Clark Kent or Superman?? River birch roots near house

I've very much enjoyed reading this thread. I too am in upper Illinois, in one of those towns along the Fox River. Anyway... I've been toying with planting a River Birch about 5-6 away from a newly installed patio. I understand that it would not pose a threat to a foundation, but what about heaving the patio... it is flagstone.

And thanks for reminding me... I need to shave my legs!

I know where Batavia is! Nice community. You're about an hour away from me.

Plant your River Birch... now go shave your legs.

Or shave your river birch and plant your legs . . .

If you're concerned about root growth pressing against your foundation, trench along the wall and install a root barrier to about 3 feet depth. The intent is to direct the growth laterally along and parallel with the wall but several inches away from it. A heavy plastic sheet will do unless you can find one of those copper-impregnated geotextile barriers.

Guy S.

What an interesting landscape that would be with legs sticking out of the ground dotting the countryside. My brother got his hands on some of those mannequins and had some fun with those about 20 years ago.

I don't think she needs it but she could ram a few sheets of plexiglass down there. That's certainly cheap enough.

I think the surface roots would heave your patio. I will have to take a picture of the roots by my pond one of these days.

Nobody seems to talk about the ultimate size of the river birch in these discussions, preferring to look down(at roots) instead of up(at the canopy). Dirr says 40'-70' in height, may reach 90', with a 40'-60' spread. National champ is 111' x 96'. I have a couple 30 year old trees here, along with offspring of these two that seeded along my pond, as well as a bazillion seedlings in the woods. The 30 year old trees are huge and wide, and completely inappropriate for planting close to a house. They also shower the landscape below with branches year round.

This message was edited Jun 22, 2006 11:31 AM

I think that's different Kevin. Your tree is going for the water.

Here's one shot showing a 30 year old tree

I agree with Kevin, River Birch does get very big and trunks tend to lean away from the center of clump in multistem specimens, spreading in very wide outstreached pattern. I wouldn't plant river Birch closer than15 feet from a building, 20 feet would be better....

Same tree, different angle, with my 10 year old in the pic for scale(he's 5'3").

Roots on a smaller tree by the pond

and lastly, as Patrick referenced, a multistem model

oops--one more--here is underneath the multistem tree, with all the seedlings, and a couple of those weedy oaks popping up(ignore those dandelions).

This message was edited Jun 22, 2006 12:01 PM

Your son is as tall as I am and he's only 10? Man, did my kids get stiffed when they dolled out height genes. My 11 year old is barely over 4' tall.

The trees are beautiful but then everything you touch is beautiful and I see that nice exclusion fence in the background.

I see roots such as what you have photographed along streams and on slopes to water. The ones I have around here are fine. I've got them planted about 7' from my foundation and I've got another one planted closer to a concrete patio. This is a popular tree around here because people go and dig them up and replant them on their properties.

If I planted the regular River Birch it would most likely be too big for the location. Even centered properly it would be about 7' from 2 different garages (one a neighbor's), 4-5' from patio and 10' from the house. Are the smaller varieties known to grow well here and are they available in the same colors? I do not want white as the house & garage are white.

This area is where all the run-off from driveway & patio goes, but there are drain tiles and a couple of French drains installed.

OK...I just caught up with the thread (see my post from 6/12) 1. still love my birch, won't be moving it singing a little Beatles tune here 'La la la leave them be...' 2. love birch beer, but won't be making my own in any color 3. try to shave my legs on a regular basis but won't be posting any pix 4. my 'kid' is 6' 2" 5. live close to Batavia, NY which is also a very nice community gram

feeling my legs to see if I need a shave...thanks Equil for reminding us...think I can get by for a day or two-esp if I'm not going anywhere!.

Looking at the top root of my birch and knowing it would heave a patio with time if it were close enough-this top root is about 9" in diameter-thats a big boy

Wondering how to get the betulinic acid from the tree as a preemptive strike against cancer-say Lauren...can you research that for me??? lol

No way! You do your own dirty work woman!

Well, thanks very much for the input. I went to a local nursery (Planter's Palette - Winfield) here yesterday evening and came home with a Pink Princess weeping crab. It's in the ground and I think it should work out pretty well. Far cry from a River Birch, but more suitable for the space.

So with the hole digging, and dinner to get on the table, I was just too tired to get my legs shaved... maybe tonight, or I just might look for a local weaving group... LOL

Thatagirl! A local weaving group!

Well, dbratsch, I do think that if you are going to join the weaving group-you should shave-unless you are like Equil and wanting to go for the rug!! And if you do join, can you find out about how to weave those Lapti Lapti shoes for me?? ( Shhhh...its a xmas ( or jewish) present for someone I know that really is in need of it)

Equil-no cheating on my rug, I don't want to see any dog hairs in it!!

Equil & Tiger, no luck in finding a local weaving group. In looking for one, I was trying to get out of shaving my legs by learning to weave corn rows or other fancy designs on my legs... folicles intact, not shaving to weave for something else, kinda defeats the whole purpose to me. LOL

Oh, now there's an idea- corn rows. How feminine.