From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Wanted - The Perfect Tree
Date: 14 Oct 92 22:29:32 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1992Oct14.115303.27343@kodak.kodak.com>, bryant@neural.Kodak.COM (Steve Bryant) writes:
> I have a spot for a tree in my back yard and I want the perfect
> tree to put there. The tree has to have most(if not all) of the 
> following characteristics:
>    
>    * Flowers other than white in spring.
>    * Interesting Fall colors, red or yellow.
>    * Mature height less than 40 ft.
>    * Interesting  bark/structure for winter viewing.
>    * Hardy in Zone 6 ( a must).
>    * Quick growing desirable.
>    * Something interesting to look at for every season.

Well, oaks and maples don't have white flowers... ;-)


I've kinda tossed out the "not-white-flowers" criterion when I know
 of a nice white-flowered specimen tree that I think is underused... 

Some possibilities from our native flora:   (colors are flower color and
  coloration of fall foliage)   * are fragrant

Aesculus glabra (ohio buckeye)         yellow  -- orange-red
  erect pyramidal spikes of BIG yellow flowers; rough fruits

Aralia spinosa (devil's walking stick) white -- yellow or maroon
  clumpy thin twisted trunks covered with spines; nice umbels of
  flowers, twice pinnately compound leaves.  Fast grower, but
  rarely lives > 50 yrs

*Asimina triloba (pawpaw)             maroon -- yellow
  irregular open small tree, fairly narrow; not fond of cities

Cercis canadensis (redbud)              pink -- yellow
  getting to be a common "specimen tree"  Interesting trunk 
  shapes can be almost bonsai-ish
  
*Chionanthus virginicus (fringetree)      white -- yellow
  fragrant fringy white flowers in spring on a twisty small "gnarled apple"
  type trunk with irregularly scaly, red-brown bark.  Songbirds
  like the dark blue berries in Sept.

*Cladrastis lutea (yellowwood)     white & yellow -- yellow
  not well known, not very common, weak-wooded, utterly gorgeous tree.
  For all its weak wood and not-particularly interesting trunk, this
  tree is well worth the hassle when you see the 12-14" long pyramidal
  spikes of yellow and white pea blossoms in the spring.  Magnifique!
   
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)          white or pink -- orange
  pretty well known.
 
Cotinus americana (american smoketree)  yellow-green -- orange
  irregular, kinda clumpy trunk(s); tolerant of pretty poor conditions;
  fine panicles of flowers in mid-June to early July make the treee look
  "hazy"

*Franklinia altamaha (franklinia)         white -- orange
  clumpy interesting trunk, 3.5" white flower with central bright
  yellow stamens, sweet-spicy fragrance.  An American tree first 
  seen in 1770, last seen in 1790 in the wild.

Halesia carolina (silverbell)           white -- yellow
  1/2 long white bell-shaped flowers along the twigs; interesting
  trunk shape, striped trunk.   Much prettier than I can
  describe here.  Even if it has white flowers. ;-) 

*Oxydendrum arboreum (sourwood)          white -- orange
  July flowers; small, slightly fragrant, bell-shaped flowers in 6-8" 
  long spikes; deeply furrowed bark 

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)              yellow green -- orange
Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)            yellow green -- orange
  crooked and irregular small trunks forming small "groves"; red
  pyramidal spikes of fruits loved by birds.  The two species are
  similar, but I prefer R. glabra of the two.

Rhododendron maximum (rosebay rhododendron)   pink--bluegreen (not deciduous)
  picturesque upright trunks with evergreen leaves and 1" pink flowers
  in June
 
*Sassafras albidum (common sassafras)        yellow -- yellow/orange/maroon
  twisty-irregular "witches tree"; small bright yellow flowers in clusters
  in May becoming blue berries on red stalks.  Leaves are variable:
  right-hand mittens, left-hand mittens, and two-thumb mittens.

Sorbus decora (showy mountainash)            white -- yellow/orange/maroon
  common, but worth it for the orange-red fruits in August-Oct; loved
  by birds who sometimes get drunk on them.

Kay Klier