Patio tree suggestions?

I have a brick patio behind my house which has a 3' x 3' opening in the center. Previous owners had a fountain but I wish to replace it with a small tree or even a large shrub. I need a tree about 8-12' tall, not too wide (perhaps a weeping type), can take full sun all day and whose roots won't damage a small retaining wall about 6-7 feet away. I was considering a dwarf weeping cherry but thought I might get some possible suggestions on something not so common place. It doesn't have to be a flowering tree but something with interest as it would be prominently displayed. Any suggestions?

BTW, its Z6b, Virginia.................Thanks.............Renee

Hi Renee,

I am a big fan of viburnum and there are quite a few that should fit the bill. My first choice would be doublefile viburnum - perhaps Shasta or Mariesii. Great flowers that last a good long time, nice shade of green foliage in the summer - with the bonus of beautiful ridges on the leaves, good fall color and berries. Even in the winter you will appreciate the interesting horizontal branching. What more can you ask? I hope you can view this area easily from inside. Good luck.

Victor

My pick would be Cercis 'Oklahoma' or Cercis 'Forest Pansy' if it were MY patio, but I don't know it's hardiness for your area. I LOVE the heart-shaped leaves, spring flowers, and black zig-zag branching pattern in winter. Gentle roots are a bonus!

Karen

Thanks for your suggestions. We have many redbuds in this area (they grow wild) but I have never seen one with purple leaves and such beautiful fall color. I'll have to see if I can get one around here. Do you know any online nurseries that offer them?

Renee

Check here...

http://davesgarden.com/ps/search.php?search_text=Cercis+

K

Forest Pansy is beautiful - I have one. However, it will get much bigger than the size you are looking for. If you don't mind that size, then I would certainly consider it, along with Winter King Hawthorn or a kousa dogwood.

Victor

True, it's stated to be a 20 - 30' tree, but I gently prune it every winter (we prune deciduous trees in January here). It is about 12' tall and 8' wide now. I will most likely allow it to get 20' high by 12' wide so it can shade the patio. Here in CA it doesn't grow terribly fast so it's easy to keep it where I want it. I planted it (from a 15 gallon can) 10 years ago. It just gets prettier every year.

K

Kachina, how large was yours when you planted it? Reason I ask is that mine seems to have some problem. I planted mine Fall 2003 and both last year and this it leafed out very, very late, after only having a handful of flowers. It is about 8 feet tall now. There are some dead branches I need to prune. It is in an area that gets shade from mid-afternoon on. Moisture is average. The soil is acidic. None of that should be a problem. Any ideas? Thanks.

Victor

Mine is in full sun, but it does get a taddy ratty looking during the hottest part of summer (108 to 110 degrees!). It has not been fast growing and it took it at least 3 years to get settled, I think. It was perhaps 5' x2' in the can when I bought it. I am going to give mine some fish emulsion water this weekend. I have never fertilized it much, perhaps it's "hungry" LOL I just looked up culture for it and it likes moist, but well drained soil. I may not have kept it wet enough, and we do have a high clay content in our soil, perhaps that's why it has grown slowly for me. It also said it doesn't like being transplanted so perhaps yours just needs more time. Mine didn't start giving a real flower show until about 3 years ago, so it appears they need to get rooted in well before performing!
k

This message was edited Jun 25, 2005 9:18 AM

Thanks - that's what I'm hoping.

Victor

We have a Kousa Dogwood next door that is huge- way out of control. I would not recommend it for a small space. It isn't just too tall, it is crazy wide.

Cornus kousa 'Satomi' is a great, smaller one. I have it and it's a winner - beautiful shade of pink and it blooms well after the cornus florida. Gets nice fall color as well.

How about a dwarf Snowfountain Cherry or other similar cultivar. These are small weeping trees that won't overgrow the space in height or width. I don't have any really good pictures, but here are a few...

Oh, a favorite of mine is the Goldenchain tree. Small, beautiful yellow flowers in spring and the new growth each year is green (wood). Only thing to be careful of is strong winds. These trees need a protected site.

How about the Donald Wyman Crabapple?

Thanks to everyone for your many suggestions. I'm going to do research on all of them. Has anyone had experience with a weeping pear tree? I saw a photo of one and they are very attractive...................Thanks..........Renee

Are you talking about a willow leafed pear? Pyrus Salicifolia? Silver Frost Weeping Pear? The kind they have in England?

Ivy1

Sorry, I was referring to Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' or 'Silver Frost', etc. I thought Pryus salicifolia and willow leafed pear are the same. At least they appeared to be from my research online. If not, what are the differences? The only pear I'm familiar with is the Bradford pear. Any experience with the two I've listed above in heavy clay soil? Thanks.............R

Renee- They are the same, I just didn't know what name you used, so I wrote all of them down.

I have killed two bareroot, mail-order "Silver Frosts" so I probably shouldn't talk, but I tried one in clay and it seemed to do O.K.. It died because I over watered and then a large tree branch fell on it. The other one did really well and then I stupidly ripped the branches(from below the graft) off instead of carefully pruning them and it died shortly afterward. I was going to try one more time because it is a superb looking tree, and seems worth it.

It is supposed to be susceptible to Fireblight, if you're prone to such a thing. Clay soil might be a problem if drainage is an issue. Water once a week, you don't want to let it sit in too much water. Just be forewarned- a bare root plant might have trouble establishing roots in heavy clay.

I think you should not be afraid to try it, if your drainage is good. It's a really amazing looking tree, and perfect for your spot. It's so elegant. You just might have to baby it a bit to get one started. If you can find an established tree at a nursery, it might be better; I have never found one except bareroot mail-order.

Maybe someone knows whether amending the soil would be better or worse for the tree. I have recently read a couple of differing opinions. Good Luck! I hope you can get one, they are so gorgeous!

Thanks Ivy1, I appreciate your advice!

Here is a photo of my 4 yr. old Pyrus salicifolia pendula, As you can see it is not so far very penulous.It is probably 6 feet by 6 feet. I did not amend the soild when I planted it and is hillside soil that had never had anything planted in it just native grass and sagebrush. I do spread Planters 2 on everything every spring. DonnaS

Oh, gosh, Rutholive, it's beautiful. Makes my heart go pitter pat! I guess I have to try again.

Where did you get it?

My favourite patio tree is Albizia julibrissun 'Rosea'. It doesn't block the sun, daples it. Grows more horizontal. Mimosa-like foliage is pleasant to look at and the blooms are nice. You can look up into it and has a great view from above. It should be hardy where you are as there are some in Southern Ontario.

I had one in my yard growing up in Oklahoma. It was the prettyist thing in our yard. I love them. they have these seed pods we used to play with all the time.

I also love the Oklahoma Redbud. The flowers are more brilliant purple then regular Redbuds.......isn't that right Kachina? Is it more narrow and a but smaller then the regular Redbud or is that my particular tree??

Ivy1, Got my Pyrus salicifolia from Forest Farm. It has a few little pears on it this year, which isn't important to me. But i do like its silvery foliage. DonnaS

Thanks for the info, Donna. I will try one more time! I have just loved that tree ever since I saw it. Seems like every great English garden has one. I kept trying to find out what it was, I would see it in the background of all these garden pictures.