Bad pictures usually mean you get some guesses and have to do more research yourself. And it would help to know where these plants are located. So here we go:

1. Looks like it could be a Prunus, perhaps Prunus serotina.
2. Looks like it could be variegated privet, Ligustrum sinense.
3. Looks like an elm, probably not a native one.
4. Can't tell, perhaps break off a branch and scan it and post that as well.
5. Would seem to be a Poplar.
6. Don't know about the Christmas tree.

1 and 2 look like the same thing, a Black Cherry.
3 and 4 look the same, an elm (don't know what kind).

1 and 2 appeared to be the same thing to me as well. I clipped twigs and compared and the leaves look identical. I did a cross reference on Black Cherry trees and I think you guys are spot on. The flowers and the bark appear to match up. It has shed all of its flowers and right now it has little green berries on it. I assume it won't be very long before I know for sure.

3 and 4 are actually photos of the same tree. I have looked and the leaves look like Elm leaves but haven't found and distinguishing characteristics leading to a specific identification.

I had a suspicion that 5 might be a polar. The leaves look like poplar leaves. Is there any way to make this tree grow fatter like.. a regular tree? Maybe if I clip the bottom branches? It's the only one of its kind in the front yard and it looks quite strange out there by itself. The birds nest in it every year though so cutting it down really isn't an option.

As far as #6 goes, is there any non-species specific way to make it grow up instead of out? Do trees react to pruning like shrubs do?

I agree with the others,
1 and 2 look like Black Cherry(Prunus serotina)
3 and 4 look like an Elm(Ulmus sps.) perhaps Siberian Elm(Ulmus pumila), which it looks like to me, or another.
5 is one of the narrow upright, short lived Poplars (Populus species) or hybrids, with Lombardy Poplar being the most prevalent.
6 Looks like a Spruce(Picea sps.) to me, and here's my shot in the dark answer, perhaps Picea abies, or Norway Spruce.

The narrow Poplar won't ever grow fatter. It was specifically hybridized for this narrow upright growth. Trimming it to try and make it fatter would be somewhat akin to shaving your head to try and make your straight hair curly or vice versa, it won't happen. Although with the trimming you could grossly disfigure it and make it look fatter(for a very short time) because you cut off the top 95% of it.

The same answer is generally true for the conifer too, but it's not as drastic. You can shape and control it's growth a bit more easily and successfully, although trimming it very much will disfigure it and it won't grow back the same way a broad leafed tree would. ie. if you trim it back too much, you get to a point where it won't put out any new growth in the trimmed areas, ever. I suspect time and age will "cure" the problem of this tree being wider than tall, but then again it could be a cultivar known for wider than tall growth in which case you can't do much about it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and help identifying these trees. I have only lived here a little over a year and am finding I have .56 acres of "where do I start". Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Per request here are twigs from the first two plants. Ignore the numbers and letters written on the paper. I lost a brain cell somewhere in the process and messed them up.
This first photo is from the mature tree:
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The next two are from a juvenile tree:
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The smaller twig in this photo is from a juvenile tree. The larger from the mature tree.
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I think I have two more questions: regarding these cherry/elm trees. The juveniles are popping up on the opposite end of the yard away from the house. Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't let them just grow? WIth the exception of a large flower bed in the middle of the yard and all the trees jammed in at the border of the property my yard is pretty much a large expanse of lawn. It would be nice to have a few more trees! And as far as the poplars go, there is a dirt road that comes up beside one side of my house. I'm thinking these might be a good privacy screen for that side of the yard. How well do they transplant?

Thanks so much!

The spruce is White Spruce Picea glauca.

Resin

I knew it was a shot in the dark!

Poplars tend to transplant extremely easily. Black Cherry trees produce tons and tons of babies, and just letting a few more grow, might or might not make a noticeable difference in the number of "volunteers" you have. Many consider Black Cherries as weedy. The down side to the Poplars is that they tend to be weak wooded, short lived, and disease prone. So, a screen made up of them quickly has holes in it from where individuals have died, and other trees are half dead from storm damage or disease and the screen is unsightly within a couple of years. At least that's the case in the Eastern 1/2 of the US. It's also possible the seedlings you have are either hybrids with another Poplar in the area(like an Eastern Cottonwood) or not from your tree and hence they may or may not be upright and narrow growing.

I forgot to ask, are the Elm leaves rough or smooth on the top and bottom? Often times the top and bottom surfaces will be different. If the top surface is rough, it's likely you have an American Elm(Ulmus americana), but if it is smooth on both sides then it's likely you have a Siberian Elm(Ulmus pumila) . If it's smooth on the top, but hairy on the bottom(not rough) it's likely you have Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra). There are of course other Elms it could be, but those are the 3 most common in the Eastern 2/3 of the US. If the leaf is smooth on the top and quite hairy on the bottom(again not rough), it could be Rock Elm (Ulmus thomasii), but that's an uncommon more Northern species only common in the upper Midwest, Great Lakes area, and locally common in KY, WV, and TN on the South end.

I actually sent the twigs outside earlier so I'll have to pull a leaf off tomorrow and check.

You have been an absolute wealth of information. Your time with answering my questions is greatly appreciated.

I apologize for the delay. I'm all over the place trying to figure out this yard and I actually thought I responded to this thread until I looked it up last night.

I pulled a twig off today again and I suppose they are smooth on both sides. The leaves are not shiny on top or bottom. The only noticeable texture on the top is from the veins. The bottom feels smooth and I could not visualize any hairs but they are kind of soft and lighter colored on the bottom like maybe there could be some hair there that I just can't see.

I am probably being anal but I am sort of OCD about detail so when you say rough and hairy I go all microscopic. I guess at this point I am just wondering are we talking fine sand-paper rough and peach fuzz hairy or am I looking for a more minuscule detail?

As always, I appreciate the help.
-Tina

From what I can tell, I'm thinking U. pumila-Siberian elm. Interesting fact-to me at least. The Siberian elm, unlike American elm, is best adapted to dry conditions. Around here, at any given time during the growing season, there is as much dead twigs and branches as live stuff in the crown. During last years extended drought, they almost looked pretty good for a while. Real PITA to prune!

+oM

With as tall as they get I can imagine they would be a pain to prune. I noticed they are quite hard to cut with a chainsaw as compared to other trees too.

I hate taking them down because we have tons of birds that nest in them every year. They really are in bad condition though. The woodpeckers have torn them up and bugs have invaded. With the several that are already dead and others with fungus, I can't help but look at them as a hazard in the yard. I'm not adversed to restoring something that is going to return the investment but if not I would much rather put that work into something new that I can nurture from the beginning.

I guess the next step is to figure out what I want to replace them with.....

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my long drawn out post and to respond!

-Tina