Several of us like the shape of the redbud, just as it is, and I'm one of them, icadem. I wouldn't even be staking, but make the necessary accomodations with the limbs as it encroached on the siding. OP, mature height of yew is rather dependent on what one you planted. Most get whomping big if left to grow to their natural form and that's what I am dealing with now on the property I mentioned. They're practically to the windows already and how long have they been there? Yes, you can prune them and that's what I am addressing. They are located so close to the foundation, that allowing them to assume any sort of natural conformation will not be possible. This is how shrubs with nice shapes end up not even vaguely resembling what you started with and usually they are victims to tip-pruning. The centres go bald from shading, and when you start to clip back severely, it opens up large, gaping holes. It usually fills in when the new growth comes on, but each year you can take off less as the shrub matures and then you are in to pruning out whole limbs. More typically removal. Not an issue if you don't plan on being there long-term, but it'll be an issue to someone down the line. Do you happen to know which one you planted?

Sorry about the out-of-focus photos ;-( I tried to retake them but fear that only this one, of the magnolia, has come out clear enough. Luckily (if one can call it that) the lesions on both the redbud and magnolia look exactly the same. The damaged section in this photo is about two inches long and there's a smaller one on a skinny twig/limb next to it that you can also sort of see. Both about 5 feet up on my 6+ foot Little Gem. Ken, the Little Gem was purchased at Home Depot last year and the Forest Pansy came from an independent nursery and both were lugged home in my Subaru Forester. Neither have had any "mechanical" damage that I can think of. When I first noticed the problem, the swollen cracked part felt a little soft and moist but it's since hardened off. And as I mentioned in the original post, there is new growth above the lesions on both trees. Fingers crossed someone here can enlighten me on what's happening... Thanks.

I am going to need to have a tree service come and remove another tree and grind down that stump, plus several other stumps from trees that were already removed anyway, so I figured I would just have them do those oaks at the same time. I don't really feel the need to keep those small oaks because we have numerous other larger oaks that are in better spots, as well as being more majestic and beautiful looking. I would prefer some smaller trees that would give some sort of show, whether it's a spring or summer bloom or some fall color I don't really mind. I have lots of oaks but no blooming trees, and my only fall color tree is an unhealthy and badly pruned liquid amber that is going to be removed. I'm not sure there is a jacaranda in the background. The trees to the left of my oaks are persimmons, we enjoy the fall/winter display of fruit a lot. I thought about planting some persimmons of my own, or some other fruiting tree, but since we get so many birds hanging out in those trees I don't think I will. If I have a fruit tree I like to keep the birds out so that I can enjoy the fruit, and I kind of want these trees to be for the birds to enjoy. So some small, blooming, bird-friendly trees are what I was thinking, which is why I was leaning towards Redbuds.

There is a more or less common fungus disease caused by the the fungi "Phytophthora". Phytophthora cause the most serious soilborn diseases of citrus. The common name for the disease is Foot Root. You can evaluate the symptoms listed below and see if they match what is going on with your tree. The infection occurs near the ground level. At first the cambium and inner bark are damaged, but the outer bark remains firm with small cracks through which abundant gum exudes. Lesions spread around the circumference of the trunk, slowly girdling the tree, and the bark is eaten away. Severly affected trees have pale, green leaves with yellow veins. Large trees also may be killed, but typically the trunks are only partially girdled and the tree canopy eshibits leaf defoliation, twig dieback, and the tree attempts to make a weak growth flush.(ref. Comp. Of Citrus Diseases). Here is a web site with more information and two pictures for you evaluation. http://cals.arizona.edu/PLP/plpext/diseases/fruits/citrus/citrusgum.html - Millet