I have to wonder if there is iron toxicity with it being orange like that. Could be why there is little to nothing growing there. Probable would be wise to get a soil test done to determine true nutrient levels, pH, and maybe check for heavy metals. When talking about any kind of mine discharge, I immediate think of the pH, and heavy metals.

JMHO,
Arktrees

When I hear of a shade area, I first think of Paw Paw. They like shade when they are young, and produce fruit. Not that big, though. Speckled Alder likes wet soil and fixes nitrogen. Honeylocust fixes nitrogen to.

I should've mentioned that I live in southern Indiana, right about in the middle of zone 6.

Also, I'm not too worried about the soil being toxic. There are trees growing all along the stream including a huge sycamore and an even bigger oak that are both less than 5 feet from the water. the reason this area is so clear presently is because it was covered with tons of limbs that I had deposited there for years and recently hauled off.

Seems like sycamore would be a good fit if it is native to the area. They love wet areas.

there is PROBABLY not enough light for any transplant to grow with any vigor.. at any speed ...

and for me.. thats is evidenced by the scraggly undergrowth trees...

i SUSPECT .. you simply are not going to see your transplant get huge.. in your life time... unless you fell more of the trees already there ...

most.. if not all LARGE trees are full blinding sun ... rather than light dappled shade ....

ken

Ken's right -- a whole lotta shade there. Too much for any but the most shade-tolerant trees/shrubs.

Have you considered a london plane tree (Platanus ÃÂ hispanica)? It can tolerate filtered shade, wet soil, and grow pretty large, and is susceptible to Iron Chlorosis.

(Platanus ÃÂ hispanica)? It can tolerate filtered shade,

==>> no..no..no...

you can not compare a fully established long growing trees sun requirements.. with a fresh transplant...

a young babe.. will take decades to get established and thrive.. if ever ....

what i mean is.... go for it ... just dont set the bar of expectations too high ...

if that were my spot.. i would be looking at hosta.. rhodies.. azalea.. etc.. not TREES ...

ken

Ken -- hemlock, beech, sugar maple, maybe common basswood (and some others) could grow there. Slowly but surely.

Iron is acidic. I'd imagine the soil has a low pH.

This area is much less shady than it appears in this picture. The side I took the picture from (the east) is completely free of trees, so for about half of the day the sun shines right into it. I took this in the evening when the sun was in the west and there's only spotty sunlight. there's open canopy from the top as well.

I do like the idea of a beech tree!

Also, when I said I want a tree with the potential to grow large that's exactly what I meant. I understand that trees may be slow to grow here but I'm just not looking to plant a shrubby tree here.

Some of the wetlands trees will get rather large.

Look at bald cypress, tupelo, and sweet bay magnolia (my favorite).

I'd do a soil test first.

When you say a tupelo, do you mean a water tupelo or a blackgum? Could either of these survive in my zone 6 (almost zone 7) climate?

Either should work.

In my area the black gum doesn't grow as tall but they are quick growers. They are also more prone to wind damage. The water tupelo is a bit larger and stronger.