Mindy:

Can I combine my ten into one????? I've not ever been on a plot that would allow this tree but it is something I covet. Hope the arboretum will consider it:

Pinus densiflora 'Aurea'. Bonus of golden foliage in cold weather (matches the year-round peeling bark color) only adds to the beauty of this horizontally branching plant. Pruned well and allowed to grow "with the wind", the one mature speciman I've seen looked like 30' tall bonsai. Love at first sight, and I'm a deciduous-type gal. Wide and tall enough that it can be used as a shady spot for benches .....

Martie

Abies koreana.
Unlike most of the conifers will tolerate part-shade very well.
I like them all, but 'Horstmann's Silberlock' with its turned up needles that make it look covered by snow all year around would be my first choice. Purple cones at the very young age is another attraction.
'Prostrate Beauty' would be my second choice. Not really short (4-5'), but desisevely prostrate and dense. Interesting feature of this one is that for the best effect it has to be planted where you could admire it from the down up and/or from the up down. 'Normal' planting will take away big part of the beauty.

1. Liquidambar rotundiloba - love the leaves, great fall color, no gumballs

2. Ginkgo biloba - beautiful leaves, great shape

3. Stewartia pseudocamellia - love the flowers and foliage

4. Fagus sylvatica Atropunicea purple beech - magnificent specimen tree, colorful foliage

5. Katsura - great shape, lovely leaves, good fall color

6. Hamamelis 'arnold promise' - longest blooming tree in my landscape

7. Magnolia virginiana - native, long bloom period, great foliage

8. Cornus mas - for the early flowers

That's not 10, but I'm doing 8 times better than MartieInCt and twice as well as ego45 as far as following directions. Are you grading on a curve?

Are you really sure about the any size bit? One of my favorite trees I'll never plant because it gets as big as my house. Vanderbilt Mansion has a 100 or so year old weeping European beech that has to be one of the most incredible trees I've ever seen. At this point, it has at least ten trunks because it tip roots, so I think it counts as ten trees.

George, I'll have to look into 'Prostrate Beauty'. The hill on the northwest corner of the house might be able to use something like that.

Hi,

My fav: the magnolia with the pink cup-shaped saucer flowers. (sorry I don't know the proper Latin) In ten years mine has tripled in size and it is so lovely in the spring. It is the first tree (in my neighborhood) to bloom and it blooms on the heels of the daffs. And oh! what a sight! Lovely pink blossoms and with fragrance. It blooms without leaves. I'll try and post a photo.

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis verdis. Very dark green will remain very compact and stay branched to the ground. will excel in low light.

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis varigata. very dense foliage, slow growing.

Pinus bungeana, need I say more!

Prunus maackii, Shinny bright copper bark

Prunus serrulata, hardy, great bark and the foliage won't bite you either. Can be utilized as a street tree.

Acer griseum

Acer mandshuricum. In my mind (no jokes please) If griseum is a 10 than mandshuricum is also a 10. the branching is lower in its youth. It has all the great attributes of griseum.

Heptacodium miconioides, limbed up and grown as a small tree. Mt. Auburn Cem. has several nice examples. beige bark , peels in wispy sheets.

Kalmia lat. tree form? what, another shrub grown as a tree. Next time you head south on 128. Rte. 225 to Bedford. Just before you get to the Bedford McDonalds at the intersection. there's a cemetery immediately on the right. Enter, and up the slight hill. If I remember correctly its a stand alone specimen tree.

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis pendula there are at least 3 selections.

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, there are several very narrow forms

Metasequioa g."Ogon" same shape as the species but with very yellow foliage. A 40-50 footer would be spectacular.

Sorbus yunna, new to cultivation. loaded with white flowers and the bright red 3/8 -1/2 fruits persist over several months. I have one if you would like it.

Cornus K many to choose from. Snow Boy, Wolf's Eye.

I know they have reclassified Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, but to me its what I remember. Just like The Boston Garden or the Mystic River Bridge. They will always remain the same.

Ron

Whoever planted two Sycamores and a sugar maple on my quarter acre lot over 50 years ago virtually guaranteed that I would never have room for too many more trees. However, that hasn't stopped me from planting them so in another 20 years or so my entire garden will be a shade garden but hey...things could be worse, right?

My favorite tree is the Sourwood, Oxydendron arboreum. I see no one has mentioned it yet so it may be marginal in zone 5. Cool summer flowers, goegeous fall color. What more could you want?

A new one this year, Cornus controversa 'Janine', a variegated pagoda dogwood. Mine is small but there is a decent sized specimen in the display garden at the Variegated Foliage Nursery that is just stunning.

For a small space, I planted a fastigiate yellow Magnolia called 'Sunspire'. Supposedly it gets up to 25' tall but only 6' wide. It bloomed this spring after only one year in the ground. Like most Magnolias though it's not much more than a green plant out of bloom, slight yellow fall color.

I'm not sure about the proper latin but my little Autumn Moon japanese maple was impressive this year. It needs afternoon shade but the spring and fall foliage just light up the garden.

Some of my other favorites have already been mentioned, Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes', Stewartia psuedocamellia...my spring planted Abies koreana 'Horstmanns Silberlocke' didn't survive the drought this summer (boo hoo). I also love the flowers of Chionanthus virginicus but it doesn't seem to offer much beyond flowers.

Is Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' hardy to zone 5? My tree has never bloomed but I love the heart shaped leaves and purple foliage. I also have a green and white variegated redbud called 'Silver Cloud'. Fairweather Gardens says zone 5b for this. It's a cool plant, prefers shade to prevent leaf scorch. Like FP, it has never bloomed but just about everybody asks what it is.

Sue

So many wonderful trees listed. No one has mentioned Nyssa sylvatica. I've just discovered this tree and 'Red Rage' or 'Autumn Cascade' ended up on my wishlist. Awesome fall color. Glossy leaves.

For evergreens, I love Hemlocks for the texture, but of course the adelgid would not make that a good choice. I have a (teeny) Japanese Hemlock that is supposed to be resistant.

Thuja occidentalis 'Filiformis' is a threadleaf weeping version. very unusual. great texture

Also a weeping white pine is nice. And lets not leave out weeping oriental spruce. I just like weeping varieties for the diversity.

I think all the smallish Acers are great. Acer trifolum, japonicum, griseum, even good 'ole palmatum. I have
'Emperor 1' and its quite nice. Color holds great all summer in sun. Its a bit later to leaf out too making it good for Z5.

Ulmus 'Liberty' is suppposed to be disease resistant. I don't partcularly know it, but probably a good arboretum choice.

I'm not overly fond of my Cornus rutgerensis 'Stellar Pink'. Its more like beigy pink fading to off white in a day or two. Mine is not very floriferous. Could be exposure.

hoorah, i am learning so much from youall!! please keep 'em comin'!
sue, as to the cercis canadensis forest pansy- NO, not hardy here per all my sources (as i wanted one SO BADLY years ago) . however, having said that, idabean- marie- got one this yr from a local place that said it had been propogated from z.5 stock and they gave her a money-back guarantee i think, so i'm SO interested to see how hers does.

Thanks to all who gave more than 10 to make up for my lowly one in the beginning:-)

Do have a second but wanted to research a bit since I've never grown it. Have one ordered for next year after seeing it in a display garden last Spring and finding the touch of the foliage absolutely soothing. I also was drawn to the coning habit and the fact that it is at least semi-deciduous.

Larix eurolepis would be my first choice but the size is certainly an issue.

What I ordered on faith was Larix kaempferi. I'm hopeful that it will stay under 30', as reported. This larch has ornamental bark coloration and golden fall foliage. Also the pyramidal shape of the weeper without the need to stake (I am told).

Think my DS's love of things Japanese is beginning to rub off :-)

Am keeping this list!!

Martie

I don't remember exactly but Leo Blanchett has a tree growing by the fence in his parking lot. I think that is Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' I know he's -20*F in winter. In fact I know he's in a cold pocket for his zone.

Sue your so right, How could we forget Oxydendron arboreum. It should be more widely planted. Polly Hill Arboretum has a selection. It seams like the best ones I have seen grow in cemeteries.

I just yesterday chopped down and cut up a so-called non fruiting crimson leaf plum. Now I'm going to plant an Acer griseum in its place.

How could I forget Franklinia alatamaha. The autumn flowing is a spectacular sight. There is a row of them at the AA on Bussey Hill. or as I call it section #32 (on the maps). My favorite place in Boston. Turn 180* and there's a large grouping of Heptacodium miconioides, if one has the room maybe the two should be planted near one another. Combined they made a rainy (2") windy day a bit more cheerful.

Quercus coccinea 'Splendens' perhaps to large a tree for most. It has shinny bright green leaves and scarlet fall colors.

OR, for my last suggestion, a tree that I grow from seeds I collected from a tree (open pollinated) that looks like a big tree fell on it and damaged it badly. The seedlings are all vertical, growing and very uniform . Here's how I list it on my swap page.

Acer ginnala var. aidzuense, There appears to some confusion on the part of maple experts as to where this tree should be placed. Acer tataricum ssp. aiduense, take your pick in any case. This small tree small maple, to 25'. Dense branching, young branches are light brown to reddish. Autumn color is yellow to crimson dotted with yellow. This sub species is quite rare in cultivation. Zone 4, potted 2 yr. old trees.

Now my personal observations. I have a dozen or more 2 year old trees. The spring foliage is more pink than green but slowly changes to green. This year they started to show pinks in late August and were pinks and reds, developing dark maroon and purples. The fall color change to leaf drop was 2 full months. I believe I have also found a dwarf. and that is now up to 4" in two full growing seasons. It also exhibits the same leaf coloring as its siblings previously described.

I have grown them with a control group. The coloring is longer and much more pronounced. Did I mention the spring pink colors.

Warning............. These are open pollinated seeds and my or may not be a hybrid. They are all grown in pots and not grown for sale. (lots of water and fertilizer I don't do) They get most of the summer sun at least until 6 PM. I consider it "Growing hard". I have selected several to evaluate long term. Who knows they may in a few years look like a big tree fell on them and squashed them. Time will tell.

RE: Oxydendron arboreum.

In Z5 in a normal Spring, planted mid-March, it didn't take. On the second try (next year) I waited for consistent 45degF nights. Still root rotted in well-draining soil. It would've been much happier if it had been warmer, and IMHO needs a very late start along with an extended first season in Z5.

Martie

A lot of my favorites have already been mentioned:
Purple beech for its foliage color and smooth gray bark, though I also love the native beech for its bark, overall stature and spectacular late autumn gold color.

Cornus kousa - I have 2 - one turns gorgeous dark red after most other trees have lost their leaves, and the other turns the colors of an almost ripe peach. The flowers and overall shape and branch structure of the trees are lovely as well and I can't grow C. florida due to anthracnose (sp?) I also love my C. alternifolia for flowers, berries (colors as they ripen are lovely and the birds love the berries), and peachy fall colors.

Generic redbud for those bright pink early flowers and the heart-shaped matt-green leaves against the deep gray smooth barked branches.

Sugar maple - sugaring, middling late fall color, overall stature.

Larix laricina, our native larch for the early spring color of light green, the summer texture, and the clear yellow fall color.

Red maple for winter red twigs, and early spring bloom that fill the tree with a pink-red haze, pinky-salmon early spring leaves and the stop-you-in-your-tracks early fall color.

Mountain maple (Acer pensyvanicum) for green and white striped bark, gold-orange winter twigs and cool chains of green blooms and seeds.

I wouldn't want to choose for the last three - red or white oak, weeping pink double cherries (only if well-grown; the spindly little garden center mops are pretty homely); ginko in all seasons but winter and female fruiting; dawn redwood (especially the white variegated types), bald cypress, hemlock, all 3 for cool bark and fine foliage texture; hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) for overall form, fine-textured foliage, smooth "muscular" trunk, and clear yellow fall color; magnolias . . .

I live in a rural area with enough acres so that tree size is not an issue for me, so some of these trees are only for bigger lot sizes, not for a usual suburban lot.

Oh yea, one last one.
Pseudolarix amabilis, a med. size deciduous conifer. The needles turn a bright yellow and when they all fall in a few days of each other the ground is a mass of solid yellow gold.
The pseudo cones sit on top of the branches. There similar in color to the needles. They don't fall in tact but rather shatter. The shade is light as the needles and horizontal branches dim the sun not block the sun.

Now thats my final one.......... I hope

Ron

Re: Cercis canadensis, this year I purchased a cultivar that is supposedly Zone 4 hardy. It doesn't have the 'Forest Pansy' coloring, but I'll be thrilled if it makes it over the winter. It is called 'Columbus'. I got it at forestfarm, but they no longer show it on their website. I, too, am in a cold pocket of Z5.

re: Abies koreana

This plant intrigues me and seems to be well worth massive soil amendment to try. Descriptions say slow growing to 15-30' and 6-12' wide. Given that, should it be treated as a shrub to start and then moved to a permanent location five or ten years down the road? Descriptions also say easy to transplant.

Martie

I left off Franklinia because I didn't think it was hardy to zone 5, but you're right, it is. Some of mine are now blazing red - they are actually singing louder than my knuckleheaded neighbor's winged euonymous hedge across the street. A wonderful tree!

Kay, if you'll find and plant A. koreana 'Prostrate Beauty', be aware that as with many others prostrate and spreading plants, it may sets reversions with attempts to grow to a tree. These reversions must be pruned away when they are noticed. Otherwise, maintanance and trouble free plant.
Martie, straight species of Abies koreana may reach 30x12 size in many, many years, but most cultivars will be much smaller than that.
They can't be genericly called a slow growers since some of them, say A. koreana 'Aurea', may grow 12-15"/year, while 'Starker's dwarf' will grow only 3-4"/year and 'Silberkugel' (miniature bun form) only 0.5 to 1"/year.
If you are thinking about 'Horstman's Silberlocke', it has a medium rate of growth (6-8"), but I believe I remember that someone (Monique?) was complaining that it was growing for her much faster than that.
The info that I gathered from people on the Conifer forum and from the commercial growers lead me to believe that they are, indeed, easy to transplant and suitable to be grown in [large] containers for quite some time.
Also, if memory serves me correctly, the most active growth happens in years #3-5 after they planted permanently and start slowing down after that.
Here are the Iseli's pictures of Horstmann's Silberlocke., but for whatever reason they posted picture of the green cones, while young cones are purple/violet and especially attractive because of their unusual color. Later in a season they fade to green as in a picture. Sorry, can't find a pictures of mine to show that.

George, I don't think I would ever "complain" about Abies koreana 'Horstmann's Silberlock' growing too fast LOL. Love that conifer. Sometimes called "Snow in July".

Sept 2004-front view

Sept 2005-back view

monique, is that sanguisorba in the top photo? if so, which cultivar? nice grouping!

Thanks. It is Sanguisorba tenuifolia 'Atropurpurea'. A little floppy but nice color in the late summer/early fall. For tall plants, I have variegated Sanguisorba 'Dali Marble' (maroon flowers) also but have been trying to locate the "other" variegated Sanguisorba, canadensis 'Variegata' since it has white flowers. No luck so far locally.

Somehow I missed this thread. Limiting this list to just 10 is difficult. However, my choices in no particular order would be:

1) Black Gum (Nyssa Sylvatica) - One of the very best native trees for fall color. I've seen these turn brilliant red, orange, or yellow depending on the environmental conditions in the fall. Some even turn a mix of all three. The females also produce attractive and somewhat unusual blue berries. This tree is very adaptable and capable of growing just about anywhere. The only drawback is that it's a slow-grower. The wood is also cross-grained and a bear to split for firewood.

2) Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) - Just when all of the other trees have finished their show in the fall, here comes the bright reds and oranges of the red oak family. Of this clan, the Scarlet Oak has on average the most intense scarlet red color. On a few specimens, it can rival a red maple for color. This is a great tree for dry, sandy soil where many types of trees just won't grow.

3) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) - Speaking of red maple, I know that winter is just about over when I see the red flowers exploding on all of the red maples around. The foliage is very attractive and this species produces some of the brightest reds, yellows, and oranges around. The tree is a fast-grower so any new planting will get large enough to enjoy in the planter's lifetime.

4) Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) - This tree is my favorite of the birches and should be planted more. The fact that it's native makes it more resistant to the bronze birch borer than other white birches. The white peeling bark is very ornamental as are the catkins they produce. This species produces dynamite yellow fall color that contrasts with the reds of the oaks turning about the same time.

5) Ginkgo (Ginkgo Biloba) - Speaking of yellow fall color, this one is the best. The leaves have an ususual shape that is very appealing. This tree will survive just about any conditions and doesn't usually have problems with pests and disease.

6) Sycamore (platanus occidentalis) - Massive tree! The size of this tree and it's large spreading limbs make it the ultimate spooky Halloween tree. The bark of the tree is extremely ornamental as are the seedballs produced late in the year. This tree has a problem with anthracnose which causes most of the ones that I see around the Boston area to lose their initial set of leaves. They get a second set around late June or early July. Since the maple-shaped leaves are not really the biggest attribute of this tree especially with their puke olive-green color, it's really not that big of an aesthetic loss when the first set falls. This tree grows in just about any type of soil, grows fast, but has strong wood because of the way the tree compartmentalizes as it grows. This also protects the trunk from a lot of rotting diseases.

7) Blue Spruce (Picea Pungens) - What would a landscape be without a large tower of blue in it. Seriously, the intense blue goes well with most other colors. It's best to buy a cultivar of this species to maximize the blue color.

8) Purple Beech (Fagus sylvatica Atropunicea) - As long as were adding color to the landscape, why not add a massive purple tree. The size of a mature specimen, along with the low-branching, very dense shade, and the elephant hide trunk make this a kid's climbing dream come true. Maybe an adult's climbing dream, too!

9) Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) - Sure they're everywhere. But who doesn't need to see some green in the middle of these long New England winters. These trees can get massive and each specimen seems to loose branches in it's own unique way to form a giant Bonsai tree.

10) Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) - Another common species and a one-hit wonder to boot. But when this baby's in bloom, it is quite the show. Down South, I would have listed dogwood here, but the Saucer magnolia puts on an equally impressive show.

I just love the weeping larch in the garden at Italianate garden at Elm Bank. It is large and beautiful. I'm not sure of the cultivar, but someone there will know what it is.

A very cool tree at Arnold is euonymus sieboldianus-Japanese spindle tree. It has deeply furrowed bark and bright pink tri-lobed fruit in late summer.

If you have the room, then dawn redwood is called for. I feel privileged to have one, considering it was considered extinct just a few decades ago.

If you love fragrance in a tree, then Magnolia stellata "Waterlily" is the one to get. I found one at PK's garden center a few years ago and didn't buy it when I saw it. Someone else got it and I haven't seen one for sale since. I'm still kicking myself. The fragrance reminded me of gardenia and the blooms are very pale pink.

Yews get large enough to count as a tree if pruned properly. I especially love the red fruits on the females.

A tree with very pretty blooms is Hawthorn 'Crimson Cloud'. That one is on my "to buy" list for next year.

Arnold Arboritum also has a lovely fir, the name of which excapes me. It is a bright blue with purple new cones. I guess I'm going to have to take a trip back this spring to find out what it is. I can still picture it in my mind as I look down the hill towards it. Maybe I can look for it on Lilac Sunday.

I cannot just limit this to ten trees. So here is my second set of ten:

1) Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) - Fantastic tree. How can you not love a tree with heart-shaped leaves. The fall color on this tree is usually a bright peach color mixed with a little bit of orange or red. The tree gives off a distinct scent of cotton candy when its turning. You feel like you are in the land of Willy Wonka when it has this scent. This tree is finicky though. It does not like drought, sandy or compacted soil, or high wind and will start losing it's foliage in the summer in response to these conditions.

2) Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) - Some may be surprised to see this tree on anyone's list. It's considered a trash tree by many. I love it. If you drive down Memorial Drive in Cambridge in late September - early October, you will see all of the Green Ash trees turning their bright golden - yellow color. It's a beautiful sight. This tree produces good shade and is tolerant of just about any conditions. Several male cultivars are now on the market, which avoids the prolific seeding observed with the females. I do hate the fact that this tree is one of the last to leaf out in the spring and one of the first to lose it's leaves in the fall.

3) Norway Spruce (Picea abies) - I love these trees. Giant Christmas trees the whole year through. The have a very dark green color and I really love the way the branches curve up at the ends. It gives this tree a very graceful look. A very large tree in time. A fast-grower for a spruce.

4) Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) - Zone 5 is the limit for this species. It would be wise in that zone to get the "Village Green" cultivar which has greater cold tolerance than the species. The vase-shape of this tree makes it a good replacement for the American Elm. Between the shape and the tree's tolerance for just about any conditions, it makes a great street tree. Zelkovas are in the Elm family and consequently are not totally immune to Dutch Elm disease but they tend to be highly resistant and this disease is usually not a problem. This tree can have spectacular fall foliage (ironically they did not this year around the Boston - Cambridge area) turning a bright burnt orange color. The Village Green cultivar has the best fall coloring that I've seen.

5) Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) - Had to include a member of the red oak family again. Oaks are not thought of as fast-growing trees but this species is definitely an exception. Becomes massive in time. Fall color is variable but can be quite good. A very strong, shade tree.

6) Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) - One of the few evergreens that tolerates shade. Very graceful foliage. Probably the most graceful of any evergreen. The tree likes moist soil (found in shade). The woody adelgid is killing many of the hemlocks in New England. Hope they find a way to eradicate it before it kills all of them.

7) Black Birch (Betula Lenta) - Absolutely beautiful tree. The bark is a shiny, dark grey and peels to a certain extent. The bark looks very similar to the bark of many cherry trees only with a dark color. Very ornamental especially in winter. This birch has very good bright yellow fall color, too.

8) Crabapple (Malus) - The perfect tree. An explosion of white or pink bloom in the spring. A ton of crabapples in the fall. Beautiful bark on most varieties similar to cherry bark. Hundreds of cultivars to choose from. Most of the modern cultivars have resistance to fungal diseases that were a problem on older varieties. These trees tolerate drought and bad soil rather well.

9) Weeping Cherry (Prunus subhirtella Pendula) - Beautiful tree. So graceful and very striking in bloom. It get quite large in time for a flowering tree. Not as prone to problems as most cherry trees. Needs to be sited in a moist area though.

10) Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) - Wanted to put cornus florida here but zone 5 is pushing it for that species. I like this one too. Flowers in early summer and can put on quite a show. The giant red fruit of this dogwood is more visually appealing than cornus florida. Fall color is spectacular. Many cultivars to choose from.

As I am new to New England I have nothing to offer but am looking to add to my yard. In the fall I noticed trees that were bright, bright red - red not burgandy. Show stopping RED. Does anyone have any idea of the type of tree I wish to own?

The problem is that fall color can vary, depending on weather and growing conditions. So our native red maple, which is often gorgeous, can vary. Maybe someone else here can guarantee red fall color on something.

The closest I can get is a plant mentioned by others, sourwood, or Oxydedrum arboreum. (This is the correct spelling, weirdly enough). I have had one for years and it colors late but reliably scarlet. It breaks dormancy late, which could be an aesthetic problem for some--also flowers late when not many trees/shrubs flower, definitely a plus. They do like full sun if you want the flowers.

I've planted them for others and they seem to grow very well in zone 5 so I can't explain the problems others report. I have seen very large specimens along the Blue Ridge Parkway--magnificent.

But my vote for favorite New England tree is our native red oak, Quercus rubra. Tall, strong, reliable. Can have dark to bright red fall color. The red maple, Acer rubrum, is second. Then the white pine, Pinus strobus.

Is anyone familiar with the side yard at the Peobody Essex Museum in Salem? I love one of their evergreens. It has needles similar to a norfolk island pine, but is tall and weeping. It's lovely and I wish I knew its name.
salbwil

If you want to guarantee red without waiting to observe a tree's fall color then you want a cultivar of a species. A cultivar is essentially a clone of particular tree of a species that exhibits desirable properties. For red maples, the October Glory cultivar is guaranteed to be a very intense red. I actually have one and it never fails to disappoint. There are many other red maple cultivars that will consistently give the same color when the environmental conditions allow for it. The Sourwood mentioned earlier is a good tree for red color. Most Black Gum trees will provide an intense show of red in the fall although this is far from guaranteed for the species. There are some cultivars around for Black Gum such as Forum, or Hayman's Red that are guaranteed to be red (if the environmental conditions allow for it).

Thanks ginny and tree. I have an idea now what to look for the next problems is where to find 2 good sized trees. I haven't seen many nurserys that in this area that nave a large selection. Anyone in the Hartfor CT havee any advice??

mceller -- Here's a few places to start within an hour of Hartford:

Young's in Woodbury. Come to the Fall Swap, meet everybody, AND get a discount on some of the finest material you'll see anywhere :-)

Harken's in South Windsor.

Garden Barn in Vernon.

OR -- Travel north on R91 to Exit 24 in Massachusetts(Yankee Candle exit) and take a right on Route 116 to Sunderland. Sugarloaf Nurseries has everything imaginable, is locally owned, prices are right. (To everyone saying "not them, again" NO, I don't work for them but the place is unique and worth the trip.) A bit more than an hour from Hartford.

And a helpful tip: Plan on spending $50 - $75/tree inch. Trees are measured by their trunk width so a 4" tree will be in the $200 range. AND -- dig the hole BEFORE you go shopping. I say this based on experience but the results of buying an almost mature tree are great!

Martie

mceller, don't forget Broken Arrow in Hamden. They have an excellent selection of larger, B&B trees.

There is a place in Southboro, MA called "Shrubs & Trees" that sells mostly large specimens. Probably more like 1.5 hrs from hartford though.

I planted Tupelo 'Red Rage' this spring. I am super anxious to see the fall color. Although I know the first year, as a very immature tree, I shouldn't expect much.