Trees drop things...you'll have to accept that.

That being said, I can't think of a finer, more beautiful (not to mention NATIVE) option than White Oak (quercus alba).

American Beech have that elegant old tree look and aren't terribly messy. Tupelo aren't terribly messy and have good fall color. Could be big, but Baldcypress aren't really messy and have an elegant look. A male American Persimmon wouldn't be messy at all.

Thanks folks!

Under consideration currently:

White oak

Red oak

Sawtooth Oak

Maybe Willow Oak

Shademaster honey locust

Sugar Maple

Red Maple

Autumn Blaze

Lacebark Elm

Ideally would like growth on the faster side (but who wouldn't I guess). I know we're not going to have the 12" thick branches of a 100 year old tree for our kids to climb on. Looks like American Beech grow quite slow. Bald Cypress are nice, but I am a bit partial to the rounded look.

Looks like we are zone 6b specifically (Rochester, NY suburb)

Most oaks are not as 'slow-growing' as many purport them to be.

Bur oak is fastest-growing oak in my plantings - typically doing anywhere from 1.5-3 ft/yr for first 20 years or more...with strong limbs, and potential to live - in a healthy state - for 400 years or more.

purple robe locust

I'm not too far away, on the east side of Buffalo, NY. If you don't mind starting with smaller seedlings (~2 feet) I have many extra oak seedlings you're welcome to pick from. Feel free to private message/e-mail me. Oaks can indeed be fast growing. I have scarlet, bur, pin, English, and shingle oaks I planted that all grow roughly 2 feet yearly.
American elm is another you should consider. They are very fast growing once established and mature into phenomenal large shade trees. My Valley Forge elm has grown 3-4 feet annually once established. There are a handful of DED resistant selections out there to choose from.

If you pick the lacebark elm from your list, look for the 'Allee' cultivar as it is supposed to be larger growing with a more uniform vase-shaped crown compared to run of the mill species U. parvifolia.

Japanese Zelkova is another great shade tree . . . so many choices!

FYI, my willow oak has not performed as well as my other oaks. However, it was a big box store purchase, so who knows what it's provenance is. I'm sure seedlings from the species northern end of its range would do better here.

Oh the Elm! Right. I had considered that as well, but don't know much about them. It's on the list now. Thanks for the offer @treeguy_ny. I'll let you know if we want to take you up on that!

No problem. I'm in my early 30's and enjoy starting a lot from seed, cuttings, or grafts. They establish quickly when small and start fast growth relatively soon after planting (often only a year or two). I'm assuming/hoping I'll be around long enough to see all my little trees gain some size and become majestic specimens!

White Oak are most resistant to oak wilt and other diseases. Red Oak grow faster. Sugar maple have the best Fall color.

I think we are down to oak and maple. White oak seems like a more dense tree foliage wise as far as oaks go, which we like. The elms are lovely, but the foliage starts a bit high, which wouldn't block the background as much as we like.

Maples have great fall color! I think I'd like the sugar maple, but it grows fairly slow. I've heard about the autumn blaze having breakage issues though.

I wouldn't rule out swamp white oak. IMO, a better landscape choice than even white oak. Ends up with a full, broad crown, beautiful tawny orange-brown leaves that hang on in winter-an effect I happen to like-and is perfectly well-adapted to regular mesic situations. In other words, does not need a swamp to grow in, lol!

I'm strongly leaning Northern Red Oak for a couple reason:

• Like the growth rate
• Like the fall colors
• A little smaller than the white oak, maybe fits a little better in our 65' deep x 95' wide backyard.

I like how they seem to have a fairly dense foliage compared to a couple other oak options like the sawtooth.

Talk me out of it?

"A little smaller than the white oak"

They both get huge, indistinguishably so in my neighborhood, but the white oak will grow a little slower. Therefore, any size difference wouldn't be a concern in your lifetime and possibly your childrens'.

Yeah that's fair. Actually the red oak gets taller I guess, but the white gets wider.

In the end I think the growth rate sells me, since I'm not sacrificing branch strength.

Going to check the scarlet as well, but I think that's a slow grower if I remember.

My scarlet oak is pretty fast growing, averages ~18-24" a year. I like the leaf shape of the scarlet with its deep sinuses as well . . . not to mention more consistent fall color than northern red oak. The northern red would probably look more dense due to the wider/less deeply lobed leaves. Both are nice trees.

Magnolia acuminata does quite well in your neck of the woods. No fall color to speak of, but it will quickly make a nice specimen that will turn some heads.

They do make great shade trees; the buffalo botanical gardens have a couple larger specimens. I have a young one growing happily!

A couple follow up questions here.

1. If I wanted to also plant a sugar maple, how far should it be from the oak?
2. How close can the oak/maple be to our aluminum fence? (Cement footers for the posts every 6 feet.)

I was figuring about 10-15ft from the fence for the oak, but perhaps it could be closer?

If space allows, I would plant them at least 30 feet apart, more if possible. 10 feet from the fence would be good, you wouldn't want them too close in case larger roots were to interfere with the cement footers.

......but that is all down the road a ways. Two trees which get planted at the same time, are of roughly the same size, and so while 30 ft. would be great, it's not the absolute essential spacing IMO.

True, they could be grown closer. If the OP is interested in as large and spreading a canopy as possible on both trees, then the further apart the better. Otherwise, as Tom notes, closer is just fine.

Yes, Q. Alba is the best oak tree in the long run, but, if your kids will need a powerful tree that will grow fast enough for them to climb this tree before they are in their twenties, or 30's, (if your kids are under 12) I would be planting a Sycamore. The Sycamore will grow fine, and the more water given to the tree the better it will grow.