Ok, I'll bite.
If you feel you must plant something in the rootzone, at least pick something that is perennial so you don't have to keep digging season after season and its not just a matter of finding a tree that tolerates root disturbance but your plants need to be tolerant of root/moisture/nutrient competition and shade.

Unless we are talking lawn or park trees the majority of designs have plants in the root zones (unless you have a really small tree).

I'm still looking for actual suggestions but I'll add one to the list.

I have a couple 25' native Hawthorns and they have been extremely easy to plant under. They have minimal top surface roots and feeder roots.

Freeman Maple on the other hand has been extremely difficult to garden under. There are only little pockets in which I can plant.

Unless we are talking lawn or park trees the majority of designs have plants in the root zones (unless you have a really small tree).

I'm still looking for actual suggestions but I'll add one to the list.

I have a couple 25' native Hawthorns and they have been extremely easy to plant under. They have minimal top surface roots and feeder roots.

Freeman Maple on the other hand has been extremely difficult to garden under. There are only little pockets in which I can plant.

I have been successful for shade gardening under Pin oak Quercus palastis, red oak quercus rubra, white oak quercus alba,London plane and sawtooth oak.I'm sure that bur oak quercus mycophylum(?) would be good too if you don't water the shade garden alot.I am partial to oaks as you can see.I watered my shade plants pretty often, those under my white oak and the branch ends shriveled up may have nothing to do with the water, but it probably did.

When someone says "root zone," I assume they are planting a flower bed in the soil ball of a young tree, like so many inexperienced homeowners do, thinking it looks good. If planting something under a mature tree, 10+ feet from the tree, your options are vast. There are plants that tolerate shade or even like it. I'm unfamilar with what is available in miluakeee. If nobody is able to answer your question, try a local nursery and ask "whatta ya got for dry shade?" Or if you have irrigation, something like hosta, or hydrangea is popular.
Trees that can be difficult to plant near because of the surface roots are maple, birch, elm and beech.

poaky1, I've heard that Oaks are pretty easy to garden under. I planted a Quercus Bicolor this spring so I'm looking forward to changing things out in the future.

gardningrandma, I've never seen anyone plant something within a rootball of a new planting...very strange to do so. Its seems there are more trees that are difficult to plant under SO I am looking for trees that are easy to garden under, lol. Finding plants to plant under the tree is the easy part.

I would not consider american beech good to plant under because of the shallow roots but strangely enough I have columbine, hosta,and a spreading plant I forget the name of growing fine under my beech which is 6 ft tall.They may not do well once the tree gets it's roots further out, the tree is in it's 5th year in the spot I have it in.This is just an interesting observation I thought I'd share,I don't water it unless it's been a couple weeks without rain.

whaas- go into any starter home subdivision. Usually it's pansies or daylillies or something like that. Often they pile bricks around the tree and add soil. They compliment the planting with a set of LED marker lights.

Actually I see that more with older suddivision. Its all about locale!

If you're in a hurry but don't want to plant a large fast growing tree, maybe a small grouping of redbuds would work. Those are deep rooted.
Pecans are ok to garden under and still let some light through.
I find quite a few surface roots under my pin oak. Another oak would be a better choice.

hey

you ought to ask a question like this in the hosta forum .... those peeps know all the trees to grow under .... and which to avoid at all costs ....

avoid.. AT ALL COST .. all maple.. willow... mulberry ...

and anything called 'fast growing" .. as they are too aggressive ... above and below ground ... and usually short lived ....

when i moved here.. with 1600 hosta ... i planted about 30 oaks... it was said.. by the tree experts.. GENERALLY .. that all nut trees are favorable... as they are long lived.. and deep rooted.. comparatively speaking ....

up your way.. hosta are REALLY BIG .... literally and metaphorically .... check out the link .. and if its near you .. go visit a place like that pictured [or find another] .... and spend an hour talking with a guy like that about his thoughts on trees .... he will tell you more.. in an hour.. in WI ... about trees .. than we can ...

your local extension office will also help ...

my vote.. is OAK ... pure and simple.. and oak planting time.. in your area is october.. plan wisely.. plant properly.. and you should be all set for a century or two ...

in 2000 i planted 6 to 8 foot bare root red, scarlet, shingle, bicolor, and black oaks.. some are going on 30 feet ... it is an old wives tale that they are slow growing... once established ...

good luck

ken

ps: here is a picture of maple roots.. and what you want to avoid.. by choosing the right tree ... frankly i dont even understand how the grass grew above those roots .... there is a quarter inch of sand.. a hats width of roots.. and then native soil ... go figure on all that ...
{{gwi:208954}}

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I would choose morning glory, rose and azalea. These ornamental plants can easily catch the attention of the passersby. For trees, Japanese Maple Tree, Conifer, and Lilac are great.