I am looking to add some interest to my small backyard. It is roughly 16'x16' (townhouse lot) and fenced (6' tall fence). I would like to place a tree in the far corner near the fence, something that is not going to grow real tall (maybe 15-20' max) and does not have a large spread or invasive root system that will overtake/ruin part of my lawn. Right now, the whole backyard is grass, so I think a tree would be nice to add some interest and color, with maybe some small perennials underneath eventually.

I live in Maryland (Zone 7), so we do get some cold winters and hot summers. The yard is basically flat and does not drain well (clay soil). It can take up to 5 days for the soil to dry out after a good rain, so a tree that needs well-drained soil would probably not be appropriate. I have looked at crabapples, crape myrtles, etc. Just can't figure what is the right tree for the space, and I want it fairly close (2-3' to the fence corner so it doesn't look like it is in the middle of the yard.

Thanks,
Neil

 

Hi Neil,

How about a magnolia? There's Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'. It blooms late so you won't have to worry about the flowers getting blasted by a late frost. They do like good drainage so you might have to plant it high.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/c...ittle_gem.html
http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.co...ia_Little.html
http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/nov2a01.html

Magnolia stellata aka star magnolia would have the same basic requirements and is a very slow grower. Select one that doesn't have too many trunks and is more columnar.
http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergarde...20stellata.htm

An upright Japanese maple might work for you. Unlike other maples they don't get large surface roots. Some are more narrow then others. Look for one that can take the sun conditions you have, which I suspect is full sun.
Acer palmatum 'Twombly's Red Sentinel'. Try and find this locally as they are slow growers and you might want to get one as large as you can afford.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/195000/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/195001/
http://www.songsparrow.com/2008new/p...e=plantdetails

There are the coral bark maples too. The best known is Acer palmatum 'Sango kaku'. It gets large, but there are smaller ones:
Acer palmatum 'Winter Flame'.
http://bp2.blogger.com/_Slg86Mi2w1o/...h/DSC00636.JPG

Acer saccharum 'Barrett Cole' aka Apollo maple is an upright columnar maple.
http://www.jfschmidt.com/introductio...llo/index.html

Cornus alternifolia aka pagoda dogwood can be pruned to a lovely form but may get too wide for how close you want to put it to the fence.
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/images/coalt10.jpg
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/coalt.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/coalt10.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/coalt6.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/coalt5.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/coalt3.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/coalt9.htm

Another possibility would be to plant a large shrub and prune it to a tree shape. A good native for that would be Viburnum trilobum aka American cranberry aka highbush cranberry aka American cranberry viburnum. Great for the birds too. I've seen them offered locally in a single stem tree form.
http://www.rainyside.com/features/pl..._trilobum.html
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/vitr.htm

Let me know what you think of these.
Newt

 

Newt,
Thanks for the reply. Some of those trees look promising, although the maples all seemed too big for my space unless I can successfully find a dwarf variety. I also want something rather quick growing, which IIRC the maples were noted as slow growers.

Unfortunately, I think I decided on this project too late. We have already had a couple of mornings with frost, and it is starting to get down into the 30's at night. I think I will wait until spring to do any tree planting. That will also give me some time to think of a more comprehensie landscaping plan rather than just planting a tree.

Thanks again,
Neil

 

This may sound odd, but could I buy a small tree and grow it in a container over the winter? I was looking at the Arbor Day Foundation's website, and their trees are fairly inexpensive but small (2-4 feet tall I think). Could I buy one now and transplant it to the yard in the spring?

Thanks,
Neil

 

Neil, it would be best to purchase the tree in the spring when you intend to plant. Keeping an outdoor tree indoors over the winter won't be good for the tree. It will need a cold dormant period.

Newt

 

I have a crabapple growing in soil that is occasionally (water) saturated. The variety I have works well for my yard and 2story house, but may actually be too big for a smaller yard. So if you pick a crab, try to check a mature specimen to see how wide it gets.

blue3

 

Try this:
http://ag.udel.edu/extension/horticu...ForDEChart.pdf