My backyard patio currently has 2 red pines planted within 5-10ft of it that offer pretty decent morning shade and break up the view of the house from a pretty busy road to the east of the house.
Obviously red pines are not ideal shade trees, especially that close to the patio as everything gets covered in pitch and pine cones. They've also lost a good bit of their lower and touching branches and they're just quite scraggly in general.
I'd like to get something planted this fall 15-20 ft on the other side of them that will provide some decent backyard shade eventually and make plans to remove them over the next couple of years. One other hitch is that the location is only about 25-30ft from the beginning of my drain field for my septic system. So invasive rooters are out.
Minnesota, 4b. East side, plenty of sun, clay soil. I'd like something with a high canopy as well.
Am I stuck with a white oak? What about a hackberry?