All are rather poor choices for various reasons except the serviceberry. These can also have problems as well, it depends on what happens on your site. Many serviceberries are planted out here and grow without serious problems befalling them.

I have a Chokecherry and it has done very well in a poor location. Nice color foliage and nice in bloom, fast growing. One other consideration might be a paperbark maple. It is the size you want and had winter interest also. David

I've had poor luck with Plum and Cherry trees. A small tree I really like is Acer pseudosieboldianum (Korean Maple). This is an attractive and sturdy little tree with superb fall color. Foliage is clean throughout the season, and it doesn't seem to be bothered by much of anything.

The plum is susceptible to borer insects and diseases. I've grown the Canada Red chokecherry, I think it would get way to big for your location. My favorite in your list would be the serviceberry (amelanchier).

How about a hybrid dogwood? (cornus florida x kousa.) They are disease resistant, and fit the size and shape profile. Regular dogwoods seem to get stressed in Ohio, unless they are in a really good location. Another possibility might be a hawthorn, like Winter King. I like something that looks good year round. (i assume you don't like the crabapples because of the fruit, you may be able to find fruitless cultivars.)

I spent part of the weekend cutting up parts of a bradford pear with a chain saw - it fell onto an above ground swimming pool. I lost another pear about three years ago.

Ive seen some streets where younger bradfords were unscathed, but many of those with any size to them are getting some ground level pruning.

Thanks to all who have responded so far, the input is great and very much appreciated.

I think I will rule out the chokeberry, and move the serviceberry to the top of the list.

A few more questions/comments if I may:

I like the paperbark maple, but I was concerned that it might get too big, and I thought it was typically multi-stemmed. Am I off-base on these thoughts?

I did rule out crabs because of the mess, but if there are varieties that produce no fruit and meet my size criteria, I would be happy to reconsider. Suggestions, please?

One reason I was willing to consider chery/plums trees is that I have seen several in my neighborhood that seem to be doing well.

I ruled out a dogwood because we have one in our back yard and I was hoping to do something different, and I ruled out hawthorns because of the thorns.

Thanks again to all of you, and if you don't mind, I'd love to hear more of your knowledgeable advice.

Paperbark maple is small, slow and skinny unless a multi-trunked specimen is planted. It is a unique ornamental, very choice. It and as well as all others mentioned could be expected to exceed the height and spread limits described in time, depending on how well they did in your climate and site. With seed-raised selections in particular there can be considerable variation in behavior between individual specimens.

There is a crabapple variety called "Spring Snow" that is purported to be fruitless. I read up a little more on them, and it supposedly doesn't have great disease resistance, so that may not be the best choice.

"Winter King" hawthorn has few thorns, but its not thornless. Serviceberries get bothered by insects some.

Amur maple is another tree that fits the size/shape description you are looking for, its easy to grow

Here is a link that might be useful: Spring Snow

Actually most of the scope for finding good small flowering trees these days does in fact lie among the crabapples (Malus), which number in the hundreds of kinds. Your state has a wholesale production nursery that is on the forefront of selecting new and improved kinds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lake County New Plant Introductions

That is a small tree you are looking for. I was searching for trees under 30' because Excel energy cut my trees down and I wanted to re-plant trees that wont get too big. The serviceberry I did get. Others I didn't but would have: Tree lilac, Amur Maple (they have single and multi-trunk) I did get a crap. I did purchase 2 very small "trees" I think it like a bush made into a tree. Euonymous Prarie Radiance, (burning bush is another variety of euonymous)it only gets 18-20 Tall and 16-18' wide. I think I have seen the burning bush in a tree form also.

Any fruit or nut will drop these, you might get more of a mess out of chokecherry or a hybrid almond than from a small-fruited modern crabapple such as 'Lanzam'. Nuts produce shells in addition to seeds. And the fruits of chokecherries etc. are not as conspicuous and ornamental.

Here is a link that might be useful: LANCELOT pdf.pdf (application/pdf Object)

How about Viburnum Prunifolium- Black haw viburnum the fall color on this plant is fantastic

Today I saw the current Fine Gardening magazine has a feature article on small trees.