Pine Mulch and Spruce Care

Question:
We bought pine mulch for our front yard but the bag did not indicate that the pine mulch was treated for termites. Is there a prevention agent I can spray on the mulch to kill termites?
Also are there any sprays or treatments to use on my spruce tree to prevent any damage to our lovely 40 ft spruce? Are there any diseases I need to look for or prevent against for spruces?

Answer:
Regarding the mulch, I can relate. I apologize I am not writing sooner because I might suggest returning it if you have seen any signs of termites present. I have the HSNY Librarian, Katherine Powis, searching to see if there is any new information we might be able to share. At this time I do not know of anything that you can treat your mulch with. Supposedly the termite issue in mulch often comes from bags or palettes that sit with excess moisture for lengths of time. The best is to look for a nice dry bag or palette of mulch next time you are shopping. From what I understand the termite mulch issue got significantly worse after Katrina because much of the mulch was coming from down south and exposed to more moisture than not for lengths of time prior to being shipped up north. Even some staff here in our office have been dealing with these issues in their own gardens. We will continue to research and let you know what we come up with.

Regarding your big spruce, simply taking good care of the tree as you have been is the best approach. The older trees get the less they need or like to be coddled. Mature trees should not be fertilized heavily or pruned aggressively because it takes them longer to acclimate to the changes. To minimize stress and encourage a healthy, long-lived tree practice basic proper upkeep. Prune any dead or diseased wood but otherwise keep pruning to a minimum. Feel free to top-dress the soil with an inch of compost or mulch, but do not add more than 2 inches because we want to make sure the roots continue to get enough water and fresh Carbon Dioxide. Try to avoid any compaction of the soil at the base of the tree. If we have extended periods of drought then the tree can tolerate some supplemental water, but by this point it is probably pretty used to "nature's watering schedule". Regularly scout for pest and/or disease issues. The lower and interior branches and needles will fall as the leader and tips of the branches continue to produce new growth. In terms of scouting for pests and diseases, you want to focus your attention more on the new growth and tips. Make sure that you do not see any browning of the needles, holes in the stems, or black fungal spots, or anything that seems blatantly different than the rest of the tree. When it comes to a mature tree like that spruce of yours I hesitate to take any drastic action until we know there is a detrimental situation present.

Reminder: Lecture at HSNY this evening

Essentials of Proper Tree Stewardship:

A Lecture by Alex Feleppa
Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Free for members, $10 for nonmembers

Trees have a tremendously positive environmental impact, especially here in our urban setting. Join Alex Feleppa for a lesson on trees, from shoot pruning to root development and everything in between. This is a perfect opportunity if you need to learn more about how trees work or if it is time to treat yourself to a horticultural refresher.

Where to Buy Small Trees in NYC?

(To kick off April as Million Trees Month in New York City there was a celebration in Seward Park down in the Lower East Side yesterday where local school children helped to plant these beautiful flowering cherry trees. To learn more about the Million Trees campaign come to HSNY on April 22 for an informative lecture by Alex Feleppa, member of the Million Trees Advisory Council. For more information on our upcoming events, visit our events calendar at HSNY.org Photo Credit: Alex Feleppa)

Question:

I want to purchase a Saucer Magnolia tree for my back yard. I've done an on-line search and found that naturally, on-line nurseries sell small trees in 3 gallon pots. I am interested in getting a tree that is already at least 4-5 feet tall. Do you have a recommended source in New York City?

Answer:

Here in the city I often recommend people contact the Chelsea Garden Center at their new location on 11th Avenue at 44th Street. They carry a wide range of woody trees and shrubs throughout the season and their staff I find to be very helpful and knowledgeable. As an extra bonus, if you are an HSNY member you do get a 10% discount when you present your membership card at purchase. Then there are the places down on 28th Street in the Flower District, but I must be honest and say at this moment I do not know of a reliable tree salesman down there. If you go early enough in the day you will find a number of shops open and larger material displayed on the street, but again, I'm not sure about a specific contact for magnolias.

If you are in Brooklyn or can travel to Brooklyn, then I'd suggest visiting or contacting any of these three places:

Chelsea Garden Center, their Red Hook location - 444 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn

Liberty Sunset Gardens, also in Red Hook - 204 Van Dyke Street, Brooklyn

Gowanus Nursery, in Caroll Gardens - 45 Summit Street, Brooklyn

I think a simple Google search should provide you with phone numbers, etc. Obviously spring is here so any of the above should have their trees in stock, or they are actively receiving as we speak. Good luck and let me know what you find!

When and How to Prune a Magnolia?

Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel' was one of my favorites while studying up at NYBG in 2005.

Question:
How would I prune a magnolia in our small backyard? It's a multi- stemmed type with white flowers. It really wants to be large, but the space just won't permit it. I'm considering pollarding it, as some of our neighbors have. When is the best time for pruning? Before flowering or after?

Answer:
To be perfectly honest with you, I wouldn't prune a magnolia if I could help it. Magnolias are not the fastest growers nor are they considered fast or expedient when it comes to callusing fresh cuts. I can easily picture the type of magnolia you have in your backyard. That growth habit is simply how the magnolia wants to grow and if you try and make a number of cuts to provide it with a different shape I'm just too fearful that you are going to be opening too many wounds where pests and diseases will be able to attack. Now, if your magnolia has deadwood, crossed branches that seem to be harming the bark, or any diseased wood, then that wood you do want to prune out of the tree. You want to remove any wood that may be depleting the energy reserves of the tree, but remember that you only ever want to prune what you have to and no more. Especially as a tree matures, they should be pruned less and less because it takes more energy and time to callus those wounds. In that respect trees are like humans. A 5-year old that clocks himself on the edge of a table will be back playing in no time; clock an adult over the head and we have to sit down, take some advil, and are still feeling it hours later. In many ways the same holds true for trees and their ability to compartmentalize decay and redirect their energy to other stems and branches.

If you find that you do have to do some pruning of your magnolia, wait until late spring or summer, definitely after the flower. If you prune now you will sacrifice some of the flower buds that have already formed, and I'm sure you want to enjoy as much bloom as you can. Also, if you make cuts that the tree has to callus, then it has to pull from a finite amount of stored energy that the tree has already allocated to spring flowering. You never want to prune a tree when it is actively leafing out because its energy levels are most depleted at that time and you don't want to stress the tree out any more. After the tree has leafed out then it is rebuilding those energy reserves and has a better chance of callusing cuts quickly and efficiently. In the case of your magnolia, it will then also have ample time to set the flower buds for the following spring.

Lastly, pollarding is a labor intensive commitment and even though the outcome can be fabulous looking it is not suitable for every kind of tree. Usually you want to pick a fast growing tree that is pretty tough to begin with. I have seen and/or I have pollarded planetrees, certain maples, Paulownia, Cotinus, and a number of others that presently escape me. To establish a good pollard you have to repeatedly remove new shoots of growth every winter during dormancy. Already I've mentioned that magnolias are not the fastest at callusing cuts and compartmentalizing decay. Not to mention that cutting off the previous-years shoots in winter means that you would never see those beautiful white flowers again. So, sorry to burst your bubble, but pollarding a magnolia? Maybe not.

Figs (continued)

(photographs of a Ficus carica in Astoria, Queens, pruned and tied and ready to be wrapped for the winter)

Question:
I have a question for you regarding a fig tree, about 5+ feet tall, planted this spring: When should it be pruned, now or in the spring? I believe here in Peekskill it should be wrapped with burlap in the winter, but when??

Answer:
Regarding the fig, those are some excellent questions. I did post a blog entry about figs in late October and if you click on the link here you will find that. As far as wrapping you definitely do want to wrap the tree if you are up in Peekskill, and now is a good time to do that. As far as how to wrap it, that is a bit trickier and I admit to you I am still learning. I live in a mostly Greek part of Queens and what I saw last weekend really intrigued me.

Every winter I see that people have wrapped their figs so tightly that they appear extremely tall and narrow, like a tightly bound bundle only a foot or two in diameter but easily 8 or 10 feet tall. Luckily during my walk on Sunday I got a little more insight into the process. I came across a tree that had been pruned and tied, but not yet wrapped, so I could better understand the process of winterizing these warmer-climate-loving trees. The owner had cut each branch back very hard so there were only a few (2-3’) feet of growth coming from the main trunk of the tree. What he was left with was bare branches; the thin branches towards the tips of the tree with lots of foliage and even some fruit he simply chopped off and got rid of. Then he had taken each branch and slowly forced it so that it was held right against the trunk pointed upwards. Now, I was confused as to how he was able to bend all the branches without them cracking or breaking, but unfortunately the owner had gone inside and I missed my opportunity to ask him. With all the branches tied to the trunk with a ton of rope and twine, I assumed the next step was to wrap it in a tarp and leave it to rest through the winter. Before receiving this visual insight I always thought that you wanted to prune in the spring and not prune them heavily in the fall, but apparently I still have some things to learn about over-wintering figs in New York. Obviously there are still some questions to be answered and I hope during a walk home soon I can run into another neighbor wrapping their fig so I can clear up a few things. When I do I will definitely be in touch.

An Ongoing Discussion on Citrus Trees in NYC

Question:
The problem I encounter is with my lemon tree. I have this tree for 4 yrs and it has always been a happy tree, or at least as happy as a citrus tree can be on the 34th floor of a building in Manhattan - flowered, grew and constantly made fruit. Suddenly, approximately 2 weeks ago, the leaf's central vein and parts of the leaf started turning yellow [I have attached 2 pictures in pdf format]. I repotted the tree in soil suggested as best for cacti and citrus and administered water with Miracle Gro and extra mg sulfate added, thinking that maybe the yellowing was due to mineral deficiency. But now I have my doubts - none of the pictures I have seen on line describing nitrogen, Mn, Fe or Zn deficiency seem to result in this leaf pattern. Could you please suggest what this can be and how I can fix it? Or direct me to someone who can help me out with this?

I, Alex Feleppa, then followed up by asking a few more questions:

What time of year did you repot your tree?
I HAVE REPOTTED THE TREE 10 DAYS AGO, ABOUT 7-10 DAYS AFTER I HAVE FIRST OBSERVED THE LEAF PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO IMPROVEMENTS AS YET, AND THIS MORNING I SAW THE FIRST LEAF DROP.

The pot that your tree was repotted into, does it have adequate drainage? Do you fertilize the tree regularly? And finally, when did you add the Miracle Gro and Mg sulfate?
YES, IT IS A CERAMIC POT WITH A DRAINAGE HOLE AT THE BOTTOM.
NO, I HAVE NOT FERTILIZED THE TREE FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
I ADDED THEM ABOUT 10DAYS AGO AFTER REPOTTING THE TREE. I HAVE WATERED THE TREE TWICE SINCE, [ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO AND TODAY] BOTH TIMES ADDING A LITTLE MIRACLE GRO TO THE WATER [NO MAGNESIUM SULFATE THIS TIME].

Even though the problem has come about quickly, your tree looks rather large so it might take a little while for the tree to bounce back. Larger plants, and especially trees, often work on a schedule that is slower than our patience allows. Perhaps there was some stress in the last year that the tree is finally showing.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things. I just found this paragraph on the University of Florida's website:

"Yellow vein chlorosis may be attributed to the girdling of individual branches, tree trunks or roots due to a number of factors including water damage, Phytophthora foot rot, root rot, ant damage, or physical damage by equipment. Yellow vein chlorosis may also occur on twigs and branches due to cool weather in the fall and winter due to lack of nitrogen uptake from the soil. In leaves showing yellow vein chlorosis, the midribs and lateral veins and a narrow band of leaf tissue bordering them become yellow while the rest of the leaf remains green."

Because lemon trees can grow so quickly, my gut instinct is that it needed to be repotted. And by doing that I hope you already solved a problem. When you repotted it, if you had noticed lots of rotting, mushy roots then perhaps we might consider some of the diseases listed above. Since that didn't seem to be the case at all I think it is safe to rule out diseases as the issue.

In addition to the roots wanting more room (which you have now supplied), they also need fertilizer. A regular fertilizing with Miracle-Gro during the summer months should supply the tree with enough nitrogen and micronutrients. If you have not been doing that in previous years then the soil might have gotten rather depleted over time.

If you have lost some leaves I consider that a natural reaction to being repotted. The tree went through some stress when it was repotted, so it may lose a few leaves while it acclimates to the new pot. That is normal. The important thing now is to keep watering it and caring for it as you always have. It's when we panic and change our agenda drastically that plants can decline even more. Water it as you have been. Follow the fertilizer instructions and ease up on that in the fall. Obviously keep the tree in as much sun as possible. Lastly, keep me posted and let me know if the yellow chlorosis spreads to more leaves.

Red Nodules on My Maple in New York City

Question:
I have a very lovely Maple tree on my terrace. It is growing very well, beautiful leaves. However on the leaves there are tiny red nodules that are some sort of blight or insect. They don't move, but by seasons end most of the leaves have holes in them. The little red guys turn brown toward seasons end. The tree is healthy otherwise, and I would like to save it, but I cannot find out what this is or how to rid it from the maple. I have a fifty or so foot terrace, and this insect has not infested any other of the plants. If you can give me an idea of what this is and how to rid the tree of these "things" it would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
Unsightly galls can be the work of many different kinds of flies, wasps, and mites. Because many insects only feed on specific hosts, knowing that it is a maple helps us narrow the options of what the insect is. Your description of the galls helps narrow the list down even further. The damage you are describing sounds like that of a gall mite. Eriophyd mites are microscopic mites that live and feed on many different kinds of trees and shrubs. Of the gall-forming mites, there are at least two that prefer to feed and live on maples, maple bladdergall mites (Vasates quadripedes) and maple spindlegall mites (Vasates aceriscrumena). The galls were describes to me as being more rounded than spindly, so I am going to guess that this damage is the work of the maple bladdergall mite.

As I usually do with insect queries, let me describe the life cycle and then recommended control. Adult mites over-winter on the bark of the maples. As the leaves emerge in spring the mites migrate to the fragile new leaf tissue and begin feeding. As they feed, the mites deform the plant cells and cause these galls to form. The adults burrow within these galls and lay their eggs. The larvae emerge, feed on the leaf tissue, and molt into adults in a few weeks time. The adults move on to feed and continue cycle. The galls are no longer used and usually turn brown.

The bad news is that these galls look unsightly; the good news is that this damage is not likely to kill your maple. Regarding control at this time, the only option is to remove the leaves that are heavily infested with galls. Physically removing the galls before the larvae can emerge will help control the populations. The next step is to take action the following spring. Use a dormant horticultural oil to coat the bark of the tree in spring before the leaves emerge. This oil will coat and suffocate the over-wintering mites and will help to diminish their populations before they get a chance to feed on the new leaf tissue. I would not necessarily count on complete eradication of the mites, but after two years of treatment you should find the populations to be more controllable and the damage to your maple less of an eyesore.

For this and other insect questions I refer to Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw, available in our reference section here at the HSNY Library at 148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor.

Small bumps all over my cherry trees, Manhattan, NY

Question:
I have on my rooftop terrace two purpleleaf sand cherries, or Prunus x cistena. They have been on the terrace for well over 10 years and have held up very well. This year I have discovered tons of small dark bumps and a clear sappy liquid all over the branches and stems of these trees. There is also some dieback on the upper branches, but I know the containers are an adequate size. I rubbed the bark and realized that I can dislodge these bumps with my fingernail. What is this issue and how best do I treat it?

Answer:
Prunus x cistena is one of my favorite small trees for its rich reddish purple foliage and fragrant spring flower. From my experience with this tree, I know that they are victim to a number of insect pests. In this case, the tree is infested with an insect called scale. There are both “armored” and “soft” types of scale insects. Typically the adult forms of scale insects are surrounded by a hemispherical oval covering that protects them. They insert their piercing, sucking mouthparts into the phloem sap of the host tree and feed off of it, thus producing large amounts of clear, sticky honeydew on the stems. Eventually the adults lay up to hundreds of eggs. These eggs hatch and the “crawlers” emerge, eventually finding sensitive parts of the host plant on which to feed. There they mature into adults, overwinter on the stems, and repeat the cycle.

To best control scale, you need to know the type of scale as well as the timing of its different life cycles. Because many scale are very host specific, you can usually narrow down the list my knowing what kind of plant they are feeding on. In this case I am guessing that the scale in question is called a European Fruit Lecanium (Parthenolecanium corni). I have found that these are a soft-bodied scale, apparently native to North America despite their name, and enjoy feeding on a wide range of ornamental fruit trees. The best time to treat scale is when the adults give birth to their many fragile crawlers. In this case I have researched to discover that the females’ eggs hatch in late May or early June. As crawlers emerge and spread out in June treat the entire tree with an application of Horticultural Oil. Horticultural oil coats and suffocates soft bodied insects and helps to control infestations. Before treating you can confirm the presence of the crawlers by shaking the limbs over a clean white sheet or piece of paper and looking for the mobile young. Treatment of horticultural oil is not considered effective on adults because of their protective covering, so the best option to remove adults is to do so by physically removing them. A coworker passed on to me that using a tooth brush and a mixture of baking soda and water usually works to scrub away the adults, even though the task can be rather tedious.

Browning Evergreens in Containers in Brooklyn

Question:
My husband and I bought two potted evergreen trees in December of 2006 for Christmas and are trying to maintain them on our deck in Brooklyn with little luck. Right after the snow we noticed the trees started to turn brown and loose their needles. One tree lost a lot of needles very rapidly. The other maintained most of its color and most of its needles. Three weeks ago, in order to try and resuscitate the first and prevent further damage to the other, we decided to replant both in slightly larger pots. We have been watering them at least twice a week and adding Liquid Grow Plant Food. It seemed to help during the first two weeks. The tree with the most damage was almost completely brown and then it made a slight come back with some small patches of green...a small victory for us. But presently it hasn't restored fully and stopped improving. The other tree is doing better than its neighbor. It is 95% green. The browning is in patches at the bottom of the tree. They both get the same amount of sun light from the North East and I still water them at least twice a week although these last few days I didn't because of all the rain. Is our little brown tree too far gone to make a come back and what can we do to make sure the same doesn't happen to our other? Any advice you can give us would be much appreciated.

Answer:

What you have in your containers are two dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’). As you see them all over the city, they are popular ornamental trees for containers because they are slow growing and hold that very formal, conical shape. They require full sun and, especially in a container, supplemental water.

Looking at your pictures, I am sorry to say that the one on the left is not going to come back for you. Of course there are always exceptions in the plant world, but to generalize evergreens do not bounce back as easily as deciduous trees, shrubs, or perennials. For deciduous perennials, trees, and shrubs, there are dormant leaf buds that can sprout and provide foliage even after a plant has been cut back. Evergreens grow from their tips out, and usually do not have the same kind of dormant buds. Some evergreens can be pruned lightly to push out more new growth, but by and large evergreens will not put out new growth on a branch that has already dies back.

Therefore, the tree on the left is not going to bounce back – it is best to simply start over. As far as the one on the right, you can prune off the brown branches at the bottom, because again, they are not likely to needle-out again. Evergreens, again, in general, naturally prune themselves from the bottom up if they are under stress. This is typically a response to not getting enough sun – and I have seen it happen on Alberta spruces plenty. Keep it in as sunny a spot as possible, continue to water regularly, and hopefully you will not loose any more of the needles. Next, look at the tip of the branches. If you have new green foliage emerging from the tips then you can rest assured that the tree is still healthy and going to do well this summer.

As far as what killed the other…? It could have been not enough sun. It could have also been not enough water, because you really have to keep containers irrigated constantly. Lastly, reexamine the space. Sometimes there may be a draft or an exhaust fan that we don’t pay attention to that is drying out a plant and/or container faster than we realize. Without being able to see the space, I would go back to guessing it is mostly a sun issue, and even though it may be bright, sticking a plant in that corner might not be the best option unless you know it to be more shade tolerant.

I have a browning evergreen in New York

Question:
My problem is that I have had this spiral pine since I moved in this house and it is dying.

I went to a couple of garden centers and florists and they could not help me beyond selling me "Systemic Insect Control", Acephate (O, S-dimethyl acetylphosphoramidothicate) 9.4%.
Instructions that I followed were to apply it on April and November, but did not stop the yellowing of the branches and the 80% of the tree has already dried out. I did not apply it this year.
They told me that since a couple of years ago it is not legal to sell anything stronger.

Could you please help me indicating if would be some hope for my dear beauty?

Answer:
First, let’s clarify what the tree is. Thank you for the pictures by the way – always a huge help for me when IDing issues. Your evergreen is not a pine. I am guessing it is a kind of juniper. Ornamental topiaries are typically Alberta spruce, arborvitae, boxwood, or in this case, juniper. They are all evergreens, but the needles/leaves are all different for each so it is easy to tell them apart. Growers raise and prune them meticulously into these unique shapes that we then find and buy at our local retailers.

Regarding the care, I’m glad you have held off from using more of that chemical you were sold. If you haven’t seen insect damage on the tree there is nothing to indicate that that is the issue. The reason the tree is in decline, in my opinion, is because it needs more water and/or sunlight. How much are you watering the tree now?

Newly planted trees and shrubs often require a lot more water than most people think. In order for the plant to get established and push out new roots it needs to be watered completely at least a couple times a week. By this I mean put a hose at the base of the tree and leave it on at a slow drip, or even better, buy a soaker hose to attach to your regular hose and keep that wrapped around the trunk of the tree. Now, how much and how often? You should be watering new trees for AT LEAST 2-3 hours each time, AT LEAST 2-3 times a week. “Nature’s watering schedule” is not going to cut it alone. If you think about it, when we get an all-day rain that still only amounts to about an inch or two of water. The rootball of your tree, on the other hand, must be at least 8” or 12” deep. By deeply watering all the roots will be encouraged to grow out and get established in the tree’s new spot.

In this case junipers also require full sun, so you want to be sure the tree gets upwards of four or more hours of direct sun a day.

The good news is that your tree is still alive. The bad news is that all of those needles that have browned and fallen are not going to come back. Evergreen, in general, only put out new growth from the tips of the stems, in other words where the plant is green now. You can go ahead and remove any of the brown, clearly dead needles because they are not doing the plant any good. Once you clean it up you may realize it is worth starting over with a new plant. Even though that may sound frustrating, at least now you know how best to care for this kind of topiary.

Small tree for an urban backyard

Question:
Thank you for the telephone message you had recently left in response to my inquiry regarding suggestions for a choice of tree for my back yard in Queens.
The new tree will replace a 60+ year old anjou pear tree that was removed last fall. A new tree should be smaller than the pear tree and of course not bear fruit, which becomes problematic. It should grow mainly upward but not much higher than the power lines that you may see in the pictures I had provided of our back yard. Neither should it extend too far laterally so as not to damage the neighbors' garage roofs if only by dripping early morning condensate. The tree will be planted approximately 8 to 10 feet from the two nearest garages. It should be deciduous, hardy, and, ideally, flower in the spring. The tree in the foreground seen in one or more pictures is a blossoming Kwanzan cherry tree but this type of tree seems already too large to put also in the rear of the yard. There should be a single main trunk that will become tall enough to allow a person of average height to walk underneath the crown or at least allow access with a lawn mower unlike, e.g. a Japanese maple that often branches closer to the ground.
I would much appreciate any suggestions you might be able to provide.

Answer:

Thank you for writing. In fact before I turned on my computer today I was revisiting those pictures you had sent and was contemplating the options. Thank you for the greater detail about the site and your specifications. Here are a few small trees that typically mature no larger than 30' that might be appropriate choices for the space. If you feel as though you really need something that is going to remain much smaller you might be forced to consider some shrub options as well. In any event, here are some of my favorite small trees:

Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' (Bloodgood Japanese Maple) - I know you are concerned about low branches of the proposed tree being problematic, but Bloodgood Japanese maples do have much more of an upright growth habit. They do not put out a flashy flower, but the rich red foliage all summer long I think is stunning. They are moderate growers so over time you can easily prune the tree up to be able to walk or sit underneath it. The drawback is that these trees, because so popular in the trade, may be more expensive than some of these other options.

Amelanchier (serviceberry) - This shrub or small tree is praised for it's year round interest in the garden. Small white blossoms are among the earliest to bloom in April, they have a nice leaf and texture during the summer, the fall fruit is attractive but not too messy, and the charcoal bark provides interest all through the winter. Even though it naturally grows more like a shrub, I have been able to find single-trunked specimens for sale at large nurseries and retailers.

Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud) - One of my absolute favorite native trees, this might be a perfect option. Eastern redbuds like a protected site so your back yard sounds like a perfect spot. Bright magenta flowers bloom right along the dark stems in spring, eventually pushing out a delicate heart-shaped leaf for summer. Like the maple, as this tree matures you can slowly prune it up so that one can easily pass underneath it. The canopy of mature redbuds is also fairly airy and open and it does allow a little dappled light through which helps with whatever plantings you may have underneath the tree. There is also a white-flowered cultivar of eastern redbud that is becoming more popular and available at garden centers.

Cornus Kousa (Japanese flowering dogwood) - Japanese dogwoods have gained popularity in American landscapes because they do not fall victim to anthracnose like the native flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida). They have fabulous dark green foliage and a white flower that comes out early summer. Their growth habit is also rather upright so you should not have to prune too much as time goes on. Eventually, however, these trees can get to be a good size, so if it is to be planted right under power lines you might think otherwise. The summer flower is prolific and a selling point of the tree. They also have rich fall color, but the mature 1" orange seeds drop in the fall and some consider them too messy for small spaces.

Laburnum x watereri (goldenchain tree) - Unique because of its flower, this small tree produced large yellow cascades of blossoms from May into June. Growers are now raising forms of goldenchain tree that have a denser canopy of leaves while still putting out a strong flower. The tips of the branches do weep slightly, but you should be able to find this tree for sale with a tall, single trunk. You should know that the blossoms do attract bees during June. Some do not like that because there may be small children present - I think it's fabulous for promoting natural habitats within the city limits.

Styrax japonicus (Japanese snowbell) - The 'snowbells' refer to the delicate little white flower buds that form and hang in the springtime. They open to a fragrant flower in late May to June that I adore. This tree left to its own devices can get rather wide, but new varieties are being bred to grow more upright and narrow. It does not get to be too large, and I have used it on a number of different jobs with great success. There is also a native version, but that definitely fits more in the category of a shrub.

A last note about crabapples (Malus sp.), cherries (Prunus sp.) and Magnolias (Magnolia sp.). There are small varieties of each of these different kinds of tree and they all sound like they would fit into the space you are trying to fill. However, as you have already mentioned, low branching can become really frustrating. Others listed above will still put out low branches that will have to be pruned in time, but many apples, cherries, and magnolias want to naturally grow from low points on the trunk so it is best to steer clear of them.