Question
QUESTION: Hi Jim

I have a Sycamore maple growing in front of my house.  My front yard is less than 300 square feet.  The tree is planted 15 feet from my homes foundation, and only a couple of feet from my driveway and sidewalk.  I have a 2 story house with solar panels on the roof (about 32 feet from the ground).  Surrounding the tree is grass, and the tree receives a good deal of afternoon sun.

I am in an HOA that up to this point is the party responsible for putting the tree there and has no concerns of it.

I have done some research and have found that a sycamore (this was confirmed by the City Landscape certified arborist) can grow very large, and have the following concerns:

1.  The trees roots will start to uplift my driveway (which I would have to pay for repairs) and sidewalk.

2.  Eventually the trees roots will begin to do damage to my homes foundation (costing me a great deal of money).

3.  Any plants underneath the tree, including grass will have some difficulty surviving as time goes on.  The tree will get larger and start to block out enough sunlight to begin slowly killing off other plants in my small less than 300 square foot garden.

4.  The tree will reach the height of my roof (it is already half way up the house), and will grow substantially taller; making the current proposed solution to just prune the tree so as to not block out my solar virtually impossible.  Could you prune a sycamore sufficiently so as to not ruin the look of the tree and not block out the solar panels?  

5.  My house/yard as is, lets enough light in that I do not need to turn on the lights.  I am afraid that this large shade tree will block out all the natural light in my house, making my home dark.  So, I will want to trim the bottom half or third of the tree as well.  Again, could this be done while still maintaining a pleasant look to the tree?

6.  My front yard is shared with another neighbor (whose approximate front yard is an additional 300 square feet or so.  In all, we have about 600 square feet).  He also has a Sycamore tree.  His tree is planted no more than 25 feet (if that) apart from my tree.  Will the tree limbs begin running into one another, even if one were to prune them, and would the trees still maintain a pleasing shape?  More importantly, if he did not remove his tree, could his roots damage my homes foundation?  

7.  With less than 300 square feet to my yard, what tree (if any) would you recommend that would not grow as tall as my roof, or damage property, or prevent the sunlight from lighting my house?

Thank you.



ANSWER: Sycamore maple will reach  Height: 40 to 60?Width: 25 to 40?at maturity. This is entirely too large a tree for a 300 foot space. The roots will spread about 1 1/2 ties the width of the branches meaning about 25-40 feet from the trunk. Probably will not have a problem with the roots and the foundation being that the tree is 15 feet from the house BUT you will have problems with the branches rubbing the house. Being this close to the driveway it will lift the drive. And as the tree grows taller it will block the solar panels. I very seldom recommend that a tree be removed but in this case I would remove the tree. Pruning will not help--heavy pruning will make the tree look like a bush and not too pretty.  

The shade from this tree will cause the plants (grass under it to not grow well). I honestly would not put a tree in a space 10 X 30 or 15 X 20 (300 square feet) Even small tree that reach a height of less than 20 feet will have a spread that will cover most of this space. Even Japanese maple has a Height: 15 to 25 feet and a Spread: 15 to 25 feet. There are some dwarf varieties of tree that might wok in this area IF you just had to have a tree.

It is always important to choose dwarf ornamental trees that will do well in your locales hardiness zone. Other considerations should include whether you want a flowering tree or shade tree and whether you mind a little lawn debris that may result. Most dwarf ornamental trees fall in the 10-foot or shorter category, but you should still give them plenty of room away from buildings and fences for optimum growth.

The following dwarf ornamental trees could work but make sure it is a dwarf:

Japanese Maple
Alberta Spruce
Weeping Redbud
Tina Crabapple
China Girl Dogwood
Stewartia
Persian Ironwood
Franklin Tree
Fir ?Meyer抯 Fir, Korean Fir, Balsam
Chase Manhattan Dwarf Ginkgo
Dwarf Larch
Weeping Youngii Birch

Again I think I would not have a tree in this space the space is just too small.


I saw your question also on the Forestry forum --if the HOA will not allow you to remove a live tree do they allow the removal of a dead one--if so kill the tree and then remove it. IF you have to replace it plant the smallest seedling you can find and as it gets above 5-10 feet tall it too may die from a mysterious "disease". IF the HOA demands a "tree" give them the smallest seedling you can find. I am in  HOA also and there is always a away to get around the "rules'.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: While doing my own research, going to many different websites/forums/etc, I found that there was a "golden rule" of tree roots.  Plant a tree as far as the trees mature height to ensure no foundation/structural damage.  Would you agree or disagree with this rule?

It is my gut feeling too that our space is just too small for a tree.

The HOA is very stubborn.  They insist that everybody have the same of everything.  So, in my denial letter to remove the tree, they stated that in addition to pruning the tree to prevent blocking of my solar panels, that it would ruin the look and uniformity of the neighborhood, as every house has a sycamore tree (they nor the landscapers even knew what kind of tree it was).  

The first tree that was here was dead when I first moved into this community earlier this year.  When I saw how fast the neighbors tree was growing, I asked if they could just remove my dead tree and leave my home tree-less while I do some research on what kind of tree I have.  They said "No", and that they are required to replace any dead tree, and that I have no right to say no to a tree (again all the neighbors have a sycamore tree, so I would need to have a sycamore tree as well to keep with the uniformity that is not present in the CC&R's, but is followed none the less).  

Well, the replacement tree seems to be dying off as well, as do most of the other replacement trees.  They replaced all the neighborhoods dead trees with live 15 foot trees in June.  I read on the internet that you don't want to plant this tree in the month of June, so if that is accurate, that explains why all the new trees around here are dying.  Since the trees are dying naturally, I won't have to kill the tree myself (something that I am opposed too, as I am a biologist which is the study of life).

Another possible route for me to have my tree removed is to say that I want water efficient front yard (it is currently mostly all grass with the tree near the sidewalk).  If the trees shade begins to present a problem with a more water efficient landscape, I think that would finally give me the leverage I need.

Thank you very much Jim.

- Jeremy  

Answer
You are right the summer months are the worst time to plant a tree especially a 15 foot tree. The root system would not be large enough to with stand the hot dry months.  The proper way to plant a tree would be dig the hole twice the size of the root ball and fill with good top soil or potting soil and mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. Water with 1 inch of water per week. Plant during the winter between the time the hardwood leaves fall and the soil freezes OR early in the spring before the leaves bud out.  
Sounds like the HOA does not have a "landscaper" but a cheap tree planter who does not know his business.
Sycamores do not grow too well in yards they naturally live in moist areas usually near a stream meaning they need moisture so planting them in the summer would be the worst thing to do. They can become massive trees Height: 70 to 100' Spread Width: 60 to 80'. Way too large for your space.  

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/platanus_occide

We had them planted along the road leading to  our Shakespeare Festival park  But after 5-6 years they stared to dieback from disease and have ben replaced. Not a long lived tree for the yard. The best thing to do is get like minded folks like your self and get on the Board of Directors and change the Specs for tree planting. OR talk with Directors and educate them on trees and not every house is the same. Good luck!