Tree identification.

[cycleruk]

Does anyone know what kind of tree this is ?
About 20 Ft tall. small white flowers, orange berries (~1cm dia') over 30 years old.
This was in the garden when we moved in, It is the first year we have seen the blossom and now lots of berries.

I found this on a web' search but it didn't give any information of its type.

I did wonder if it is a Wild Cherry" but the berries are not as big as your shop cherries.

Cheers.

[Oldjohnw]

Might it be a Swedish Whitebeam?

[cycleruk]

Might it be a Swedish Whitebeam?

Very similar but not sure if it is.
http://www.tree-guide.com/swedish-whitebeam
The bark is smooth and the berries are what I would say are bigger than peas.

[bogmyrtle]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

[cycleruk]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has been over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

[mercalia]

a house next to the block of flats where I live insisted we cut down a l large tree next to his property, he said the inurance people wouldnt insure his house. The tree was about 20 feet away

[cycleruk]

a house next to the block of flats where I live insisted we cut down a l large tree next to his property, he said the inurance people wouldnt insure his house. The tree was about 20 feet away

I think our house insurance asks if there is any tree more than thirty foot tall near the house.
I am under the impression that root spread is the same as the branch spread of a tree. True or not ?

[Carlton green]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has been over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

As a generally accepted rule trees shouldn’t be planted next to houses because their roots cause heave and can interfere with drains too. I suggest that you plan to remove the tree ASAP - it’s not worth taking the risk - and consider planting something else (to replace it) in a much more suitable place. I’d do some research first for something with a low mature height and avoid cherry trees ‘cause they do have a reputation for destructive roots.

[cycleruk]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has taken over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

As a generally accepted rule trees shouldn’t be planted next to houses because their roots cause heave and can interfere with drains too. I suggest that you plan to remove the tree ASAP - it’s not worth taking the risk - and consider planting something else (to replace it) in a much more suitable place. I’d do some research first for something with a low mature height and avoid cherry trees ‘cause they do have a reputation for destructive roots.

The tree was planted by the previous owners but was no way as big as it is now.
Any thoughts on the best way to remove ?
No problem in cutting down but my usual way is to leave a large stump for leverage. Followed by digging around the roots until it can be pulled out by brute force. Depending on the root spread I chop them and leave the remains in the ground to gradually rot away.

[Paulatic]

In this case I’d just cut it off as close to ground level as possible. Trying to remove the root ball using the tree as a lever is going to upset that path next to house.
I cut down a Stagshorn a few years ago It was throwing babies out upto 20ft away. Managed to cut it at lawn level then built up around it with compost and can now mow straight over the top never realising it’s there. Other stumps I’ve left around 600mm then grow a plant beside them.

[Carlton green]

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has taken over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

As a generally accepted rule trees shouldn’t be planted next to houses because their roots cause heave and can interfere with drains too. I suggest that you plan to remove the tree ASAP - it’s not worth taking the risk - and consider planting something else (to replace it) in a much more suitable place. I’d do some research first for something with a low mature height and avoid cherry trees ‘cause they do have a reputation for destructive roots.

The tree was planted by the previous owners but was no way as big as it is now.
Any thoughts on the best way to remove ?
No problem in cutting down but my usual way is to leave a large stump for leverage. Followed by digging around the roots until it can be pulled out by brute force. Depending on the root spread I chop them and leave the remains in the ground to gradually rot away.

Normally I would follow your route too (best practice I think, I cut through the roots in the trench too) however in this case, with the tree being so near a path, I think that that will lead to too many issues. Sometimes ‘simply’ sawing and chiselling the stump flush with the ground is the way to go, it’ll probably not survive but if it does sprout then treat it accordingly.

[Ben@Forest]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has been over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

If you're on shrinkable clay cutting it down may do more harm than good. As a professional l have to say taking advice on a cycling forum is foolhardy in the extreme.

[cycleruk]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has been over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

If you're on shrinkable clay cutting it down may do more harm than good. As a professional l have to say taking advice on a cycling forum is foolhardy in the extreme.

Some good people on this forum.
Some of who are professionals in various fields. (no pun intended. )
Will consider cutting at ground level and grassing over.
Or some thought at the moment is to get rid of all the grass and "landscape" with loose stone.

[661-Pete]

If you're on shrinkable clay cutting it down may do more harm than good. As a professional l have to say taking advice on a cycling forum is foolhardy in the extreme.

Thanks for that - good advice from the expert.

At the family home where I grew up - which was indeed built on shrinkable clay - there was a huge Bramley apple tree growing about six feet from the house. Of course many people coming to visit, said, "cut it down" - but my parents were loath to do so: every year (well, every two years to be precise) it yielded a bountiful crop of cooking apples.

By the time my mother passed away and we finally sold the house - after 50 years - that tree, still standing, must have been well over 100 years old. One or two prospective buyers came to look at the house, glanced at the tree and muttered "It'll have to go" - despite the fact that there had been no problems between the tree and the house (apart from the occasional squirrel leaping from the tree into the loft space). But as far as I can recall, the eventual buyers didn't say anything about the tree. I haven't been back to the house since it was sold, so I don't know if the tree is still there*. Bearing in mind what you have said, I'm wondering: if they did take it out, hope they didn't have problems thereafter!

*just occurred to me, I could check on Google maps.... [edit] just checked, the tree has gone. Oh well, not my problem...

[Carlton green]

Whatever it is, it's not good for the foundations being so close to the house.

That has been on my mind for a few years now.
Shame to cut it down but it probably has to go. I hate to destroy trees and shrubs.
Why it has been over 30 years to blossom for the first time ?? Maybe it knows something I don't.

If you're on shrinkable clay cutting it down may do more harm than good. As a professional l have to say taking advice on a cycling forum is foolhardy in the extreme.

H’mm well your right in that this isn’t the best place to ask but sometimes it’s a case of asking your friends what they think first and then going from there. However I don’t doubt that you are correct in what you say, but finding an honest local expert for any problem isn’t always straightforward. In my original response I’d considered suggesting that the OP contact a Chartered Surveyor but wondered whether that was really necessary or not.