They're both Rosaceae, though. Just on a walk last night at a botanical garden and we compared botanical features of Sorbaria with a species rose from China. Farmboy I love the Sorbaria for its new foliage in spring and its flowers. The foliage generally is also quite nice. The suckering is a pain in the neck - it will take over if you are not careful. I deal with it by not providing summer water outside the area that I want it to occupy, but you can't do that where you are as you have summer rain. (there is also a variety whose name escapes me that has more colorful new foliage and I think is smaller). Here are a couple of shots of mine just as it is coming into bloom a few years ago. Note how in the second photo it is encroaching on the Cotinus obovatus to its left. That Cotinus is bigger now and can fend for itself, but the Sorbaria eventually took over the Lonicera in front of it.

Well, there is so much variety with that species, some of them are bushlike and some of them are small yet naturally "limbed up." They can have colorful flowers and seeds, leaves and interesting bark, depending on the variety. But not always easy to find the variety in typical nurseries. And then if you want to order online, what to order, what will thrive. Anyway, that's what I went through. Unfortunately my yard in the back where I have room for the maples is really hot and sunny, so only the most hardy varieties for me, but if I had a more hospitible spot I (one that would support pagoda dogwood, for example), I would definately explore the maple option. Here's a link to the nursery where I bought mine. They were recommended to me by someone on the JM forum. I have only ordered the one tree from them that I have, and it has done spectacularly well. And I was so skeptical that the stick that came in the mail in the fall would even live. The nursery is Herter's Nursery I think in VA? Anyway, below is a link to their Web site My own fireflow or something like that maple has grown by leaps and bounds. It's easily four times the size it was when I got it. It grew a whole lot in the first year, so don't be discouraged by the small size of the saplings. Small saplings tend to establish themselves better right off the bat at a site. They look small at first but make up for the size difference with quick growth and overall health. At least that has been my experience. Sorry I can't post a picture, my photo site is down. I just got a new camera so am looking forward to posting "before" and "after" shots of my maple. Here is a link that might be useful: Herter's Nursery Japanese maples

Is the 'limbed up' thing just about preventing it from taking a lot of ground space? If so, what about a columnar evergreen conifer like an emerald green arborvitae? Or something similar that'd remain green & attractive during winter, without bushing out too badly. Of course, if you want a tall naked trunk under the crown of the tree, that's not going to work out. What is it about the Purpleleaf Sandcherry that you don't like? I'm not pushing the plant, just thinking that knowing what you don't like about it might help rule out some of the other options. Richard.

Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on Wed, Dec 25, 13 at 14:06 Yes, It is allegedly a relative of the burning bush. Do normal burning bushes have this kind of flowers? Merry Christmas to you!