The smaller ones, no question.

Concur with rhizo.

As do I.

A chance to experiment is always welcome. I'd dig one 7-8' tree, with balance being small. You'd have first hand experience on how quickly they settled and their growth patterns. However, I'd only do this if you're willing to share this information with us. ;)

you dont need to mess with a root ball ... ken

Experimentation has already been carried out-numerous times. There is no controversy-smaller transplants do better than larger ones.

The trees I move from the woods are mostly in the 5-7ft variety. Have had good luck with no setbacks. As with anything, technique determines the success ratio.

While my father successfully moved woods trees to his lot, I have found this is not as easy as it sounds. I have a nice oak in the back of my lot that I thought of moving to the front yard. After an initial try to dig it up, I gave up.

The tree was surrounded with other trees. Their root systems were entwined, with one large root from another tree growing right through the middle of the root system of the tree I wanted. With the mess I did not think that I would ever successfully get the tree out.

A reciprocating saw (Sawz-all) with a long blade is a nice tool to have to cut around a small tree.

"With the mess I did not think that I would ever successfully get the tree out." Oak trees tend to be some of the most difficult woods trees to move. And with some woods trees, like you describe, it's easier just to find a different tree. 8)

One of the Red maples I moved this spring had a 2" dia. poplar root growing through the center of the root ball. Reds and poplar roots don't even come close to oak roots for difficulty, so I (axe)chopped the poplar root on either side of the root ball and hauled the whole works home, where after some effort, I managed to loosen the poplar root (sort of like bare rooting the red). But in the end, that tree wasn't any worse for wear than the other 2 that I brought in that day. All leafed out beautifully about the same time.

krnuttle brings up an important point though; It is extremely common to hit rocks, other tree roots, etc. when trying to dig a tree out of the woods. Many a fine tree has been destroyed in this process. Where and when it works, I support it because we are retaining the actual native genetics when we work with plants from the woods outside our houses, but all too often, the end-result is a dead plant that would have been just fine if left alone.

And that little tree, hidden amongst its fellows out in the woods, will stick out like an ice cream cone sign in your yard for the bunnies, bambies, and basketballs of the neighborhood, so due diligence there might pay off.

That last comment reminded me of the 3ft. red I planted last year. I put a 12" high plastic protector on it but Mr. cottontail still snipped it off cleanly above the ring (yes they can stand on their hind legs). Haven't experienced rabbit trouble since I moved here 4 years ago but them wiley wabbits run in population cycles and are on the rise around here.

Same here-big bunny year. Where are the hawks, owls and eagles when you need them?

ha, I did find the remains of one bunny by the shed just last week. :^) Go Hawks!!!

The odds of anything over 5ft surviving a transplant (there is no way to do this without significant root loss) is VERY slim (this applying to the many maples I have transplanted).

I have transplanted a 5 footish crepe myrtle and Fraxinus americana. Both are still alive and doing well. Neither were really worth all the labor it took. Go smaller.

A 7' tree can be moved with a fairly high degree of success if you commit yourself to it. It is a lot of work and probably not something I'd want to do on a regular basis. Still, there can be some good reasons to undertake it and If the OP is willing and able, why not try it? Are there any of the larger trees that look like superior specimens? Do any of these have desirable fall color? It's worth considering.

*Do any of these have desirable fall color?* An interesting story.

Around these parts most sugars turn at the same time, but a few, in scattered locations, turn much later and all turn a uniform pumpkin orange. I was on the lookout for seedlings with this characteristic and found several in a woodlot adjoining my property. One was transplanted to my place where it has grown into a very nice tree over the years. It has never turned orange late in the season, in fact it turns a muddy yellow-brown-bronze most years and it is partially bare now, go figure.

did you note my pic.. are you still dreaming of moving a root ball ... or will you be bare rooting it??

ken

With all of my transplants, keeping a root ball is far from reality.

We had to remove a 75-year-old sugar maple 4 years ago. It turned a nice gold color each fall. A seedling from that tree is now 25-30 feet tall. It colors later than the parent and is a nice golden yellow. Not as showy as the parent, but still nice. I've got a new 3-year-old offspring from that original tree that seems to be more orange, but this year it and most trees and shrubs are not coloring well. So, I'm not sure yet whether it's a keeper or not. It is near an ancient silver maple that we'll remove late next year and I may just let it grow where it sprouted if the color is good next year.

We had a very wet summer and are having a warmer than normal autumn. Coldest temp so far is 37°. No frost yet. I assume the combination of the two is the reason for so many tree and shrub leaves turning brown and dropping rather than coloring.

Well, regarding the root ball, one of the said neighbors has lots of experience moving trees on her property and said she would guide me through it. Given my limited experience and her extensive success I'll probably just let her guide me.

Regarding fall color. One was at the first neighbor's house and had not yet turned. The others were all at the other neighbor's house and all the maples there were yellow. Which alarmed me a little and I double checked to ensure the trees were not the invasive Norway Maple. I remain highly confident it is the Sugar maple.

At any rate, thanks everyone for your input. I'll probably look over the smaller specimens one more time and choose the best looking one before digging.

Sometimes I think trees color up in fall better the longer they've occupied their spot. Almost as if they need to root in and access more soil nutrients before they really show what they're capable of. 'Autumn Blaze' seems to perform this way here-getting better the longer it has been in the ground. Newly-transplanted examples are ok but not great, those that were early examples of this cultivar are already large trees and glow crimson red in the fall.

I wouldn't dig them out if they were yellow. Fall color is what makes sugar maple such a desirable tree. Bland yellow is not something I would choose if looking for a fall-color tree.

The most difficult thing I've ever tried to dig from the woods was a Blackgum about 4' tall. I swear that thing must have had a taproot equally as long, because I felt like I dug to China. I ended up just putting the dirt back in the hole and leaving it where it was, but it died anyways.

Taxodium is pretty tough to move as well, very deep roots.

I have done the exact same thing alabamatreehugger! I also tried to dig up a pink saucer magnolia under power lines (they were going to spray because it had a ligustrum grove around it). I just left the tree and cut out the privet by hand.

I thought a Q.Alba was the hardest thing to dig up from a forest, are you guys sure you can no longer get seeds? I guess if you want a large-ish transplant that doesn't matter.