Pete Nelson wrote:

In our backyard, we have (I believe) a large willow tree. A couple days ago, half of the
tree broke off and is laying in the yard. Take a look...

http://www.petenelson.com/temp/tree06.jpg
http://www.petenelson.com/temp/tree09.jpg
http://www.petenelson.com/temp/tree10.jpg

Been doing some research on the net and I see that the previous owners made a big mistake
in planting a willow this close to the house. It's about 5-6 feet away from the patio and
maybe 20 feet away from the house. This is much too large of a tree to plant in such a
small yard and the wide-reaching, shallow roots would have eventually caused problems with
the patio and possibly the foundation. Someone is coming this morning to give me an
estimate on its removal.

My guess is that it's been cracked for a while based on the weathering near the top of the
break and either wind or weight finally took over.

A few questions...

What kind of tree is this? Here is a better look at the branches (where it took out a
planter). http://www.petenelson.com/temp/tree07.jpg It's about 30-40ft tall and grows
extremely fast.

What should I replace it with? I'd like to have a tree that will provide decent shade and
not grow too large. We have a small suburban backyard and the tree would be planted in a
sprinklered lawn. We live in northen California, about 40 miles ENE of San Fran. Very
little rain between May-Sept with temps in the mid 70s-80s, couple inches of rain/month
between Nov-April with temps in the mid 50s-60s.

It is definitely a willow, most likely some form of Salix alba or babylonica. As you note, not
a good choice for a small urban garden - grows too big too fast and with a very aggressive
root system, particularly where water sources (water mains, irrigation systems, plumbing) is
concerned. Also prone to a lot of disease and insect problems and wind damage.

For your climate, a good alternative would be some form of Japanese maple - relatively small,
compact trees, provide nice, dappled shade and offer some wonderful foliage color. Not an
aggressive root system like many other maples species. Other choices would be a smaller
magnolia (deciduous or evergreen), a Western redbud, fern pine (Podocarpus), Japanese snowbell
or pretty much any dwarf or semi-dwarf fruit tree, including the ornamental (non-fruiting)
ones.

One thing about smaller trees - they tend to grow more slowly than those that put on
considerable height. It may take some time for an affordable small tree to develop significant
size and provide adequate shade. You can always locate and purchase larger, specimen-sized
trees, but be prepared to pay a premium for them - you are paying for the time and trouble the
grower invested to get the tree to that size.

pam - gardengal