Perhaps a fringe tree. While most info on this tree says full sun, mother nature deposited one in my woods and it blooms every spring. I imagine it might bloom more heavily in full sun, but I can attest it will bloom in heavy shade. The same can be said of dogwoods.

i would have removed the maples ;-)

The maples are large and healthe , the redbud is already 1/2 dead. I'll miss it. I'd plant another one but I'm afraid the shade has gotten/will get, two heavy.

i have found that garlic mustard grows prolifically under maples ;-)

If they're norway maples, probably nothing will grow. Roots are poisonous to many species. Just another reason you gotta love this tree.

Be nice you two.

My only suggestion would be.... another maple.

JoePye and Elaine know what they are talking about, shade from your maples is not the only problem you are facing. Maples are incredibly thirsty trees that have mats of surface roots that outcompete anything but the hardiest drought tolerant species, such as other maples.

A couple years ago I performed an unintentional experiment with maple feeder roots. I had some left over topsoil and no pplace to store it so I piled it under a norway maple thinking I would use it in fall which was just two months away. When I tried to put a shovel in it.... no way! The roots loved that nice moist soil so much they just took it over completely, it was hard to tell if there was any soil at all or just roots. That maple has recently ceased to be.

Another problem, have you ever seen what happens if maple leaves are left in a pile on the ground and then it rains? Almost nothing can penetrate the thick mat it creates (except maple saplings and maple roots).

Your redbud probably died because it could no longer compete with the larger thirstier trees.

Quote Joepyeweed: i have found that garlic mustard grows prolifically under maples ;-)

Oh my heavens, aint that the truth. Last year I dug in my heels and hand pulled thousands of garlic mustard plants as they are alien to my area (not sure where it comes from but it's a pain in the arse as it chokes out all the nice stuff like trilliums, jacks and dogtooth violet (trout lily). I pulled it last spring and summer and this spring the woods is quite barren even though I scattered blue cohash berries and jack berries by the thousands. Hopefully next year the seeds will take... because they sure didn't this year. Maybe the birds ate them??? Or do these kinds of seeds take some time to germinate?

I also have a tiny redbud bush in amongst my mature maples and our soil is clay mixed with sand. I must make a point of watering it more this year as you make a good point of the maples sucking away all the moisture. Sadly the rabbits got at my redbud which was already small (about 1 foot square) and chewed it down. How can I protect it from the rabbits this winter? Can you just put a wood apple barrel over it? Burlap? I bought that little bush for myself for my birthday and was sad to find it mangled by the rabbits even though we have a fence surrounding our yard. The rabbits came in through our neighbor's yard which has big spaces under their fence and an open gateway between our yard and theirs. Dasterdly wabbits!

As for trees, I guess it depends on what you want. Did you want "native to your area" trees? If so, tell us where you live. If not there are loads of understory trees and tall shrubs you can use. For trees you might think about Red Oak, Bur Oak, A different maple, one of the Lindens, tulip tree has very pretty leaves and unique flowers (don't plant near houses or underground structures as the roots are invasive). Dogwood works well in understories but is not as tall as your maples. Serviceberry/Juneberry is another "not as tall" tree but very nice berries that the birds go crazy for and has fantastic fall colour (neon orange).

Barb