if they dont sell it.. that should tell you all you need to know.. skip the cherry ... its display is speculative.. in most of z5 ...

we need to know where you are... z5 covers about half the US ...

redbud comes to mind ...

but do understand.. no tree stops growing at some magical height ...

these types of trees are best planted in dormancy ... unless professionally done ... so if it can wait.. fall would probably be best... and give you time.. to have a nursery order you in at the right planting time ... at a min.. it should be done.. 6 to 8 weeks.. before the real heat of summer hits ... and for me in MI .. thats today ...

if you are going BBStore ... with the guarantee.. do it whenever ... with whatever they have ...

ken

Thanks for the input, I am in Bolton MA. A lot of places had the yoshino cherry a month ago and now can no longer get more, unless I am willing to pay a fortune or take 14 footers.

The redbud trees look great, do you recommend any specific species of the Redbud for fast growth in Ma. They appear to be very hardy so I am not concerned with that aspect.

Redbuds can be good choices, but not reliably hardy in all of Z5. The much-maligned flowering crab-rightfully so in some cases-is still probably the best all-around ornamental tree type for the northern US. Key attributes to select for include resistance to diseases like apple scab and fire blight, persistent fruit (results in months of attractive display, as opposed to a week or so for blossoms) and then of course, the growth form, size, and flower color you seek. All of these attributes can be found in one or another fl. crab.

+oM

You can get the yoshino Cherry at Lowe's and Home Depot. Both places in my area have them on clearance.

Crabapple is also a good suggestion.

Or even a Kousa Dogwood.

Again thanks for the input. I have been to numerous Lowes and HD in my area and they were all sold out of the yoshino cherry's. I also asked and were unable to order more.

They did however have harvest gold and Robinson crabapple trees. Google has informed me the Robinson is the fastest growing but I can not seem to find a picture of the tree when it is not flowering. Are the leaves dense? Will it provide some summer privacy?

Cherries are nice looking, but a lot of zone 5 people have had problems with hardiness and blooming after the last two winters. Not exactly upright either.

Crab apples IMO are not low maintenance compared to other flowering trees. They also can look ratty from July on.

Redbuds are better than the two above IMO. Beautiful leaves. They are pretty vigorous growers, but not necessarily upright in form.

Amelanchier (serviceberry) would be an option. They are not quite as dense as cherries, but they are hardier and fit your desire for upright form better. Look more natural in rows/masses than some of the other options.

Magnolia may be another one to consider. Some variants are quite vigorous and hardy (Moonglow, etc.).

If you de-emphasize the flowering or fast-growing requirements and focus on other attributes (i.e., form, fall color, hardiness, etc.) you will have a lot more options. When planting in mass, try to favor a native tree if at all possible. Just my opinion.

Ask this question on the New England forum also. Your part of MA has winter moths that can defoliate some kinds of trees more than others. There are a number of folks from zone 5 MA who visit the New England forum regularly and will chip in. I'd include a question about winter moth and other pest susceptibility in your post. There aren't winter moths in my area so I can't help with them, but I know that cherry trees around here are susceptible to a wide variety of pests and tend to be short-lived.

There was a similar question there recently that might give you some ideas even though her size range started smaller than yours. You might want to consider whether you will want a mix of trees which will give you a longer period of interest and some protection from losing your entire shelter belt if there are disease or insect issues vs. having a more uniform look to your row of trees. You are making a good choice not to look at callery pears. They don't do well with the wet snows that often happen in New England. This is from last fall's Thanksgiving storm and the homeowner had to remove about half of 6 trees.

I am in the same zone as you. I have a Kwanzan Cherry that has not flowered the last 2 seasons because of the cold weather, but has otherwise been a good tree. Be careful with the redbud if you dislike seed pods. I didn't realize they often get them when i had planted mine and they are quite unattractive for a lot of the year. There are some different varieties of them, some being seedless, but not sure where you can get them. I would highly recommend the Spring Snow Crabapple. They Do not have a lot of the issues that other crab trees have and seem to do very well in the northern climates. You can sometimes find small containers at big box stores, and may be able to order online as well. Very dense tree with pretty green color throughout the summer and nice white flowers in the Spring. If you want a fast grower, consider a Newport flowering plum, or other variety. Very pretty but can be short lived, a nice pic if you like a purple leaf.

I would stay away from doing a row of Kwanzan Cherry trees. They have a short life span of 15 to 25 years. If you really like them, plant one and know if won't be forever.

Have you thought about hawthorne. It is quite pretty in bloom

I like the spring snow crabapples and will be looking at them today. I will most definitely be staying away from the pears as many people have mentioned there issues with ice and snow. Hawthorne's are a little too wide spread for what I am trying to accomplish.

odd because I live in CAnadian Zone 5 which is a USzone 4 and I own a Canadian redbud. It has tiny delicate pink flowers. I just love this tree which I grew from a small plant. While lovely I wouldn't recommend it as a privacy screen. It doesn't provide that much privacy. Instead I have a lovely Chanticleer ornamental pear tree.

one thing about flowering trees is that almost all I know flower in spring and for the rest of hte season they don't offer much to see at all. So consider trees with good and nice looking foliage as well. I would also suggest mixing it up because if one tree gets infected or ill, it easy enough for the rest to get sick. Diversify.. but keep the same shape. For example apples, plums, cherries have broom style crowns and the ornamental pear I mentioned is conical.

Ianna, don't get too caught up in zones, as if every place in zone 4 or zone 5 is identical. That way lies madness. Better by fat to get info from experienced horticulturists in your area, wherever that may be. Zones are a start, but are not the last word.

+oM

wisconsintom - Of course I know about microclimates. Been gardening for decades but thank you for pointing that out to me.. im just expressing how I have such a large beatiful healthy canadian redbud tree in my zone which is a zone 5. yes they are supposedly good for a Canadian zone 6 but from what I have seen in my garden and in my neighborhood = it hardy enough. . And if this has survived our Canadian winters, its good enough.