Looking for a tree

[eruuska]

Got a customer who wants a tree planted, and he's got a couple pretty specific desires.

1. Small, compact, and likely to stay that way.

2. Flowers in summer.

Any thoughts? This is Zone 5. It'll be in mostly sun.

[Golf42]

Japanese Maple

No flowers but the leaves stay pretty throughout the summer.

[Larry Davis]

There are not many trees that have flowers throughout the summer. Most flower in spring and that's it for the year. There are many varieties of Crape Myrtles and all bloom for most of the summer and most of them can be trimmed/pruned to look like a small tree.

[eruuska]

My lovely wife just suggested Rose of Sharon, which flowers later than other things and can be trimmed to look very tree-like. What do you think?

[Grn Mtn]

Rose of Sharon blooms late summer and can be pruned to have a lolipop shape, but the key word is "pruned." I also don't like it because of the suckers that shoot up all over the place.

Your best bet is to get a flowering shrub that has been grafted to a trunk, there are a bunch of Hydrangea tree's at my nursery now that are really nice.

[Golf42]

May also want to consider a Smoketree. Late summer blooms and great fall color.

[Kate Butler]

Originally Posted by eruuska

Got a customer who wants a tree planted, and he's got a couple pretty specific desires.

1. Small, compact, and likely to stay that way.

2. Flowers in summer.

Any thoughts? This is Zone 5. It'll be in mostly sun.

Could you define "small"? Also, does this customer want a single-trunked item or a multiple?

[eruuska]

Single-trunk tree, topping out at around 12-15 feet.

[Larry Davis]

I agree with GRN MTN.
Rose of Sharon is nice looking plant and prolific bloomer, but you will constantly be removing those darn suckers. If you don't, you'll have 100 Rose of Sharons in short order.

I'm curios about this "Smoketree". Sounds nice. Anyone got a photo of one?

[Kate Butler]

http://images.google.com/images?clie...-8&sa=N&tab=wi