Favorite tree for landscaping

[JKEB]

I know we're a few months from spring but I have some landscaping projects on my mind. I thought I'd throw it out there on what peoples favorite tree is for a unique landscape feature. I have a decent size lot in town but it needs some trees. I'm leaning towards an Oak for the front yard because I love the look and there's other in the neighborhood. Elm is my current second choice, and it the most popular in my old neighborhood. I also have some columnar pine and spruce that I will be transplanting.

So what are your favorites and why? Maybe someone has one out there I haven't thought of that I'll end up liking more than what I'm current planning

[CNP]

I transplanted 3 Ponderosa Pine last spring. Two of them took and I'll be yanking the other one out of the ground this spring. I want more of these!

[Greatwest]

Just did our landscaping this past summer and we put an Amur Maple tree in the front yard. The colours that it changes through the year was the main reason for our choice.

[Mr Flyguy]

I would stay away from spruce trees, shallow roots, almost nothing can grow well nearby. Elms are classics, but I have three in the back of my yard that are getting scary big. Columnar aspens are a good bet for contrast.

[stubby99ca]

I like the changes in color of the larches in the fall.

[lannie]

Mountain Ash are nice trees.

[CaberTosser]

I really want to plant a Burr Oak but none that I tried sprouting this year even sprouted (I had gathered a couple dozen acorns from two separate trees). The downside of the burr oaks is how slowly they grow. The upside is how long they'll live.

Spruce have their uses but they kill grass underneath and can limit use of a wide swath of yard until they grow high enough to trim the branches to clear 7'-8' underneath. I also see them getting planted in absurd spots, way too close to buildings or where they'll soon grow to interfere with something. I have a neighbor with way too many mature spruce trees, they block lots of light from where I want to place my garden.

I have 7 columnar aspens that I planted, they don't take up too much space and are pretty nice trees. They don't do well with early heavy snowfalls though, once those branches bend down they want to stay that way. I had some bent by the Sept heavy snow about 5 years ago and had to prune the braches that bent.

[bucksnbears]

Lot of variables.
What's your goal?.
Hybrid poplars for very fast growth.
Oaks, better be young age now to ever enjoy them.
Wind/ snow screen, Dogwood or red cedar.
Beauty. Maple or an apple of some type.

[Sundancefisher]

[CaberTosser]

I forgot to mention my favorite trees, my Evans sour cherries, you get lovely cherry blossoms in the spring and the fruit to make jam or whatnot later on. We have a good sized lot for the city (10,880 sq ft pie lot) and I've planted 3 Evans sour cherry trees and three various apple trees.

[sewerrat]

I love the Amur maples they have a very nice leaf and the colour in fall are like they are on fire.
My second is a Linden tree beautiful round canopy an nice round leaf, and they bloom in summer with a very inconspicuous white flower.

[DOGFISH]

X2 on Larch

[bsmitty27]

I have a friend in edmonton who has a beautiful butternut tree. They are pushing the boundaries in edmonton but the tree is 25 feet tall and very healthy. I planted a bunch of the nuts. Might have some seedlings next year.
I also love mountain ash, and anything that produces fruit.
Brad

[omega50]

Some amazing uniquely colored Willow trees past Fernie that always have caught my eye.

[Etownpaul]

My buddy planted an Ohio buckeye and a burr oak this summer, both beautiful trees you don’t see too often around here.

I planted a harcourt apple tree a couple years ago and just got fruit off it this past year. Awesome fruit for a $39 Costco tree.

[monsterdon]

I never liked lombardy poplar much until I saw a really old, massive one. They look really great, but it would probably take longer than your lifetime to get to that size.

[owlhoot]

I have a 12 year old Horse Chestnut I planted, a fast grower and real nice tree, it looks similar to the Ohio Buckeye and has inedible nuts that drop. The nut clusters flower in the spring

[gordfishing]

Clump Birch
which is a multi stem birch tree

[Justfishin73]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

I would stay away from spruce trees, shallow roots, almost nothing can grow well nearby. Elms are classics, but I have three in the back of my yard that are getting scary big. Columnar aspens are a good bet for contrast.

Columnar aspens are the worst choice--grow very fast, but the roots are shallow and produce a ton of offshoots, killing main tree and leaving a ton of surface roots. I have 25 in my back yard, they are dying very fast---the boring beetles don't help---they seem to be killing most of these them lightning quick---once they have started. AVOID

[nimrod]

I live on a acreage, and after the provincial landscape program went away, now looking for a fast growing non willow tree that grows about 10 feet tall has nice colour leaves, is this a wish or does anybody know what might fit this. this is now for my south line along the gravel road

I planted a line of column tower poplar on my north line lots took root but now have some to replace, where could I buy maybe 10 this spring.

Thank You

[mac1983]

Sea Buckthorn are an interesting option.

[Justfishin73]

Originally Posted by nimrod

I live on a acreage, and after the provincial landscape program went away, now looking for a fast growing non willow tree that grows about 10 feet tall has nice colour leaves, is this a wish or does anybody know what might fit this. this is now for my south line along the gravel road

I planted a line of column tower poplar on my north line lots took root but now have some to replace, where could I buy maybe 10 this spring.

Thank You

Costco will have them

[Etownpaul]

Originally Posted by nimrod

I live on a acreage, and after the provincial landscape program went away, now looking for a fast growing non willow tree that grows about 10 feet tall has nice colour leaves, is this a wish or does anybody know what might fit this. this is now for my south line along the gravel road

I planted a line of column tower poplar on my north line lots took root but now have some to replace, where could I buy maybe 10 this spring.

Thank You

I've used these guys before and am happy with their products

https://treetime.ca/

They are smaller than your average nursery tree, but the price is right if you've got the time to let them grow a bit.

[nimrod]

Originally Posted by Etownpaul

I've used these guys before and am happy with their products

https://treetime.ca/

They are smaller than your average nursery tree, but the price is right if you've got the time to let them grow a bit.

Thanks for the tree time info I will look at there site.

[slough shark]

I’d look at a maple tree if you want a nice long living stately looking tree, that being said they are a slower growing tree so it’ll be a while before they get that size. Ponderosa pines are also another large tree I like that fit that bill. If you’re looking at a smaller ornamental tree that provides fruit apple, plum or pear tree

[slough shark]

Worst trees are poplar, sticky buds, fluff, tons of leaves and roots. Elm are also susceptible to a disease that kills them slowly and drops some sap or sticky stuff on your truck which is a consideration.

[Red Bullets]

Some of the weeping trees are nice looking. Weeping Willow, Birch or Cherry trees are nice. Not a canopy tree but Beaked Hazelnut bushes are nice looking, produce nuts and are native so easy to establish.

[Commander B]

Partial to the May Day aka bird cherry
If pruned to single trunk makes unique umbrella /shade tree. Be sure berries are not a problem

B.

[243 wild cat]

Originally Posted by nimrod

Thanks for the tree time info I will look at there site.

definitely going to have a look thank you

[Etownpaul]

Originally Posted by 243 wild cat

definitely going to have a look thank you

I forgot to put in my original post that tree time is based out of smoky lake, so it’s an Alberta company with trees grown here.