Deciduous trees often provide us with a blaze of colour before shedding their leaves in fall. Trees that reach a maximum mature height of 30 feet or less are classified as small trees, which are usually the best selection in an urban or suburban yard. There is a small tree suitable for almost any location.
Amur maple is a moderately shade-tolerant tree adaptable to a variety of soil conditions. In spring it bears small white fragrant flowers which attract bees. The clusters of seeds will develop shades of red as they grow in summer, and the leaves turn a brilliant orange-red to red in the fall.
Another shade-tolerant tree is the Ohio buckeye, which likes a moist, slightly acidic well-drained soil. It produces showy upright cream-coloured flower spikes in spring, and red to reddish-brown fall foliage. It does best in a more sheltered location. One drawback is that It produces a nut which is toxic to humans.
Hawthorns are also shade-tolerant, adaptable to most soils, and best in a sheltered location. They produce showy white flowers in spring, which mature into edible red berries. The fall colour is yellow.
Mountain-ash, a popular tree around here, is also shade-tolerant. In fact, it is a good idea to provide some protection from the sun. The bark is thin and easily damaged by too much sun, allowing disease to enter and kill parts of the tree. It is best to grow it multi-stemmed. Showy mountain-ash is the hardiest variety. Mountain-ash has white flower clusters in spring, brilliant red berry clusters loved by birds, and red fall colour. The berries are edible.
The Japanese tree lilac is adaptable to partial shade as well as soil conditions. It produces large panicles of creamy white, scented flowers in spring. The fall colour is yellow-green, not particularly showy. It can be grown as a single or multi-stemmed tree.
Some Saskatoon berries are multi-stemmed trees to 15 feet, whereas other varieties are smaller shrubs. The white flower clusters are scented and very showy, and the blue-black berries are wonderfully edible, if you can get to them before the birds have devoured them all. This is another partial shade-tolerant plant. The fall colour is yellow.
Other small trees, including apples, require sun. They will be discussed in the next article.
