small tree planting suggestions

[arboromega]

i have a friend with a 36' w x 15'l yard who wants some small tree suggestions. he wants a redbud for sure, but i need 3 other trees with color, evergreen and a 20'-25' ceiling. i am in zone 8. i have some ideas but could use some more.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Prunus mume amd Prunus...'autumnalis"

 

[Elmore]

Tree suggestions

Chinese Evergreen Oak - Quercus myrsinifolia do well over here in the Tennessee Valley, zone 7. They can get as large as 40 feet or so but most of the few that I have seen are about 20' to 25'. It's a relatively rare tree around these parts. Others, if you can find them, are the Japanese Evergreen Oak, the Blue Japanese Oak, the Ubame Oak and Quercus salicina. All might be difficult to obtain but mysinifolia can be found in the Southeast. Yews might fill the bill for a small evergreen. Cephalotaxus is a good one for the Southeast. Pinus bungeana is a good slow pine for me. It gets huge but is slow. Same for Abies firma. 'Little Gem' Magnolia will probably top out at about 35' but that will take many years. It's a good narrow form as are 'Mgtig', 'TIIMG'(Alta) and 'Hasse'. For color I recommend any number of Japanese Maple cultivars. Other good maples are Shantung and Trident. A. griseum might do well in zone 8. It grows well in zone 7. I understand it doesn't seem to like the Milwaukee area though. Could it be the Milorganite? Probably the cold. A dwarf or semi-dwarf Ginkgo would be on my list of preferred trees.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Ever seen bird attack on q. myrsinifolia? they peck it into disfigurement; it's the strangest thing.

 

[Elmore]

dirty lowdown sapsuckers

I have not noticed the damage that Guy describes on any of the trees that I have come across locally. In Dirr's book there is mention of sapsuckers wreaking havoc on this species in some areas and the fact that this could be a limiting factor in the use of this tree. I am growing a small number of them in containers. Locally, in the Tennessee Valley, I have only seen 3 mature specimens. One in Cullman, AL that is about 20' x 20'. A beauty. Another in Athens, AL that looks a lot like the Cullman tree and a huge specimen in Huntsville, AL that has got to be about 35 - 40 feet tall and 30-35 feet wide (see Attachment). I have not seen any serious damage on any of these trees. Perhaps the TN Valley is inhabited with more refined, well mannered sapsuckers or could be their peckers don't work.