flowersmakemesmile
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Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:43 pm
Location: Cookeville, Tn

Need Suggestions for Small Tree for Front of Home

Hi, I am wanting a small tree. I have 2 good side beds on the front of my home. I am wanting to put a small tree in each one. Nothing over 6ft. and I want it to be pretty all yr if possible. It does not have to bloom all the time just keep something on it during winter. A tree that did some blooming would be ideal. I want it to be like the long trunk and the bush on the top, not a tall shrub but a short tree. If you know of anything like this please let me know! Thank you!

TheLorax
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Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:40 pm
Location: US

Would a suggestion of an evergreen be ok with you? Do you have a preference that a small "tree" flower white, pink, or yellow? Although there are no trees in the 6' range, there are some very attractive shrubs that you might like that may work for you.

Would you have a little wiggle room to be able to consider a 10-12' shrub for the areas you have available? Something that might be allowed to grow to your roof line possibly? Also too, if you would be able to expand your height to around 20-25', you'd be able to get lots of great suggestions of plants that would be consistent with that "long trunk and the bush on the top" look you want. I'm afraid you might be limiting yourself with a 6' height restriction.

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Jess
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Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:50 pm
Location: England

You will have to trust me on this one as the pictures on line do not do it justice.

Cornus mas varieagata. Upto 15ft but slow and can be pruned. (I keep mine about 10ft) Yellow flowers late winter/early spring. Variegated green with crisp white edges through the summer. (I have a dark flowering clematis growing through it in the summer) Fruit red or yellow (depending on variety selected) in the autumn which are edible and the birds love! Interesting bark for the few Winter months that it is not flowering. Wants to be multi stemmed but can be trained on a single leg as mine is.

This is the best image of it in flower that I can find but bear in mind you can prune to the shape you want.
https://greengrasslandscape.com/photogallery/Cornus%20mas.jpg

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bewildered_nmsu
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Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:39 am
Location: Las Cruces, NM

There are varieties of Crape Myrtle that fit most of those specifications. Crape Myrtles flower for most of the summer and have attractive fall color. Your climate is pretty much perfect for Crape Myrtle as well. There are many colors and varieties of Crape Myrtle but I think the Petite Plum variety would suite your size requirements.

ring
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Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:15 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

There are some beautiful Japanese Maples in the size you are interested in. The Coral Bark Japanese Maple (Sango Kaku) may be a little larger than you want, but has lovely coral branches in the winter and pretty light green leaves in the spring & summer.

Dom Nizza
Senior Member
Posts: 122
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:34 pm
Location: NJ the Garden State

Sometimes a design solution may answer what you are looking for.. Here are some samples ... are they applicable to your garden section?
[img]https://www.mycommunity.com/uploads/18367_1_Patio1.jpg[/img]
Early preparation.

[img]https://www.mycommunity.com/uploads/18367_3_Patio9.jpg[/img]
Fully developed
Even a well design topiary could meet your needs.. good luck ...

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sean117Ply
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Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 5:36 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

maybe an ornamental pear? or maybe japanese maples or the classic moptop (can survive anything) their all great small trees.

brubel
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Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:17 pm
Location: MD

How about a japanese maple? These are very popular in our area because they stay small.

Garden Spider
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Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:07 pm
Location: Western Washington

Look for something with decorative bark, for winter interest. Somebody mentioned Coral Bark Maple; another interesting maple is Snake-Bark Maple.

Look for interesting shapes, as well. There is a dwarf Black Locust "Twisty Baby" that has an interesting shape, interesting bark, and white flowers in spring. However, the Black Locust species (Robinia psuedaccacia) has some bad habits (brittle limbs and prolific suckering); I don't know if the dwarf cultivar has overcome those. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (Corylus avellana "Contorta") has an interesting shape year round. Hammelis (Witch Hazel) blooms in winter with yellow or coppery orange flowers, and has an interesting shape year round. There are some Japanese Maples that have fabulous shapes.



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