Crepe Myrtle doesn't grow too tall and it's great for the pollenators, blooming through Summer. Magnolia will grow very tall, but seems to have a lower center of gravity than most other trees. Plus, magnolia is also terrific for the pollenators and smell wonderful even late into the Summer.

Pecan trees grow tall but much stronger than Oak, I think. The pecan trees my great grandparents planted over 150 years ago and the one my Gran inherited in a home she purchased 75 years ago are still producing.

My parents had old pecan trees in their yard too – they were at least 100 years old. There are old pecan trees growing all about in rural NC and I've never heard of any of them falling down. We haven't had the kind of severe drought California and the west seem to endure. But, we did have a three year drought a few years ago and none of the pecan trees fell down. Some maple and oak did.

I have fond memories playing under pecan trees as a child.

My grandfather kept apple trees in the back yard too. They never grew too tall and still produce bushels of apples every year.

NC has lots of very tall pine trees. But, they shed pine needles like mad year round, and rain green-yellow pollen like snow every Spring.