed, mowed and tend to the weeds. Having said that, its not realistic that all the plants on the Univ of Idaho link can be eliminated from the pasturefield. Skunk cabbage is in every wet area of every pasture I've ever seen. I know of nothing that eats it. Protect your horses from biting insects which torment them and protect their eyes. Provide livestock with a salt block. BY ALL MEANS if you are gonna plant a new tree in the pasture protect it with a fence. You know what cribbing is, consider the damage horses can do to a new tree.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
forget all maples ..... all are bad .. IMHO ...

forget all apple .. including crabs ...

forget the disease prone purple plum ...

go for redbud .... i even saw the purple leafed one... this weekend.. super ... maybe forest pansy ...???

ken
ademink
16 years ago
yes, forest pansy...stunning
silly_me
16 years ago
I would suggest a Kousa dogwood rather than the typical dogwood. Kousas are not susceptible to the diseases and pests that afflict the florida dogwood.
freeda
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks ... that helps! I've already decided on 2 serviceberries in one bed and ... I think ... might go for that redbud (will check on forest pansy) in the other site. Ken ... you were instrumental in my taking down a relatively newly planted maple that was choking out my backyard hostas .... :)
lindac
16 years ago
I have 2 serviceberry and they really are more shrubby than a tree.....do they also make a tree of pruned correctly?
I have hosta under an amure maple with good success and also a flowering crab....the name of which escapes me at the moment.
And an oak is also good.....slow growing so it will be a small tree for a long time!!
I also have hosta under a red bud....and unless you keep it thinned it can make pretty dense shade. But it roots down, grows fast and is lovely in the spring.....and provides seedlings if you need more for another hosta bed!
Linda C
esther_opal
16 years ago
Hawthorne will give the open shade we like
Forest Pansy is as beautiful as any tree I've ever seen
Amur Maple is as cute as any
Fla Dogwoods are better as an under story tree
Kousa is very nice
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
i have found dogwoods iffy in zone 5.. depends on your micro climate .... of course there are native dogwoods that can take the weather ...

ken
Buxas
16 years ago
The Forest Pansy Redbud is short lived. I do not know of any around here (Pittsburgh area) that have lasted over 10 years in the landscape. If you want to go with a Cornus florida dogwood, try one in the Cherokee series. They do not cause as much grief. The Cherokee Princess in my yard has been there for 20 years and it looks great in full sun. Another tree option would be Styrax.
hostared
16 years ago
Hi Freeda,
I like the red bud in city gardens.
Pretty to look at and delicate.
Go to Home Depot and they have them for under $15.
Got mine a few years ago there for $5. It was nothing to look at when we brought it home but it's a beauty now.

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