For most of us, the biggest challenge to planting is
selecting
the right plants. Trees are planted for the long term, and
correct
selection is critical to success.
Most homeowners have relatively limited space and can’t
accommodate
large trees such as oaks and pines. Fortunately, several small
trees perform well in Georgia and fit in small places, including
under utility lines.
Try These
Here are a magnificent seven of these small trees:
(1) American Hornbeam (Carpinus
caroliniana) is a
native small tree. Also known as ironwood or musclewood, it’s
named for the smooth, gray, fluted trunk. The tree can grow to
25 feet high and 20 feet wide. The leaves can provide yellow to
bright orange-red color in the fall.
(2) Eastern Redbud (Cercis
canadensis) is a fairly
common landscape tree that’s native to the Southeast. Growing
to 25 feet high and 30 feet wide, it’s a fairly heavy-branching,
multistem tree with dark green leaves. The flowers of the native
species are reddish purple at bud stage, opening to a lighter
pink. Many cultivars have other flower colors. The plant does
well as an understory tree but also performs well in the full
sun in Georgia. The leaves turn a bold yellow in the fall.
(3) Flowering dogwood (Cornus
florida) is a great
small tree that performs best in a shady or understory
environment.
It grows to 25 feet high and equally wide. The early-spring
flowers
are greenish-white to white and can last about two weeks. Some
cultivars offer other flower colors and even variegated leaves,
but native seedlings seem to do best, especially in south
Georgia.
(4) American smoketree (Cotinus
obovatus) is a
small,
rounded tree growing to about 25 feet high and 20 feet wide. The
flower-related parts are hairy and can be quite pronounced,
which
gives rise to the common name. Fall color can be spectacular,
ranging from orange to red to purple.
(5) Two-winged Carolina silverbell
(Halesia diptera)
is relatively little-known native tree that reaches about 25
feet
high and 20 feet wide. It’s a multistem, low-branched tree that
can be used in sun or shade, but definitely prefers shade. In
south Georgia, the leaves may bleach out or turn yellow under
water stress in the full sun. The plant is named for the white,
bell-shaped flowers that hang from the stem in early spring. In
the fall, the leaves turn a bold yellow.
(6) Commonly used holly (Ilex)
species, cultivars
and hybrids include: (1) Savannah holly, an upright, open-growth
tree with light green leaves that does well in tough sites and
usually has abundant berries; (2) Foster holly, an upright,
densely
branching plant with dark green, high-gloss leaves, that can be
shaped easily with light pruning (perhaps the most popular
clones
of this hybrid are Foster No. 2 and No. 3); and (3) East Palatka
holly, which was discovered in the wilds near East Palatka,
Fla.,
and is similar to Savannah but with darker green leaves.
(7) Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia
grandiflora) is
a cultivar of the more common large southern magnolia. Little
Gem grows only to about 20 feet high. The tree will flower at
a very small size (3 to 4 feet) and has blooms through the
summer.
It does best in full sun but will stay fairly dense under shade.
Plantings of this small tree can create a very effective hedge
or screen.
