How tall and how wide do you want these trees to be? Are you looking for one, individual tree, or for several trees? Do you want the same one, repeated, or a mix? Are you looking only for shade or for a screen for privacy as well? If the latter, a visual screen or a noise screen? How big is your yard; how close to your house are you planning to plant these/this tree(s)?

Good questions!

I am not exactly sure of all of the details, but I do plan on doing more research to narrow it down further once I have ideas of what fits into the previous categories. The tree/trees will be placed somewhere in my backyard once we remove some pines that are extremely raggedy looking.
I don't plan on placing any trees within 20 feet of our house. For me, the most important details now are fast-growing, full sun, shade tree, non-invasive, wind tolerant, and not too messy.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Since I'm no expert, the best advice I can give is to post this on the 'Trees' forum as well. It is a very active forum- one of my favorites!

Tulip tree, although a bit messy because it sheds some leaves if summer is unusually dry. Fast and first to drop leaves in fall.

Liriodendron/tulip trees mature out at 50-70 feet, so be sure you want one that tall.

Is your house one story or two?

Probably too messy takes in river birch, catalpa, sweeet gum (maybe a non-fruiting variety?), sycamore, any of the nuts and ash trees. I could make an argument in favor of the river birch, but you will be picking up small branches, and it is prone to dropping leaves early - I just like their looks.

Too slow growing covers many others: beech, most oaks, ginkgo (male variety), or most magnolias.

Maples are a possibility - but choose carefully. Norways let little else grow under them and self sow freely, silvers have rampant surface roots after a few years and branches break easily, reds don't really like urban air, but might do in a more suburban setting. Your best bet would be a selected form of sugar maple or Southern sugar maple, for the taller trees. If a tree to 25' will do, then there are many others to look at.

Oak is another choice - check to see what does well in your area as some like acid soil and some don't. Red oaks seem to be suffering from a disease or pest in the foothills - it's not killed them yet around me, but I think along the Blue Ridge Parkway, it may be another story. Sawtooth, scarlet, water, or pin oaks grow fairly fast - willow oaks grow faster.

If a smaller tree will do, then maybe a flowering tree like a cherry (get one that DOES NOT set fruit or you will be dealing with squished purple fruit and drunken wasps in the summer), redbud or dogwood might be nice. There are also Carolina silver bell, Franklinia, stewartia, or sourwood. All of these, while smaller, do have the bonus of flowering. Davidia is a bit bigger flowering tree, as is Sophora or katsura.

One story home...
I have never heard of Davidia! What a beautiful tree when in flower! Great suggestions. I am going to do a little research to see which of these trees would make good fits.

Thank you!

If you are in Eastern NC like I am contact or go to either the Pitt County Arboritum or the one in Wilmington, depending on which is closer to you. In Greenville I see lots of hollies, maple trees, and birches doing well. Linda

My favorite trees that are nice sizes:

magnolia virginiana: sweetbay magnolia, semi-evergreen, fragrant blossoms in March. Can take wet feet or not. 30x20

Chionanthus retusus: Chinese fringetree, deciduous, fragrant in May/June, well-drained soil. 20x15.

Evodia danellii : Korean Evodia, deciduous, average/fast growth, white flowers in summer, red fruit after. 30x30.

Franklinia alatamaha: Franklin tree, deciduous, fragrant July/August white flowers. 20x15

More of a shrub that can be shaped into a tree...
hepaticodium miconiodes: seven-son shrub, deciduous, fragrant white flowers. 20x10

Look also at vitex since you have a one-story house. Beautiful blooms,blue-violet. After 10 years the one at my other house is nearly 18' tall. I put it in beside a deck to block the hot afternoon sun and it does a fine job.

Vitex is another beautiful tree. I am really liking the suggestions that are different from what I see in my neighbors' yards. I get bored with common!

Hi melinda27858,
If you're interested, the Pitt Co. Arboretum is north of town on Government Circle surrounding the USDA/Cooperative Extension building. There is a Certified Plant Professionals Area there where you can see many species of trees at maturity...I think that can be very helpful when trying to decide what to plant. Master gardener volunteers are at the office Mon,Wed,Fri from 10:00 - 12:00. There are a number of good brochures/handouts on trees available as well. I've added a link below that might be helpful. Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: NCSU Tree Fact Sheets

Thank you very much pfmastin. I will plan on a visit on my next day off!

Tulip tree: straight, fast, strong, and disease resitant. It's hard to beat, really.

Tulip trees are much nicer viewed from a second story window. The flowers are upright, barely visible from under the tree and from the side.