Clark Kent or Superman?? River birch roots near house

I have a rather large river birch that is planted about 8' or so near the house ( wasn't me! it was my ex-husband...the landscaper !! lol) I have had several landscapers tell me recently that the roots of this tree pose an real threat to the foundation of the house and that I should either get a stump grinder in and take out the roots between the house and the tree so it will slow the potential for damage down or just take the tree down. Thats the Superman theory.

A certain person that shall remain nameless from Illinois ( did I spell that right Lauren ?? lol) said that she thought the roots would act like the mild mannered Clark Kent and just turn away from the house and not hurt the foundation. It was her excellent idea to post this and ask everyone here-great idea nameless one!!

My only concern was if people from the north were going to be familiar with the growth habits of plants that grow in this climate-i.e. longer growing season, more aggressive growth etc. It may be an irrelevant concern.

I had just pulled out 3 large hollies between the house and the river birch, hence all the attention to the ground here. So here are the pics and you all tell me what you think..cause I can me Lex Luthor (sp-I don;t even know why I am using Superman as a comparison-obviously I am not a true fan or I would know how to spell this dude's name!! lol forgive the stupidity!) and take this tree down.

this is the tree from a distance so you can see the heighth. In the last picture, you can see that monster root heading right for the house-it is about 9-10" in diameter and it got hacked thru with an axe, but not sure if that's enough to stop it.

Well, I won't be any help here, but I will be interested in any answers because I have a 4 year old river birch in exactly the same spot near my house, planted by a landscaper (no relation, ex or otherwise). Probably be years before it gets that big, though.

Leave them be! We're not talking Weeping Willow Trees here.

Now that I've said that, I suspect people will come out of the woodwork to comment. Seriously, I doubt you have any issues there with Betula nigra.

Should be OK. The very fact that they are surface roots means they are safe. The roots that damage foundations are the deep ones that get in underneath the foundations.

Birch, along with beech, has the best reputation of any large-sized tree for not causing damage to foundations. The bad ones are deep-rooted trees like poplar, willow, oak, elm.

Resin

ok thanks Resin and Equil, I probably shouldn't have cut that big root...these trees are really tempermental when it comes to drying out-even one this size, wonder how its going to react to having its root cut? Rhetorical question, I'm about to plant a palm near it, and any roots in the way are goners.

Forgive me but...
Tigger just got taken!

What did the landscaper charge you to get those big bad Betula roots away from your concrete slab foundation to your home? His charge for that service was probably the cost of a round trip ticket to come and visit me!

lol....now the fun starts eh nameless one??? You would just be loving it if I said hundreds of dollars....but not!! It was free-you forget these landscapers are my customers...my flowers can make or break a property for them. I know its senseless, but most people just look at the flowers and grass at a commercial property-not the specimum trees or how they are pruned.

This tree would be so easy to drop, I'm not paying anybody to do it. A cumalong (sp-and what a word to spell wrong!) works wonders.

Ah, a barter deal. I see how this works. He gets to cut your roots in exchange for hundreds of dollars of Coleus and then if the tree starts looking a little unhappy, he can be Johnny-On-The-Spot and volunteer to take it down for you in exhcange for hundreds of dollars of your plants. Suchadeal, suchadeal. Sell those plants yourself and come and visit me woman!

lol....stop it!! you are making me laugh too much! I think I will not let these landscaper know what you think-this one esp gets a bit offended...
He did say how a river birch did get into a foundation of a house on one of their properties. I have a great idea-why don;t you come here-you can help me layout all these tropicals I have bought....turns out buying them is a lot easier than getting them in the ground lol who'd a thought??

How are you at pushing a wheel barrow filled with mulch with one hand? I bet we could strap yr right elbow to the handle to help steer.... I have 20 cuyds coming Thurs am

Sweetie, if I would have known you were going to let him take the knife to the roots BEFORE you got input from other members, I would have been a little bit more ascertive in asking you to hold off. Problems with Betula nigra roots near a cinder block foundation... possible but not probable. Problems with a Betula nigra root system up next to a poured concrete foundation... doubtful, very doubtful. Problems with a Betula nigra up next to a concrete slab.... well I got some snake oil to sell ya. And tell your landscaper buddy who would be offended that he's not allowed any where near any of the trees or shrubs planted up next to my foundation or I'm going to crack his knuckles with a ruler. Hmmm, I wonder if he confused the roots of that nasty River Birch that got into the foundation of one of his properties with a nearby Willow or something. Tell him to join DG and we'll let resin and any of the other true professionals set him straight. No need for lowly me to do it with so many credentials in these threads.

The wheel barrel is a no go for a few more weeks if its fully loaded. I'll be thinking of you sitting here eating bon bons and watching soap operas as you sweat your brains out working like a dog.

lol whooo hooo thats way harsh!! " sweating my brains out and working like a dog" ....why Equil, you make gardening sound like so much fun! You know I wish I worked like a dog....I know my dogs are out there killing themselves day after day after day.....not!!! Maybe I should be coming out there to see you and catch up on the soaps.....are there any bon bons left? :)

A friend was over today laughing at the amount of tropicals that I have accumulated over the past 6 weeks. If I thought you had tropical plants at your nurseries, I would be on the next plane, its a sickness I tell you

We need to quick fast get into a Plants Anonymous chapter somewhere. That's it! Plants Anonymous. I gotta run. More comments later after I've eaten. I'm a much nicer person with a full belly.

editing to add... have you ever heard of Jamaican Gardens? I've got two of them out my way. Ha ha ha, come and shop! Oh, are you interested in Orchids? Anything from Ascocentrum to Paphiopedilum? Well, we've got Hausermann's about an hour away- http://www.orchidsbyhausermann.com/ Eat your heart out Tigger!

This message was edited Jun 12, 2006 5:55 PM

OK. You folk on this forum are way too hip-hop for me - I'm just an old gardener - but is it possible that the firbrous root system of the river birch will seek the plumbing? I'm just asking, because we have several river birch planted within 10 - 15 feet of our home - we're never removing them, but our plumbing friends say their root systems are seeking water in our sewer system. Please be kind, I'm just askin'.

Sorry peony. Fooled you, we're just old gardeners too for the most part.

I've got a little farm property up north and the main line from the well in to the house went bad this spring. eek, $$$ and we'll need to drill a new well too and get a new pump. This is sort of Déjà vu for me as I just had to pay to redrill my existing well that went dry where I live year round last year. Easy come, easy go I guess. The plumbing and such really needed to be replaced about 20 years ago up north and the man who came out was in shock it had lasted as long as it had. With all the tree roots in and around the pipes, what had done them in was the years. The steel casing corroded. The old 60 year metal pipes rusted out and collapsed so I lost water pressure. The new pipes are all pvc. I was assured there would be no issues with my trees. Hope this helps.

Peony, rest easy. Tree roots don't "seek out" pipes despite the old wives' tales (old plumbers' tails?). They will exploit any leaks they stumble onto, but nothing more.

Guy S.

This topic wins the webby for "most intriguing subject line of a tree forum post."

Thanks Joulz, I'm just glad I don't have to do a Lex Luther number on this tree.....although where there is more sunshine, there is more gardening options.

Another landscaper ( yes i am surrounded by them-they are my customers!) said that he had to bring a river birch down once and he had never seen a tree with so much sap in it. He said it was pouring out at times-hence he thought the tree was heavy and that in times of storms ( ice or hurricanes-neither is unheard of here at all) that the branches coming down on the roof could pose a serious threat of real damage due to the weight of the branches-anyone else hear of that?

No ice or hurricanes your way? One can never be too prepared for such catastrophic events though and Birch do seem to be sappier (sp?) than some trees but you could always tap that sap I suppose and drain the tree a little bit to make it lighter in the event your area gets hit by a major weather system. I mean after all, if these landscapers have you worried about the weight of the limbs now because they may have excessive sap this could be an extremely viable option. Maybe this landscaper could tap them for the sap for you for a nominal fee of 10 flats of Coleus. I think I read something on Birch sap once. I feel your pain so lemme check the Internet for a bit. Be back.

lol...you have to stop beating me up like this!!! You're killing me...literally! My stomach hurts...ok??? Here I am trying to save my roof ( and me I might add) and you are googling " how to get the sap from a tree". Maybe it will come out of the root that I cut.....

Speaking of the root that you cut...

Yup, Birch trees are sappy! I just found that you could create a tonic with it and that this tonic is used as a traditional herbal medicine functioning as anticeptic, antiparasitic, anti-inflamatory, and anti-itching treatment in Russia. In Alaska, the Natives used birch leaves "to make a comforting tea. Birch leaf tea has been used as therapy for gout, rheumatism, and dropsy and also for dissolving kidney stones. Simmonite-Culpeper describes birch as a diuretic if a strong juice is made from the leaves. A decoction of leaves may be used as a mouthwash. According to Grieve the young shoots and leaves secrete a resinous substance that, combined with alkalis, forms a laxative". Oh Tigger! What a hedge against dropsy you have there right in your own yard- lucky you! And just think of the antiparasitic properties of Birch tonic! No more nasty Lone Star Ticks in your hair! And here just yesterday I sent you out to get a teflon flea comb to go through your hair!

I'm seeing a new enterprise in your future-
http://www.juniperridge.com/pbpn_jjs_birchsyrup.htm
Only 100 gallons of sap to boil down to make one gallon of syrup but it would be worth it to lessen the load of those big bad Betula branches so they don't fall off and hit your house in the next hurricane that passes through.

I don't deserve to be having this much fun. From Wikpedia I just learned that you could start your own distillary over there with all that left over bark you'll have when you cut that tree down, waste not want not- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_beer

Aren't you done reading my post yet? I know you are out there busting a gut. I certainly was.

Birch, a versatile yet productive tree!

Yes I am done reading, but there was so much helpful info that I just had to take notes....first of all, this tree produces betulinic acid which is very active in treating melanoma cancer ( considering how much time I spend in the sun-this will really save me a ton of money in that I can now treat myself!!) and it is also very helpful in combating HIV-ok that one I think I can pass on.

The lapti lapti shoes worn by the ...I forget-the people with the reindeer ( no not the elves-the other people) is very useful for humans with "ill" legs-whatever that may mean-except that they did say that it was very useful for people with a fungus on their leg- so Lauren-this may be the cure you were looking for your "problems" i.e fungus on your legs!!!! lol oh how bad am I ???? You had to call me and tell me to respond...

So basically what you are suggesting is that I arm myself with some empty milk cartons in the bedroom and when the tree comes crashing thru I will be ready to collect all that sap???

Hmmm, if white birches make white birch beer, and yellow birches make yellow beer, and red birches make red beer, and black birches make black beer, then I wonder if those purple-leaved birches make purple beer . . .

(Anon. from Illinois)

Who the heck actually reads my links? Tigger just extracted the goods on fungus, HIV, and melanoma cancer that I was planning on using in a comeback. Man oh man she took the wind out of my next post which had me laughing so hard my face hurt and I didn't even get a chance to type it.

Yes I can see how self medicating for melanoma cancers could really save $$$. Sorry, fresh out of fungus on my legs but I did break down and shave them. Does that count for anything? I am really liking the idea of laying in bed armed with milk jugs to gather the sap. Got anyone who could hold an umbrella over your head and drop grapes in your mouth to keep your energy up while your gathering the sap after the tree crashes through your roof?

Hey Guy, remember that movie with Ned Beaty and Shelley Winters? Maybe she could set aside purple birch leaves to appease the Purple People Eater-
http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?master_movie_id=24335&movie_nss=7033

Look, we can own your own Purple People Eaters-
http://thehorrordome.com/HDSHOPPINGPROPS/PurplePeopleEaterLARGE.htm

well...speaking as a grower now....shaving your legs could very well help to prevent a fungus. The more air flow you have, the less chance of a fungus outbreak. We in the industry always advocate a clean environment i.e. picking up all the old vegetation off the grhouse floor etc, so I would absolutely encourage you to not shave your legs on the floor and not dispose of the waste approriately to prevent further outbreaks of this dreaded leg fungus, if you can't do that-let me know and I will get started on those lapti lapti shoes for you, I am thinking just a few branches should suffice. I already have a 5 gallon bucket out there poised to catch the drippings when I cut the branches...as you so gleefully say...waste not, want not.

By the way, happy birthday, leg-shaver!
Are you 29 yet?
Guy S.

Oh my gosh, does this mean I shouldn't be weaving my leg hairs into a throw rug for you? But but but... that rug is going to be my house warming gift to you after the Birch tree comes crashing through your roof and you have to buy a new home. I know what you can do! You can make a pair of lapti lapti shoes for yourself so that when you stand on the rug you will be protected from the ever dreaded leg fungus.

Say Guy, you're a few days early! Try 29 + 20!

Now, how many females do we all know who will admit their advanced age, unless it results in getting senior discounts?
Hee-hee-hee!

I haven't laughed this hard for this long a period of time in awhile...like I said-you're killing me!!! This is getting so gross....the thought of a handwoven rug made out of your leg hairs....have I ever told you that I am a gagger??? I gag easily and I feel a gag attack coming on. We have to stop this. Although with all the dogs and cat sheding like crazy right now, I doubt anyone here would notice the rug as a new addition...so yes Lauren-start weaving and I will weave the shoes and we will both become weavers- well...you said you wanted a new career... The birch canoe you said you wanted might be a bit tough for me though...let me google on how to carve it and I will get back to you

Ohhhhh Tigger, now there's something there's no shortage of in this house... animal hair. I've got lots of that to add to your throw rug and as an added bonus, I could apply trim of upchucked kitty furballs- dried out of course.

A weaving career? Possibilities abound! I see horeshair lap blankets in addition to the throw rugs. No shortage of horse hair around here either. I'm game for a weaving career if it provides good benefits.

Say Guy, forget the senior discounts. How about a freebie! For my birthday can you make me a birch bark canoe? I'm feeling the need to launch one into the middle of the pond so that I can while away the hours of my advanced age letting my fingers trail in the water.

Sorry, I can't hear you. Deaf, ya know. Old age does that.

Guy S.

Must be a "gray matter moment".

Been meaning to ask . . . who (or what?) is "Clark Kent"?

Resin

Clark Kent = Superman

He was a "mild mannered" reporter by day until the forces of evil came into play and then he transformed into Superman.

I have noticed that a lot of the river birches around here have very thin foliage, certainly not enough to provide any real shade. Is that their natural way or could it be too dry for them? We haven't had much rain lately. I don't have any on my property but have noticed others.

I wouldn't classify them as a shade tree. What you describe seems consistent with my Birch.

although the circle of shade is smaller than a elm/oak, I think the shade is every bit as dense. As a matter of fact, I was out there this am trimming branches to allow some light in so I could plant something under the tree other than plants that can take total shade. The tree puts out so many branches, that while one branch doesn't seem dense, they add up to total shade. I could take a decent nap under this tree in full summer heat, and sleep pretty well..lol...i.e. no sun in my eyes

I've just joined this site because I too have a river birch planted within 5 feet of my foundation. After reading this whole thread I didn't see a definitive answer as to whether or not the roots pose a threat to my block basement wall. I just planted the tree a year ago and it's probably 20ft. tall. If it's going to be a threat I want to do something about it now!

Leave it be. Enjoy it right where it is. It was by far one of the best choices for where you planted it.