Sassafrax albidum (not sure on this one for two reasons -- I read they are affected by japanese beetle? we have a problem with that where I am. Also I heard they are like black walnut, can't grow anything under it? I will only have one so not likely any fruit so does it matter?)

I've seen sassafras in mixed woods around here with other things growing around and under them. I'm not sure if sassafras is all that allelopathic.

Lindera benzoin, spicebush, is a beautiful native bush. If you want the red berries, which are striking, you will need both male and female plants. I have seen it grow in full shade and full sun. It's quite adaptable. I got unsexed plants and have 4 of them. I'm hoping for at least one male and one female.

I've planted Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, bearberry. I have the 'Vancouver Jade' variety and it seems quite resilient and quite pretty.

I've only seen wintergreen thrive under mature hardwoods, especially oak but maybe others have had different experiences.

Cornus florida, pretty trees. I wish I had a couple of those. We have tons of Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) here. If you want a real small shrub that makes a dense thicket, the gray dogwood would be a good choice. Birds like it for roosting.

I hear pawpaws are fussy about their roots and resent transplanting. With their large leaves they are rather tropical looking. If you'd like to get some fruit as well, there are different cultivars for fruit production. Nobody says you can't harvest from your natives as well! Raintree Nursery has a number of different pawpaw varieties.

FataMorgana

Asminia triloba - pawpaw tree Need two to tango. I like its large leaves and tropical look.'

carpinus caroliniana Love this one.
Juniperus virginiana (to replace the thuja cedars the deer keep eating, will they leave these ones alone?) No experience, but deer could well be a problem.

Magnolia acuminata - cucumber tree This is one I want also.

Nyssa sylvatica Good choice

Sassafrax albidum (not sure on this one for two reasons -- I read they are affected by japanese beetle? we have a problem with that where I am. Also I heard they are like black walnut, can't grow anything under it? I will only have one so not likely any fruit so does it matter?)

How high do the beetles fly?
Prtect from deer when young. This and Asimina will throw out root suckers which in my opinion is not a problem.

Shrubs:

Berries on my Lindera hang on most of the winter.

Cornus canadensis does not fruit weel for me and maybe not for you.

Sassafrax albidum (Sassafras) grows abundantly here. Many germinate and many die but many live. The birds always get the fruit before I can collect it for anyone. The wood is very brittle so don't plant this one near the house, driveway or anything else you don't want a tree falling on (ditto for Tulip Trees and brittleness). I have been able to grow things under and near Sassafras and Tulip Trees. Sassafras has a pleasant fragrance.

I have some small paw paws, they haven't done anything remarkable yet other than not being eaten by deer. Ditto for cornus.

The deer here are not eating the juniper.

Virginia Creeper is not problematic here.

Spice Bush is a great shrub. Also has pleasant fragrance.

I have some winterberry saplings and a few mature ones. The birds don't go seem to gor for their fruit until around now which is good since their other food sources have diminished by this time.

Wintergreen. I am having a tough time getting this one to grow and survive but it's a nice looking plant. Maybe you can do better.

I have volunteer elderberry shrubs that have lately increased in numbers but they are not the red berry type. The ones I have seem to prefer it a little wet. The occassional dead branch or stem should not cause any immediate alarm. Most of my mature elderberries lose and gain stems fairly regularly.

Don't have bearberry, wish I did.

It looks like a nice list. The Carolinian zone starts just south of Guelph and South, near the great lakes, so it depends:
1. The climate conditions where you live
2. The soil makeup, and alkalinity or acidity where you live. eg. Blueberries, bearberry might be an indication of acid soil.

Thank all. I am actually going to have my soil tested this spring in a few spots. I think the majority is neutral to slightly alkaline however we have a spot in the back where the native oak leaves drop all their leaves and so I think I may be lucky enough to have slightly acidic here but again only a test will tell for sure so I'm going to do one. Sounds like I may get away with the winterberry (even though it prefers slightly acidic our local nursery says it will do fine here) but sounds like I should only try a small amount of bearberry and bunchberry perhaps on the side where the oaks are and see how they do.

Re the shrubs are any of them going to attract more deer? We already have some deer problem and quite frankly I don't really want to provide them with food they like to attract more. Websites are very inconsistent however spicebush, buttonbush and red elderberry all say fragrant so will that stop the deer? I know if they are hungry they will eat anything I just don't want to invite more than I have now.

Sharon

I have volunteer spice bush and elderberry shrubs that the deer either don't eat or have failed to kill. I wish the dear would eat the garlic mustard. The elderberry shrubs have been gaining some ground lately so I have to wonder if deer don't like 'em. They don't appear to be bothering my blueberry shrubs either (go figure?).