What kind of tree should I plant in my front yard?

Question

I want a medium to fast gowing mid-size tree; zone 6B, full sun HEAVY clay soil over bedrock. What would you put there?

Answer 1

If you are looking for a flowering tree then the two best trees for clay soils are crabapple and flowering pears...

Crabapples Malus cultivars are very hardy and colorful for muptiple seasons. Look for the new hybridized disease resitant crabapples that have fruit that the tree retains throughout the winter. The persistant fruit is an important characteristic. If you don't select a variety with this you will have a mess to clean up. Most of the new hybrid crabapples have fruit that is small and berry-like and persists on the tree until mid-winter providing a food source for animals and leaving you no mess to clean. Best of the bunch are Adams (pink flower bright red fruit), donald wyman (white flower orange red fuit), purple prince (reddish pink flower with glossy maroon fruit), centurion (rosey red flower with bright orane fruit).
Crabapples typically mature in the range of 15-25 feet tall and wide.

Flowering pears Pyrus calleryana cultivars mature in the range of 25 - 35 feet tall. The width is highly variable dependant on the variety. These all have white flowers in the spring and a nice purple red fall color. DO NOT PLANT THE Bradford VARIETY as it is highly prone to winter breakage and is the oldest cultivar in the callery family of pears. Select a newer variety with better branching angles such as New Bradford (the best cultivar), Redspire (is prone to fireblight), Aristocrat (open irregular branching), Cleavland Select also known as Chanticleer is a upright narrow varity with good consistancy in branching but only 10 -15' wide.

Let me know if you need more info on non-flowering trees.

Answer 2

Two fast-growing shade trees I'd suggest are black cherry and shademaster locust. Both have very small leaves so provide dappled sunlight and no raking required. You would have a tall tree within ten years with either choice. Black cherry has lovely white flowers in spring after several years followed by red berries in summer that the birds love. Its leaves are poisonous though so watch out small children don't eat them.

Answer 3

Do you want shade??? If so, most shade trees are slow growing EXCEPT Sycamore...these trees grow fast, get very large and provide lots of shade. Unfortunatley, they lose their leaves mid September in most areas, but the wood is beautiful in the late fall and winter. The wood is relatively hard, not like maple or hickory (few are), but usually good enough to withstand most winds. good luck

Answer 4

You could try a Japanese Acer or a non-fruiting Cherry. Visityour local tree nursery for a better guide. You don't say how big you want the tree to be.

Answer 5

Bradford Pear is very nice. Just keep far enough away from house, so as not to create leaf/gutter problems.

Answer 6

Why not try a flowering Dogwood? This way you can enjoy watching your tree respond to all seasons?

Answer 7

Bradford pears are in all the front yards in my neighborhood. Beautiful!

Answer 8

If you wish to have beautiful shade and leaves to rake (traditionally) then I would suggest a fruitless mulberry. I love mine and it has such lovely, large leaves!

Answer 9

a Florida palm... looks great!

Answer 10

flowering crab they flower so pretty