ting bark, or distinctive winter form. Don’t just settle for nice green leaves in the summer, select a tree that will provide you with appeal all through the growing season.
Small Trees to Consider for Our Region
Flowering Dogwood (mature height 15' to 25' depending on the cultivar) - this is a favorite small tree of many gardeners but it’s not really well adapted to our summer climate and often suffers summer leaf scorch from extended spells of 90+ degree weather. While it’s difficult to establish in this area, once it’s growing well it seems to thrive here. It has wonderful white flowers in the spring and a rich red fall color with bright red berries. It should be planted in a protected location.
Japanese Maple (mature height 6' to 20', depending on the cultivar) - another favorite gem of gardeners everywhere, but it’s also generally not well adapted to our summer climate or soils and often suffers from leaf scorch when not placed in a protected site away from hot summer sun and wind. In the right place this can be the most beautiful tree anywhere. It may not have remarkable spring flowers, but its delicate dissected leaves and fall colors are a delight. There are upright and graceful weeping forms available. Some forms also have colorful winged seeds that provide color interest in the summer. Be sure to look for heat tolerant cultivars.
Flowering Cherry (mature height 12' to 50', depending on cultivar) - perhaps one of the most beautiful small flowering trees available. You’ll find a variety of flower forms from white to pink; large or small; single or double. The tree form varies with upright, spreading, and weeping forms available. Many cultivars have a bronze to deep red fall color. Borers can be a problem, especially if the tree is stressed, and is also subject to several fungus diseases that attack trunks, leaves and twigs. Consider a flowering cherry a short-lived (20 years) tree.
Paperbark Maple (mature height 25') - this is an interesting little maple with dark green, tri-foliate leaves that turn a brilliant red in the fall. The exquisite reddish bark peels off in thin sheets. The form is upright oval to round. This is a wonderful small maple, especially in the fall and winter landscape.
Redbud (mature height 20' - 25') - here’s a tree that everyone falls in love with when they see it in springtime bloom, especially those cultivars with deep, purple-rose flowers. Flowers come out before the leaves in early spring and adorn the bare branches. The tree usually branches close to the ground and develops a spreading, somewhat flat-topped crown. Look for heat resistant varieties like `Oklahoma’ with glossy leaves and red tipped new growth.
Amur Maple (mature height 5' to 25' depending on the cultivar) is another small maple that should be considered for its magnificent orange-red fall color. This tree is a low branched, multi-stemmed tree with a variable shape. It’s very winter hardy and can be utilized in above-ground tree planters. For dependable fall color select a cultivated variety, such as `Flame’ or ‘Red Rhapsody.’
Dwarfs or Giants
In the nursery trade there are some cultivars of larger trees that meet the size criteria of a “small” tree. While they may not have quite the pizzazz of these other smaller flowering trees, they can still be utilized in the landscape where a smaller tree is needed.
Leprechaun™ Ash is a dwarf form with a mature height of 18' of the green ash.
Golden Desert Ash™ (mature height 20') is a cultivated variety of the common or European ash with yellow-green leaves and bright golden twigs.
Red Cascade™ or Dwarfcrown is a compact (mature height 16', mature spread 8') cultivated variety of mountain ash with an oval shape. It has white spring flowers, yellow-orange fall foliage, and orange-red berries for multi-seasonal interest. `Longwood Sunset’ is another smaller mountain ash with orange berries
Globe Norway Maple (mature height 15') is a “lollipop” tree with a dense rounded head that is much shorter than other Norway maples. This is a very formal looking tree.
Harder to Find and Not Well