Tree Question

This isn't the typical type of tree question for this site. I am planting 3 trees this spring in my back yard. One for each of my children.

I currently have two huge silver maples and would like to have some trees established before I have to take them down in the future.

I have decided on an October Glory maple and Nuttall oak but haven't picked my 3rd tree yet. Size isn't really an issue, but I don't want a messy tree. The other two have great red fall color and I would like the third tree to be known for fall color as well. I was thinking about sugar maple, honey locust cultivar, or even a sweet gum cultivar. I could also go with another oak or maple. Does anyone here have a Autum Blaze maple? Any other trees you guys and gals like for yard trees?

 

Willow Oak is my favorite yard tree by far. Grows straight up (high and tight) with small branches from the trunk. Its a fast grower and the leaves are small and easy to clean up.

 

I have 2 autumn blaze in my yard. Even with our indiana clay soil, they are thriving. They are stunning in the fall. Soooooo red. It's a great choice to honor your children imho.

The sugars turn yellow, then Brown.

If you don't want messy, cross sweet gum off your list.

 

We planted 3 Autumn Blaze at our first house. 3 different experiences happened. One never really took off, had peeling bark on the bottom 1/3 and was very slight. Had one of medium success, and the third was a freak,, huge girth, huge top, very very healthy. They were about 6ft tall and in buckets when we got them. After 8 years, the biggest was almost the size of a paint can and probably 25-30 feet tall. The colors of these trees are incredible ! My sweet wife really loved these trees, so much so that we planted 15 seedlings on our new property. Great idea to plant trees for the kids. We planted a Fraser Fir for our 2 girls. We're going to take pictures of them in front of it every year.

 

Here's a thread to check out also, firefighter938
A different kind of tree question

I think I am going with the sugar maples or maybe try transplanting a couple beech trees from the neighbor's woods