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sbubandit_gw

Help Identifying a tree

SBUBandit
9 years ago

I apologize if this double posts, but I think I forgot to hit submit the first time, and its not showing when I refresh.

I am in the process of buying a house in Lapeer, MI. This tree is currently in the front/side yard. From what i can find online, the closest guess I can make is Black Willow. Its kinda pretty right now, but if its a willow, its too close to the well for my liking, so it will have to come down. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Comments (5)

  • lucky_p
    9 years ago

    Weeping willow, Salix babylonica

  • georgeinbandonoregon
    9 years ago

    well, actually there are a number of "weeping willows" in cultivation and many are NOT "pure" salix babylonica but instead hybrids with s. alba including the forms "tristis"(aka s. x sepulcralis "chrysocoma" (golden weeping willow) OR s. alba "niobe" OR s. babylonica "aurea" OR s. vitelliana "pendula"---the names often used indiscriminately for both the species and the (more common especially in the north) hybrid forms. very confusing for even the (so-called) "experts" and probably best to just call the tree some kind of weeping willow and leave it at that, LOL

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    is not the well lined with pipe???

    tree roots do not go very deep ... how deep is the well ????

    what is the source of your info in this regard???

    i would be more concerned if this was within 50 to 100 feet of my septic field.. rather than the well ... and the well and septic should nto be all that close together ....

    IMHO ... trees can not break into.. or invade.. modern PVC pipes or basements.. etc.. they dont carry along little drill sets ... when they come to an impervious structure.. they go around it ...

    almost ALL problems.. are trees invading.. already compromised pipes and basements ... the usual being 1900's clay adobe sewer lines.. packed with oakum ... again.. in today modern piping.. it shouldnt be an issue ... see link

    so.. on some level i am concerned you may be dealing with old wives tails .. lol.. tales .. rather than reality..

    we need some more facts ..

    all that said.. if you buy the property.. get rid of the tree if you want ... and have no guilt ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • SBUBandit
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the info Ken. I'll have to think about it a bit I guess. I have little to no experience with Willow trees, and it is rather pretty with the flowing limbs right now, so I'll consider keeping it. Guess it will come down to how well it fits in with the rest of my landscaping when I redo everything. The well is only 15 years old, but I don't have the depth right now.

    On another note, how strong are these trees when grown? I know they get huge, and once larger, it will be within reach of the driveway if it breaks.

    I was considering getting rid of it and replacing with either a sugar maple or red maple to match the one on the other side of the driveway once I figure out what it is. I think it is one of those two, but I'll keep that one as long as its not a silver maple.

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    Matching pairs of trees won't go with the rest of your layout unless the whole thing - including the house facade - is also geometrically symmetric, that is with matching pairs, straight lines, same pattern(s) repeated evenly throughout.