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SOIL POISONING by BEECH TREES
Dave Roberts writes
Hi! Is there a Forester or Tree Person out there who has expert knowledge of this subject? I have been told that the leaves from a Beech tree will poison the ground beneath so that no other species of plant will grow. Is there scientific proof of this? Another source suggests that this is a fallacy and that the situation is caused by the heavy leaf litter which piles up, being slow to decompose, and allowing no new growth to get through. Having just moved into a suburban garden with several massive Fagus Sylvatica I desperately need to know. With any large tree, the uptake of water by the tree and the shade effect is enough to prevent growth underneath without recourse to poison theories. Bluebells will grow in beech woodland. Either they are taking advantage of higher water levels in spring coupled with more light because the trees are not in leaf, or they have the ability to breakdown the poison produced by the leaves. I'm not aware of any warnings to omit beech leaves from leaf mould, which would be necessary if they were poisonous. I have recently been told the same 'poisoning the ground' theory about horse chestnuts. -- Kay |
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