Looking for a nice light green tree.

Hello!

Everyone was SO helpful in helping to identify the red maple I have growing in my flower bed. I did a lot of research and came up with the Golden Rain Tree, but am having second thoughts. I have seen a few in my neighborhood and maybe they are not great specimens, but they aren't very pretty to me.

I was considering some of my second choices, such as
* Western Soapberry
* Chinese Pistache
* Flowering Crabapple
* Serviceberry

The other trees it would be sharing a yard with are a purple leafed plum, a redbud, and most likely, the red maple. I am especially looking for something with bright green leaves. I think it would look nice next to the plum tree. I am attaching a pic of a tree I saw in our neighborhood with nice bright green color and a pretty shape. I don't know what it is though. Anyone know?

I would love for the tree I choose to be fast growing, have decent clearance (nothing that branches too low, since it will be a street tree), full sun and clay and alkaline soil.

If you have a suggestion, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks - these boards are such a wealth of info!!!!

Robin ;-D

The Western Soapberry sounds a good one to go for - native in your area, and often neglected as a choice.

Of the tree in the pic - possibly a Chinese Elm, but the detail isn't good enough to tell for sure. I may well be wrong. Can you get a close-up of the foliage? (and any fruit, if present!).

Resin

Here is a zoomed in close-up of the tree. Thanks, Resin!

Sorry, still not close enough! - I was hoping more for a pic where just 4 or 5 leaves on a twig fills the frame ;-)

Resin

I was afraid of that. This was just the zoomed in pic I took while I was out and noticed it. I will go later on and get out of my car and get a better one. Thanks, Resin!

Thanks! And look out for any fruit, be they pods, capsules, berries, or whatever!

Resin

Nothing but leaves! I tried to get some close-ups. I hope it helps.

Thanks in advance!!

more leaf pics

has a pretty arch to it - I think I saw more examples of the same tree around town this evening and they were your average green. Wonder why these are so pretty and bright?

and look at the bark! Nice!

Looks like I hit lucky first time round! Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) it is.

If you're looking to buy one, make sure for certain the plant is correctly labelled, I've heard of unscrupulous sellers palming off Siberian Elm (U. pumila; a cheaper and very inferior tree) as Chinese.

Resin

Thanks so very much, Resin!

Do you have any recommendations? (Based on this tree's id vs. my list above?) Is it typical for this species to be light green or perhaps it's just the growth conditions of the particular ones I photographed?

Thanks! You're good! ;-D

My driveway is lined with Ulmus parvifolia. I'd call my trees light green. Habit is quite variable in this species. Some are more upright, some droopy at the branch tips, some dense, some more sparse. These pics might help you.

Edited for grammar ;-)

This message was edited Aug 3, 2007 9:02 AM

I like this particular one.

This one not so much

You are right to have second thoughts about the Golden Rain Tree. It will seed extensively in the area of the planting. Ulmus parvifolia does show up occasionally in my garden beds as well, but not like the Golden Rain Tree.

Wow, your driveway must put a smile on your face every day. How pretty! Lucky you!

The form of the 2nd one is similar to that of my purple leafed plum. I liked the arching of the elm in comparison. Hmm...

What do they look like in fall? :-D

Thanks so much!
Robin

Robin, they are both lacebark elms, posted to illustrate the differences in habit.

Go over to Rose College - over by the Airport.. .. .. they have wonderful trees there and you can really see a lot of them in wonderful designs.