Suggestions for backyard trees

[nomamasboy]

I wanted to know if anyone could suggest a few types of flowering trees, medium growth rate, zones 5-6 that reach a maximum height of no more than 15-20 feet. I'm partial to the Japanese Cherry Blossom because of its looks (and no fruit), but I think it will be too big for my backyard. I've got a huge maple that has tangled itself around the power lines and will eventually need to be cut down so I'm thinking a few smaller, flowering trees hopefully with no fruit that have a nice fragrance would be great back there.

Thanks for the ideas- Tim

[William Wagner]

Consider Stewardia, Franklinia or a flowering crabapple the double flower type unless you want fruit. Kousa dogwoods are another wonderful option.

Have fun !

Bill

[dr-solo]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at

up: the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website. I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan

[nomamasboy]

Dr- thanks for the pics of the kousa in the front yard. I love the flowers it puts out...does it bear fruit though? I've heard alot of flowering trees bear fruit of various sizes...the smaller, less conspicuous and less messy the better for me. Of course that may not be possible in the smaller trees I'm interested in.

Bill thanks for the suggestions...I've been trying to find some pics of stewardia or franklinia without much success. They seem to be rare trees that are difficult to find --which doesn't discourage me though.

The kousa you mentioned has great flowers and appears to about the right size, but I wanted to know do the lower branches get far off the ground? The reason I ask is I'd like to maximize my backyard view of the sunset under the canopy of the trees if possible so a tree that branches near the ground would let me do that.

I'm sure I'm being too picky, but if there is a flowering tree out there that's not too tall and branches 3-4 off the ground then maybe some more educated folks might be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks again for all your help Tim

[dr-solo]

yes, bright red berries which ARE delicious. good luck getting them before the birds tho. no, they really arent messy. there is no reason why you cant cut the lower branches and leave a clean trunk

3-4 feet off the ground. the scenario of watch>Dr- thanks for the pics of the kousa in the front yard. I love the

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at

up: the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website. I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan

[nomamasboy]

Thank you so much Ingrid for the info. It sounds like the kousa is the direction I need to look. This is my first fledgling attempt at some basic landscaping so you guys have been a big help.

I know where to go with my questions...

Have a great Memorial Day! Tim

[Jangchub]

Ginkgo biloba