Down here the street tree flavor of the month is Amelanchier. The green snowballs turn white later.

Viburnum opulus is considered a shrub, although it can achieve some serious proportions. Difficult to achieve a single trunk situation, it tends to be shrubby with a lot of low growing branching. Amelanchier, flowering crabs, strawberry trees and dogwoods are some of the more frequent smaller trees used for street plantings in these parts.

Thanks Ron and gardengal.

After I posted this question, I did a bit looking. What about witch hazel, esp. Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena' or 'Diane'. If I take out "upright", would that be good for a street tree? It would be nice to have some winter interest that's for sure.

thanks

Helen

My suggestion would be a styrax japonica. I planted one 4 yrs ago, and it has done well. Covered with small, white, bell-like flowers in the spring, airy branch habit, gets to about 20 ft tall (I think) and low maintenance. Just a suggestion.

The viburnum and hamamelis both fork at the ground level, unless you buy one trained to a single stem or do it yourself.

Styrax is becoming quite common in Portland as a street tree; will stay greener with summer water; forms and drops small nuts that sprout next spring if soil is loose.

Visual appeal of massed flowers of mature Styrax japonicus (best viewed from below, as on a slope) principal redeeming feature, these have a slightly unpleasant aroma and plaster everything underneath when spent. Later, the abundant nutlets form a carpet of their own that crunchs beneath the feet - another slightly unpleasant experience. I have seen the seedlings come up in coarse grade crushed rock in a nursery. Foliage not handsome unless responding to moist, fertile soil conditions.

We are in Langley BC. We are thrilled with our ornamental flowering pear, which is very vertical and a joy in the early spring (white). It is very well behaved and a terrific boulevard and shade tree. It is probably about 25 ft. now. We also have a European hornbeam and a very vertical columnar red maple (no flowers but real interesting; its branches go straight up like hat-tree hooks.) I could find some pictures if you want, or tell you the address. I do not find many of the local nurseries very conversant with this tree function. They want to market magnolias, dogwoods, and maples. In the past week I see hundreds of trees in drought shock, and not just the ones planted this year. The red maples are getting powdery mildew.

Thank you everyone for your generous suggestions. The City called back today. And we've settled for a standard tree Hibiscus syriacus. Isn't that exciting? A stardard form and it doesn't get too big. This type of "tree" is new on their list this year and I'll be one of the first ones to get it! Yeah!! I think they said it will be a white flower with a red eye. Pretty!

One trained to a single trunk may need a permanent support to remain as an upright tree.

Hibiscus syriacus. So, a Rose of Sharon shrub grown in tree form. I read that hummingbirds enjoy their nectar as well as tiny insects the flowers attract. Are there mildew issues with this plant family?

Patrick