Difference between a shrub and a tree - a tree is generally defined as having a single (and usually straight) trunk from gound level, a shrub having several trunks. But it is very much an artificial distinction, in reality it is shades of grey, and many species can be either shrubs or trees depending on the individual and its growing situation. It is easy enough to prune a Cotoneaster salicifolius to grow as a single-stemmed tree (I've seen it done), though it is more typically (as yours) multi-stemmed. Resin

I don't have experience with Hog Peanut, so I won't comment on that one. Trumpet Honeysuckle is a great vine for your region - probably the least aggressive spreader of the bunch, and also probably nearly evergreen, which is nice in the winter. It is a twining vine that needs something of small diameter - like a wire fence, bushes, small pole, string, etc. - to climb. It cannot climb a shed wall. Virgina Bower does tend to be aggressive, I think. I have never grown it, but see it wild frequently. In my opinion it isn't as nice a vine for the garden as Trumpet Honeysuckle. I have a ton of Virginia Creeper here, and have never heard about the berries being poisonous. I wouldn't be concerned about the berries, which are a favorite food of many birds. Virginia Creeper is a little aggressive, as are most vines. Another choice I like is trumpet creeper - Campsis radicans. This is an agressive spreader, but has very showy flowers most of the summer and fall and attracts hummingbirds, making it a really nice addition to a yard that has roon for it. If the shed is surrounded by lawn or other open space where it will be easy to contain the root suckers of Trumpet Creeper, then it sould be my first choice. Another option is Carolina jessamine,which has yellow flowers in early spring. Also Cross Vine, which is another flowering vine. Jessamine is a vigorous, evergreen vine. Cross vine tends to be a little more sparse in growth habit, but is an interesting addition to the yard.

My DH reroofed our pump house last year, and had shingles, etc piled up on the ground around it for a while. There is a Trillium there and to our surprise many little Trilliums came up this spring and some are even blooming, but we've never seen any seeding around before. Any guesses at what happened? Perhaps the piles keep the ground moister? I would like to duplicate this and get more to come up. We have a few of the little yellow violets too, and flowering currants in bloom now, Oregon Holly Berry, Salal, False Solomon's Seal, Ocean Spray- Holodiscus, etc. I also got some natives last year from a natives only nursery- Spiraea douglasii, Twinberry- Lonicera involucrata, and Philadelphus lewisii- mock orange, they are all leafing out. Some I'm trying to start that are proving very difficult, not necessarily native here- Balsamorrhiza, Aralia nudicaulis, and Ceanothus americanus.

Thank you I agree its probably Red Baneberry .. there are fluffy white roundish flowers at the top .. I was confused because some plants which I know to be Red Baneberry don't have the tall grey stems but perhaps the short ones are babies and/or don't get as much light. This particular one is in Central Park NYC which I think is zone 6, mine are in zone 5 CT which is typically about a month behind NYC. Thank you!