wiscomitom, around here there is not a lot of appreciation for the native landscape. What I mean is a section or area of grassland prairie is usually viewed as having 'nothing out there'. Its not a visually dramatic landscape like forest, mountains etc --- what people perceive as a beautiful view. When the city develops they build the structure, put in concrete roads, parking lot and such but they also dig out or kill off the surrounding native grasses such as big bluestem, little bluestem, sideoats grama etc along with various types of milkweed, Maximillian sunflower and other types of sunflowers along with various other native species which are actually attractive and offer nice seasonal changes. Instead of leaving that, they square the remainder of the area off into bermuda grass which is then regularly sprayed with chemicals and mowed which ends up as a boring square of deep green sitting in the prairie. I'm sure you are familiar with what I'm talking about. I'm not just referring to housing additions, its large places like tech schools and business where it would be less expensive and actually more attractive left as original prairie. You'd think maintenance cost would factor in even if they can't appreciate the prairie. I'm close to downtown and have chosen to bring the prairie into the city. A complete opposite view but I am in a very teeny tiny minority of homeowners who is doing anything like that here (I only know of 3 others in the entire city). Thankfully its coming around and the state buildings, many street medians, businesses and the downtown area is being replanted in native grasses used as decorative bedding plants, all professionally planned out and arranged. It looks rather sophisticated and modern actually, sort of cutting edge in fact.

Well, I assume that they sell them because they are so close to 3 of the Great Lakes, so that they are within 20 miles or less of water on 3 sides and within 5 miles of Lake Erie. That makes a difference since the large areas of water will buffer temperatures considerably most winters. I grew up in Cleveland, and during the really cold winter a couple of years ago, it made it down to -11F while areas farther from the lakes throughout the midwest were getting to -20F to -40F. Officially the part of Cleveland (Lake Erie shore) where I grew up is zone 6, along with many other areas of the US north coast. Similarly, where I work now is within 10 miles of the Atlantic, and although only 40 miles away, it is a full zone warmer than I am. Which is a long way to say that probably a good percent of their customers are in the equivalent of USDA zone 6. I may push zones for perennials that are usually covered by snow, but I've learned that for taller, long-lived woody plants that sooner or later a bad winter will arrive and kill parts or all of the plant. A half dead tree is pretty ugly, and though it may regrow, IME it won't recover its original shape. I love redbuds, so I looked a long time to find a MN strain tree that I figured would have a reasonable chance of living out its full life in reasonable shape in my zone.

What NHBabs said. One of the selling points of these trees is they tolerate shade, which combined with their small size means you can squeeze them into spots an Eastern White Pine wouldn't work. No need to waste a "prime" spot on it. It would be perfectly happy (relatively) close to your house, close to power lines, or at the foot of a honeylocust. Many of the fancy cultivars aren't reliable in Zone 5. Is this a named variety? You are almost better getting a cheapo tree from Lowes. Best would be a tree from a local seed source bought from native plant society. As far as them being all over the place...there could have been an unusually smart landscaper, developer, or local nursery who got them from a local seed source or an unusually hardy variety a few years back. If you see a neighbor with a really old one ask where he got it. As for the pictures...nothing in that picture makes me concerned.

Our weather has officially jumped the shark and it now is 79 degrees here. It is starting to feel summery out there, at least to a person used to temperatures in the 50s at this time of the year. I'd estimate we now are 25 degrees above average for this time of the year. The spring beauties are breaking out in bloom everywhere this afternoon---even more than this morning. The henbit is blooming. I have been indoors for 15 minutes and, when I go back outdoors, I may find something else blooming. It is happening that quickly today. dbarron, Those are such cheerful little yellow blooms! It sounds like your place is popping into bloom quickly now just like ours. It is a shame the cold is coming back. Megan, I noticed y'all are a bit cooler than we are. I think if y'all were hitting 79 degrees this afternoon, everything would be going bonkers there like it is here. I am seeing new TX bluebonnet plants popping up out of the ground today, joining older ones that sprouted in December or January. Luckily, they are in a pasture and the taller grasses should shield them from the temperatures in the 20s late in the week. I love early blooms, but not if it means a return to colder weather will freeze them. We had a large gallynipper mosquito in the house last night. It flew in the back door when Tim let the dogs out. So did some moths. All we need now is a wasp or yellow jacket buzzing around and it will feel like winter has left us, though I know it has not. I am seeing something new blooming (mostly in the weed/wildflower category) every few hours today. It is wonderful and strange all at the same time. At the rate things are happening, the purple martin scout birds should appear any day now---because they usually show up around the same time the Spring Beauties bloom here, and I know they've been making their way north through Texas for a while now. They cannot be too far away. I am concerned this heat is going to push the asparagus to pop up out of the ground early. I haven't checked that bed today. Maybe I should. I put a thicker layer of mulch on it last year hoping to prevent it from emerging too soon, but that's likely not going to be enough once the temperatures are in the upper 70s like they are today. Dawn