Small Tree Help?

I am looking to plant a small tree that would not exceed 8 feet in height at maturity. The tree would be planted approx 3 feet from my house. A flowering "pretty" tree is a must. My wife loves Japanese Maples...but I can't find anything small enough.

I reside right on the line of zones 5 and 6. The winters here can be cold and harsh. Lastly, I am a novice in every sense of the word.

Home Depot and Lowes can't help me out. Any suggestions and/or good places to order from online?



Thank you!

Small Tree Help?
If you're planting 3 ft from the house, then the tree can't have more than a 3 ft wide crown (or you risk rotting the siding on your house)



Because you really don't give us a whole lot of clues as to what your growing conditions might be (12" of precipitation a year? 60? soil type? pH?) I can't suggest much except to talk to your state extension service, your local master gardeners program, and to the best nurseries locally (home depot and lowes are NOT nurseries) for their suggestions.



I really think what you're looking for is a medium sized shrub,

planted and pruned for a single (or a few) trunks. Some of the landscape roses might fit the bill.



Your choices will greatly increase if you can move the plant away from the house wall.
Reply:Hey Kevin,



3 feet from the house is very close. Perhaps you should consider some flowering bushes like azalea or rhododendron. Both of these have awe inspiring flower displays, and can be grown to 8 feet in height. You can prune them to look like a tree, or keep them as a bush, and Home Depot and Lowes should have suggested this to you. They carry them and they grow well in your zone.
Reply:Whitefringe tree, dwarf flowering Almond, many different cultivars of Japanese maples like Lion's Head maple, Full Moon maple, Purplebloom maple (Acer pseudoseiboldiana), Cinderella crabapple, Sargentina crabapple, and Stewartia japonica are a few suggestions.
Reply:Hi:

There are different small tree specimens and larger shrubs that you could use. If you want to consider a Japanese Maple, I have used a weeping Japanese Maple along the foundation. I agree with the first answer, as I am a landscaper and designer. Make sure you plant far enough away from the foundation. Three to four feet is good. See if you can find any weeping Japanese Maples in your area. Go to your local nursery or garden center as they should have a good selection. The Japanese Maple is deciduous so it will die out in the winter months.



Here are some other suggestions:



Chinese Pizzaz or Loropletalum - great flowering evergreen.



Some Viburnums will work well in your zone



Indian Hawthorne Minor is a larger variety of the Indian Hawthorn



If you want some all year around color - Lemon Thread Cypress is nice. It is a variegated yellow and green leaves, and will give you a nice contrast with the rest of your plants.



I will link you to the gallery of plant section of my website. There are a variety of trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs for you to see, with brief descriptions and climate zones. I will also link you to the site map, as this page has everything that is on the website. Browse through and see if you can find any other articles, tips or techniques that may be helpful to you. Good luck to you and have a great day! I would be happy to help you if you need further suggestions.

Kimberly



http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...



http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...
Reply:Kevin,



I agree with the previous poster that 3 feet is very close to your house for any tree. Depending on your budget you could look at a dwarf Japanese Cutleaf Maple, which grows very slowly, but which can get up to 8 ft. high (in 25 years). They are very pricy and if you're a rookie it may not be worth the investment yet. The trees are great looking in both winter and summer, and should be tolerant of your climate zone.



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