Try something new in your landscape 10 trees fit for the Valley

By Pam Baytos

OSU Extension master gardener volunteer

In addition to tried and true varieties of trees, don’t be afraid to try something different or new. You’ll be surprised by the diversity of woody plants that thrive in the Mahoning Valley.

When planning to plant a tree, there are tons of things to consider: fall color, blooms, hardiness – plus, you must consider how large the tree will get. From blocking your view to growing into electric lines, you’ll quickly wish you had done more planning.

Here’s a list for your consideration in 2015:

Beech (Fagus): You can find a number of cultivars small enough to use in home gardens. “Fastigiata” (Dawyck) is a narrow upright at 80 feet tall, but only 10 feet wide. Pendula green leaf (weeping beech) also comes as “Purpurea” cultivar with purple leaves. “Tricolor” is slow-growing to 30 feet, with pink and white variegated leaves.

Redbud (Cercis): Wonderful spring flowers and fall foliage, height 20-30 feet, with a spread of 25-35 feet. C. canadensis (eastern redbud) is a multi-stemmed tree with red, purple or pink flowers in mid-spring, before leaves emerge. Foliage starts out bronze, turning green over summer and bright yellow in fall.

Seven-Son Flower (Heptacodium): Height 15-20 feet, spread 8-15 feet. Each fragrant flower cluster is made up of seven small blooms, hence the common name. Flowers from late summer into fall followed by red sepals and fruit.

Buckeye (Aesculus): Well, we are in Ohio. Red buckeye (A. x carnea) is a nice refined small tree growing 30-70 feet. Yellow buckeye (A. flava) is large – 50-80 feet, with interesting bark. All have spectacular flowers. One of the best understory trees we have for shade is the bottlebrush buckeye. It grows 8-12 feet, spreads to fill in space, covered with spikes of creamy white flowers in mid-summer.

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum) C. japonicum: 40-70 feet with equal spread. Slow-growing; takes a long time to exceed 40 feet. Heart-shaped, blue-green leaves turn yellow and orange in fall and develop a spicy scent.

Fringe Tree (Chionanthus) C. virginicus: Small, at 10-20 feet with equal spread; bears drooping, fragrant white flowers in early summer.

Ginko G. biloba: Very slow grower. Avoid female plants as the fruit has an unpleasant odor. “Autumn Gold” and “Lakeview” are both conical male cultivars growing 45-50 feet.

Crabapple (Malus): One of the best ornamental trees, but bears hundreds of crabapples, so research the best for your landscape. Some recommendations: M. “Adirondack,” M. “Holiday Gold,” M. “Prairifire” and M. “Sugar Tyme.”

Silverbell (Halesia) H. tetraptera (snowdrop tree): Grows 25-40 feet, with 25-35-foot spread. White flowers appear in spring before leaves emerge; yellow in fall. “Arnold Pink” bears pendulous pink flowers.

Stewartia S. pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia): Grows 20-35 feet tall; attractive white flowers with showy yellow stamens in mid-summer; yellow, orange, scarlet leaves in fall; scaly, exfoliating bark.