>>2357952Back to OP if you are still deciding what to get. My top pick would still be a native red mulberry, and fuck what your neighbors think of the birds.
Here's several reasons why. First off they are very tenacious and will thrive in your wet soil. In fact they're so tough that you could get away with leaving the stumps of those box elders there and cutting the shoots as they come up, the mulberry will overtake it and thrive even more off the rotting stump after it dies. Mulberries are also very resistant to pruning, so if you want keep them as small shrubby trees that's easy and if you'd rather let them grow big they're happy like that too.
Next the fruit is absolutely delicious, packed with nutrients, antioxidants and you will hardly ever find them in a store and very expensive if so because they're too delicate to package and ship. Lastly, the native north american red mulberry, morbus rubra is endangered in the wild these days. There are tons of wild mulberry, but almost all have been hybridized with Asian white mulberry so you'd be doing a small part of helping the situation.
Another fun option pictured is a pawpaw, which grows well in your area, is a beautiful tree with big broad leaves, really cool looking flowers and it is north america's only native tropical fruit, which is extremely delicious also. This is mine I've been growing from a native seed for the past 7 years. It is about to flower for it's first time ever, very exciting!
