Help me choose an ornamental tree

[Anonymous]

My jurisdiction sent a notice that they identified the curb outside our house as needing some tree. They said I can choose two from the ornamental list, which is as follows:

-shadblow/serviceberry
-redbud
-crapemyrtle (white or red/pink)
-snowdrift/crabapple
-purple leaf plum
-kwanzan cherry
-yoshino cherry
-ivory silk tree

Due to not wanting a fruit/berry producing tree, I've narrowed it down to the bolded.

Which would you pick?

[Anonymous]

Kwanzan cherry or redbud. Can’t go wrong with either one.

[Anonymous]

Service berry and crabapple are also good choices. Is the Kwanzan cherry a dwarf variety? There are some gigantic specimens in our neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

I would take two redbuds any day. It's a beautiful native plant.

I hate crapemyrtles -- there's one outside our front door and it makes such a freaking mess even though it doesn't fruit. I also feel like they are so common.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't classify shadblow as fruit producing, if your concern is mess. The birds eat the fruit and they never drop. But they do have lovely flowers! Crepe myrtles are very messy, and I don't think they'd make a great street tree due to their shape.

[Anonymous]

Sweetgun Magnolia.

The blooms smell absolutely intoxicating.

[Anonymous]

Would they let you put in an ornamental pear tree? Those are beautiful.

Crab apples are pretty too

[Anonymous]

Redbud

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would they let you put in an ornamental pear tree? Those are beautiful.

Crab apples are pretty too

Please not an ornamental pear! They are a hot mess -- they are known for cracking and splitting. Also horribly invasive.

[Anonymous]

We have a Kwanzaa cherry and it is very pretty. The pink flowers bloom a little later than the regular cherry tress, but are a nice bright color.

[Anonymous]

We love our yoshino cherry but on your list I would go with the redbud.

[Anonymous]

For a curb, I'd go Crape Myrtle because they're more upright (or can be pruned as such) and won't hang over parked cars and have people hit the lower branches when they get out.

Elsewhere I'd go cherry or redbud.

[Anonymous]

-shadblow/serviceberry- early spring bloom, fruit is small and eaten by the birds, bluish green leaves, nice color in the fall. The fruit taste like a cross between blue berries and a cherry. Three season tree.

redbud- interesting early spring blooms, the trees can struggle at time. Forest pansy has reddish purple fall color, but most are yellow. 2 season tree

-crapemyrtle - some have interesting bark, summer blooming, litter after blooms and some have fall color. Size varies. Can be a 4 season tree. Depends on the variety

-snowdrift/crabapple- spring bloom, will get fruit litter, some will have some nice color other will not, 2 season tree.

-purple leaf plum- spring bloom, fruit late summer fruit(1 1/2”), purple leaf color in summer 2 season tree

-kwanzan cherry
-yoshino cherry - these are one season trees kind of boring after they bloom. Most are short lived.

-ivory silk tree- so this tree is marginally hard here(in terms of the heat). It does well in areas with cool summers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
-shadblow/serviceberry- early spring bloom, fruit is small and eaten by the birds, bluish green leaves, nice color in the fall. The fruit taste like a cross between blue berries and a cherry. Three season tree.

redbud- interesting early spring blooms, the trees can struggle at time. Forest pansy has reddish purple fall color, but most are yellow. 2 season tree

-crapemyrtle - some have interesting bark, summer blooming, litter after blooms and some have fall color. Size varies. Can be a 4 season tree. Depends on the variety

-snowdrift/crabapple- spring bloom, will get fruit litter, some will have some nice color other will not, 2 season tree.

-purple leaf plum- spring bloom, fruit late summer fruit(1 1/2”), purple leaf color in summer 2 season tree

-kwanzan cherry
-yoshino cherry - these are one season trees kind of boring after they bloom. Most are short lived.

-ivory silk tree- so this tree is marginally hard here(in terms of the heat). It does well in areas with cool summers.

Since it's in front of your house, I recommend the only tree on the list with four seasons of interest. PP said three seasons but I think it's four since it usually has multiple trunks that look interesting with winter snow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a curb, I'd go Crape Myrtle because they're more upright (or can be pruned as such) and won't hang over parked cars and have people hit the lower branches when they get out.

Elsewhere I'd go cherry or redbud.

Crepe myrtles are really pretty as a curb tree, as long as no one is parking under them