Gardening and Horticulture - Suggest a tree

I would like suggestions on planting a new tree in my yard. I would like a tree that doesn't grow very large and has a small root structure since I will be planting it within 10 feet of my home. This would provide a little bit of shading for the house but ornamental as well. I would like a tree that has a nice rounded shape or that can be pruned that way. I don't want to attract bees and no fruit trees...have those on the other side of the property. I do like hummingbirds and I will be planting the tree near a garden that these birds love. This would be in full sun and I live in zone 5 so the tree needs to be hardy. It would be planted facing the south and east but be blocked from the west and north by my home. Also, I want a tree with interesting leaves..maybe even a flowering one like a magnolia. No dogwoods though. I really don't want a tree that will ever grow above 15 feet. Less if possible. Okay..anyone have any suggestions? Thanks to anyone who responds.

princessofthecastle, Zone 5 is near me so my suggestion is a Bradford Pear. It is mainly oramental, flowers nicely, doesn't grow to high and I am not even sure it makes pears.....Mike

Thanks Mike. I will look for it at my local garden center.

And wosre, the branches are subject to breakage - not something I want close to my house.

A better choice (its what I did) is to plant a sweet bay magnolia on the corner and a crabapple near the steps of the porch. There are many many varieties of crab trees - different heights and different widths. Some (and the name escapes me now) doesn't bear any fruit and has very pretty white flowers in the spring.

I agree with BobF. Just when the Bradford pear gets to a good size and has that wonderful symetric shape, along comes a windstorm and splits it down the middle!!! I've seen it happen many times in my area. I also like his tree suggestions. A dogwood is also nice but may be a little difficult to grow. Good Luck.

Thanks for all the replies. I love Magnolia trees..do I have to worry about long tap roots with these trees? How far away from the house should I plant it to ensure it grows happily but doesn't decide to hang over my roof? Also, has anyone heard anything about a flowering tree called "Royal Paulownia" ? It has lavender blooms and is extremely hardy. It grows rapidly. Does anyone know if this type of tree would also work? I would like to have feedback on it's drawbacks if any. I love Dogwoods also and have one planted on my property but it doesn't like the huge sycamore that is hanging over it. : ) Can't cut down the sycamore, it's the best looking tree I have....I will check some local nurseries for ordering a Magnolia tree...it's not usually kept on hand in my area so I will probably have to order one. Thanks again for all the advice..I truly appreciate it.

When picking out a magnolia, remember there are 3 types of them. They vary in leaf, type of blossom, and time of bloom. The sweet bay blooms in June, after danger of frost. The blooms only last a couple of days, but they keep on coming for 10-14 days. In the middle of the bloom period the scent is very heavy (and wonderful!)

Other magnolias bloom earlier. Their blooms last longer, but they face the danger of frost killing the blooms.

I've got my sweet bay 10 feet from the house.

Sorry, I don't know anything about "Royal Paulownia".

I'm not real familiar with Zone 5, but in my neck of the woods,far North Texas, a tree I would recommend(and I have several),is a Yoapon Holly. These trees grow to about 15', have small leaves, are evergreen,(in Zone 7), and have beautiful fall/winter red-orange berries that cardinals and mockingbirds feast on. They are very clean trees and the roots are not invasive. They also have a very nice smooth grey bark. The ones I have are multi-trunked, but I don't know if this is true of all of them. In the 7 years that I have had mine, I have never had an insect or fungus problem - nor bees. They are also easy to shape.

In the spring, female varieties will have very small white/yellow blooms - not as striking as a magnolia, but you don't have all of the mess either - this is a fuss-free hardy tree.

Hope this helps.

Youpon Holly won't grow in Zone 5, I don't think... I used to live in Zone 5 and don't remember seeing any, but I could be wrong.

I didn't know that the pear trees had the brittle problem. I did read in Neil Sperrys latest that they do indeed shear off. Well, the fathers of my town are in for an expensive surprise because we have them 100 feet apart along many of our streets in many parts of town. There must be 500 of them here and there. Oddly enough they replaced Magnolias that didn't do well and the Magnolia is our state tree....Mike

Bradford trees are the worst. Supposedly, the Aristocrat Pear tree is not as brittle. The Cleveland Pear tree is supposed to be inbetween, but its so new that there's not enough history to know for sure.