Serviceberry, crabapple, deciduous magnolia , or paperbark maple would be my pics for that location.

As far as the birds go, they will eat the serviceberries in the span of about a couple days when they ripen so it won't be much of a problem. Crabapples persist the whole winter so a little different situation there. The magnolia and maple suggestions don't attract birds wrt food.

Now, all that said, birds love trees! (duh ;) ) They will perch and chirp and poop on whatever tree you plant there all year long regardless of it's current food offerings. As long as you go with a narrow or slow growing tree that won't overhang your cars, this also should not be a problem.

If you go with a deciduous magnolia, try Magnolia virginiana. I find this native tree to be much underused. They seem to create a less dense canopy compared to either (overused) Saucer Mags or Star Mags., and virginiana is also very fragrant in bloom.

Depending on your ideas about 'small,' I'd consider Trident Maple, and the Wildfire cultivar of Black Gum. I like Wildfire because you get some reddish highlights in spring, though one or more people have suspected it may not have as good a fall color as some of the regular black gum.

Richard.

Thanks for the replies I understand birds love trees lol but I guess I just get the idea of birds constantly eating berries and going on our cars. Only issue with the maples are their invasive root system we have the water main about 7-10 ft away from location. Haven't thought about a magnolia.

cleveland pear.
very fast growing, although not very long lived.
Has beautiful white flowers in spring. After the flowers then dark green leaves come and they turn a beautiful red/orange in the fall.

Don't the pears get a bad rep as being invasive and structurally weak?

I second the serviceberry suggestion. As j0nd03 said, the birds clean out the serviceberry within days, and, unlike mulberry, they don't just sit there and poop because the other birds chase them off. It is also lovely in the fall.

The only time I see Cedar Waxwings is when the serviceberries are ripe, and then they cover the tree.

Yes they do get a bad rep, but all of them dont break. There are a lot of older specimens around where i live that are fully intact. They are stunning!

I'm really starting to lean towards the serviceberry. Is there a paticular cultivar that anyone recommends? I'm going for tree like form.

Amelanchier cultivar

http://www.thestar.com/life/2013/03/22/serviceberry_an_easy_environmentally_friendly_tree_that_wont_become_a_hassle.html

but i still like the bradford better! lol

Autumn Brilliance is one of the more popular forms. Glenn's Form is another. You could also go with straight species. For summer flowering given your location, I'd give clethra acuminata and oxydendrum arboreum some thought.

FTR, not a single person I respect on this forum of tree lovers would suggest a callery pear (bradford, cleveland, etc). That should tell you all you need know about considering them.

No offense, Tlbean. You are pretty new posting here. I don't know enough about you, yet

NO!!! To the pear. Many many many reasons. Plus Fireblight appears to be adapting very well to kill them.

Serviceberry is an excellent suggestion, as indicated by others, as well as the crabapples.

One thing you do need to understand about the suggested maples, is that their root systems are not at all like what I'm guessing was the Silver Maple you had removed. Their root systems are much more well behaved. The water main is a none issue. It should be 3'+ deep, and few trees will have roots that deep in most soils. Plus, as long at the line is fully intact, it will simply be like a rock the roots will grow around.

Blackgum is a great suggestion, though I am not a big fan of the selection 'Wildfire". As drrich indicated, I am also of the opinion that they do not have as nice fall color most years. Plus the ones I see locally leaf out too early in the spring and are freeze damaged many years. In contrast my seed grown tree (I believe it is northern seed source) is the last thing to leaf out every year in our yard. It has been well into May many years. If you are interested in Blackgum, might look into "Red Rage" cultivar. Retina burning red on that one.

Arktrees

Thanks for the link to the article on serviceberry, that pretty much sold me on them. Now just to find one. The big box home improvement stores don't carry them and my local nursery has lamarckii and autumn brilliance but they are all very shrubby and in fairly rough shape. I may have to travel a few miles to get a better specimen.

"The site is south facing full sun" - you probably have room for a tree that grows large enough to provide some shade, and you could also consider locating it a little farther from the driveway so it doesn't block the main window and front door. Yellowwood might work - it doesn't grow so huge as to be "overbearing", and it has a relatively open habit (not too "dense").

Arbordave, have you successfully transplanted and grown a yellowwood? They have been a nightmare for me and I know a couple other posters on here that have not had good longterm success with them for several reasons. I would not consider them a "tree for beginners". It could be they just hate me lol

Don't have one in my own yard, but those I've observed in this area planted in reasonable soil seem to do OK, though they are often slow to establish. Doesn't perform well in very droughty soils. Better planted in spring vs fall. Tends to develop narrow crotches and often needs corrective pruning. Perhaps not the best tree for a "beginner", but definitely worth a try for those willing to put in the effort.

danwalker88, is that a weeping willow in the back yard behind the garage? I'd get rid of that asap.

Even with good intentions, they may not make it. I tried spring and fall plantings and neither made it to June alive. I am in a low area and have problems with some type of root rot fungus yellowwood (among other species) seems secseptible to. I have also planted close to 50 seeds and no seedlings to show for it :(

I have not tried one in the better draining upland parts of the yard yet, though. That may be the key to their survival as you stated

American Smoketree, Muscle Wood/American Hornbeam, American Fringe Tree, Sourwood (if you got low pH soil)....all beautiful natives that are on the smaller side.

This post was edited by greenthumbzdude on Sun, Sep 7, 14 at 19:39