Med shade trees with non invasive root system

[ImNotYogi]

Any ideas/experience on what fits that bill? I have limited experience with trees and don't want to find out the hard way. My coop is near my septic tank by about 25-30ft.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm in Michigan, so maybe not so helpful, but here goes; Flowering Crabs, smaller Magnolias, Semi-dwarf fruit trees, larger shrubs like Viburnums, Lilacs, Dogwoods, American Smokebush. Mary

 

[ImNotYogi]

I ended up getting a baby gem boxwood and a compact Japanese juniper. The selection was low and I had to research as I went.

 

[LaurelC]

You may have good luck with something like a rhododendron. They'll provide shade, are evergreen, and their root systems are flat like pancakes. I 'm not sure how they fare in the south, but they are nearly impossible to kill in the PNW.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I'd need to look into them more for my zone (8a). Right now I have a fan in the coop. Wish I planted something sooner or could have built it closer to a tree. I was going to plant sooner but some drunk idiot drove through my yard right into the spot where I was originally going to put the coop so I had to change things.

 

[Folly's place]

Don't plant anything that is toxic, like Japanese yew, for example. Mary

 

[Trio]

We used to have fruit trees in our chook runs when I was a kid. That's given me an idea! Thanks!