Re: Birds and native trees

["Sandy Cash" <scash@mindspring.com>]

Re: planting dogwoods in sun, morning sun is in fact best for 
dogwoods - dogwoods which receive too much shade will (a) bloom 
less and (b) likely be more susceptible to anthracnose, etc.  I 
would say that a site which is shady from 1 PM on, especially in 
Summer, would be almost ideal for a dogwood.

Other fruiting trees which do not get too large are fringetree, 
sassafras, and crabapple.  If you don't mind a little more height, 
then blackgum can be a good choice with spectacular fall color 
(and your yard won't look like every other person's in central NC).  
And one of the smaller holly hybrids (Carolina Sentinel is an 
outstanding choice) might be worth looking at, but check whether 
the variety you plant requires a male plant nearby to pollinate, or 
you may go without berries.

If you aren't sold on the tree being attractive for its fruit, then red 
buckeye (Aesculus pavia) should be on your list of possibilities.  
It's one of the better early hummer trees, but it is rather 
nondescript once it finishes blooming, and it produces (in my 
experience) no color of note - it drops its leaves quite early, in fact.

River birch has exfoliating bark, which should make it good for 
trunk-feed insectivores.

Also, although Southern Magnolia is quite common (and it 
produces *extremely* dense shade, which makes underplanting 
next to impossible), Sweetbay (M. virginiana) is underused and 
smaller - you might consider that as an alternative, if you're not 
opposed to everything in the genus on general principles.  It's also 
good if the site is on the damp side, since it is quite happy with 
wetter feet than most.

Best,

-Sandy
--
Sandy Cash
Durham, NC
scash@mindspring.com