Trees: Windbreak trees that grow around 10-12' tall?

I want to plant a row of trees up behind the house along the edge of the property (about 300'), but I don't want to plant anything that gets really tall-- like ten to twelve feet maybe? I am in a cold zone 5-- we get temps below zero sometimes in the winter, and my husband would prefer that the trees not flower, as he doesn't want to have to dodge bees when he mows. This spot gets full sun all day.

Anybody have any ideas? I have scoured the gardening catalogs, but still don't have a clue.

I think some of the dwarf Maple varieties would be lovely.

"eyes"

Probably not many trees that naturally grow no further than 10-12'. And if they exist i should think they'd be expensive in quantity.
Have you thought of pollarded trees? Then you could choose anything that appealed that is right in your soil/climate/doesn't attract bees etc. You would just need to repeat the pollard at intervals to maintain the right height. grown this way trees actually have an increased life span.
I would suggest you choose a not too vigorous species and pollard at the traditional roughly shoulder height.

If you like the idea i expect one of DG's web magician's can recommend a site with all the details, LOL!!

Have you considered an evergreen tree?? Like maybe hollies!! Or conifers? 'eyes' suggested the dwarf maples and this is probably going to be your best bet. Or how about growing a shrub where you can trim off the lower branches and give the appearance of a tree!! Most of them flower of course but there are a couple of Euonymous that don't. But they do have fruits like berries. There is Euonymous sieboldianus 'Red Elf' and E. europaeus 'Red Cascade'!! The first grows to 10 feet and the second about half that size!

I have a row of caragana's between us and the neighbors. They are full grown and about 12 foot tall. I think they are more of a bush rather than a tree. They do bush out enough for us to not see the neighbors though, but they do flower. Hmm...no flowers... I guess I can't think of any right off hand.

How about a bank of lilacs? Yes, they flower (ahhhh - lilac is my alltime favorite scented flower) but it's in the spring. By the time mowing season is in full gear, they're just leaves. They will sucker and fill in nicely, and being as cold as you are, you have many varieties to choose from.

No flowers remember Terry!!!! So came up with
GINKGO BILOBA (Maidenhair Tree) Zones 3-8. Clusters of 3-5 fan shaped, bright green leaves. Yellow in fall. Young stems are light brown, becoming grey with stringy peeling bark. Grows 10-15' in 10 years. Prefers sandy, deep moderately moist soil, but grows in almost any situation. Full sun. Air pollution tolerant. A durable tree for difficult landscape situations. Extremely pest free. From eastern China. There is an avenue of these in town and they are beautiful!!

How about something that flowers really early like a serviceberry? Or, how about river birch? Iron wood trees, sumac, very hardy japanese maple - the ones with the more solid leaves. Red buds, another tree that flowers early, or pollarded willows? Hehehe, just wind me up!

I forgot witch hazel - blooms in late fall or early winter.

AND winterberry - a native deciduous holly that has lovely red berries all winter and grows in just about any soil.

This message was edited Wednesday, Feb 20th 5:32 PM

This message was edited Thursday, Feb 21st 5:52 AM

Gee, so many choices! I'm going to check into all of these, but I must admit, I'm leaning toward some type of dwarf maple.

We also get a tremendous wind from the back of the house, and the place where I want to put these trees gets buffeted almost constantly by 10-15 MPH winds. I have a couple of apple trees up back, and I have had to have them staked the entire seven years they have been up there because of the wind.

I can't open my French doors in the summer because it blows everything off the table and refrigerator. :-)

Sounds as though you need a windbreak too then and if you have room I would certainly think about putting in something that will stand up to the onslaught and then plant the trees of your choice.

Louisa,

What was the name of that windbreak tree that you suggested in chat the other day? You can top it off when it gets to a certain height?

I had it written on a piece of paper down by the computer and one of the kids threw it away. :-/ I wanted to research a little more about them.

Thanks.

Leyland cypress - here's the link:-

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1013.htm