River birch, non-fruiting crabapple. Both are rather fast growing, and look best when limbed up. Another smaller tree that dosn't need limbing up is a multitrunked Service-
berry. It is somewhat of an umbrella shape, like an Elm.

I sure am no expert on what is hardy to zone 5. But none of those trees you mentioned grow freely around my SE WI area. (Oh, except virburnum) Pondy

Whoa, River Birch will get 20' wide in 10 years, easy.

Your missing out, all those trees are readily available in SE WI and will thrive given the right spot.

In fact Pagoda Dogwood is a native here and the Redbud Columbus strain is from Columbus, WI.

I did add the following plants:

Ball of Fire Musclewood (new Johnsons Nursery intro)
Common Witch hazel
Firebird Crab shrub tree form

Hmmm...so many choices!

U guys are in the banana belt region of WI compared to me (Eau Claire). I've been growing a couple of Minnesota strain Redbuds for several years now with no dieback. They're growing all over the MN landscape arb. I've also got a Fringetree that seems to be fully hardy. I did have one die back to the ground after a hard winter, but it was from a different seed source. Cornus alternifoia is hardy into z3. Have either of you tried Paperbark Maple?

Bob

Ah, another good choice!

The bark on those are very cool. Tough to find and unfortunately too big for what I need (10' x 10').

Yes, both the Redbud (MN and Columbus strain)and White Fringetree are hardy to zone 4.

Is the 'limbed up' thing just about preventing it from taking a lot of ground space? If so, what about a columnar evergreen conifer like an emerald green arborvitae? Or something similar that'd remain green & attractive during winter, without bushing out too badly. Of course, if you want a tall naked trunk under the crown of the tree, that's not going to work out.

What is it about the Purpleleaf Sandcherry that you don't like? I'm not pushing the plant, just thinking that knowing what you don't like about it might help rule out some of the other options.

Richard.

linking to the same post in another forum .... since you are getting other ideas over there ..

NOT a complaint ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: linking

Sorry, since its a bordline a tree/shrub question I thought I post in both. Wasn't sure if either one had regulars in one vs. the other.

I don't know, evergreens have there place, but they bore the heck out me...escpecially Arbs, I think they are starting to outnumber the blades of grass in my neighborhood.

As for the Purpleleaf Sandcherry, its 15 years old. I'm shocked that it lived that long. Everyone and there mother has one of these planted in my area, kind of like those stupid burning bushes.