My local council have recently planted a Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar
(Liriodendron Tulipifera) about 30 feet from my house.



This tree can grow up to 100 feet although the council have said they will
make sure that it will not grow more than 50 feet tall. Should I be
concerned about the distance that this tree has been planted from my house?
If so, what is the recommended minimum distance a tree of this size be
planted from a house?



Phil

The message
from "Phil" contains these words:

My local council have recently planted a Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar
(Liriodendron Tulipifera) about 30 feet from my house.

Poplar is something quite different from tulip tree, and would be
exceedingly worrying as a new planting 30 ft from a house. It's fast,
very robust (aka vandal-proof) and cheap.

Tulip trees are relatively expensive and don't flower for many years
until they get quite mature so to my way of thinking would be a rather
unusual choice for a council to buy/plant....from a theft/vandal
standpoint too. I've never heard it referred to as yellow poplar, so if
that's what the council calls it, I'd be suspicious you've got the first
one. But it hardly matters which it is. I wouldn't want any big fast
municipal tree to be planted only 30 ft from my house because this area
is now experiencing more frequent, more violent gales, as predicted by
climate experts. My insurers ask questions about nearby trees.

You'll probably find that your buildings insurance company takes the
same view. If you have that handy little clause in your contract about
"free legal support", now is the time to make use of it. I doubt if any
council is going to persist in defiance of an insurer's letter warning
of risk and liability.

Janet.

Thanks Janet. What a wonderful idea about contacting the insurance company.
So good that I contacted my buildings insurance. They were helpful but they
said they were not in a position to get involved. Their best advice so far
is to contact a tree surgeon for local advice on the size of the tree and
its possible problems. If I am struggling to get anywhere, I will see if I
can invoke my legal expenses part of the policy (knowing insurance companies
there will no doubt be exclusions).



I found the popular name for the Tulip Tree on the web (see
www.parks.ox.ac.uk/introduction). The Latin name is correct and I have
checked the leaf pattern and it matches. So I am confident that I have the
correct tree. According to the local council, it takes about 20 years to
grow to full maturity.



I also thought it was a strange choice by the council especially as there
was a lovely Hawthorn tree there before it was blown over. They seemed to
have planted it by default as they had some in stock. I see what you mean
about theft. I have looked at the price of these trees on the web and they
cost over £100.



Phil









"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Phil" contains these words:

My local council have recently planted a Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar
(Liriodendron Tulipifera) about 30 feet from my house.

Poplar is something quite different from tulip tree, and would be
exceedingly worrying as a new planting 30 ft from a house. It's fast,
very robust (aka vandal-proof) and cheap.

Tulip trees are relatively expensive and don't flower for many years
until they get quite mature so to my way of thinking would be a rather
unusual choice for a council to buy/plant....from a theft/vandal
standpoint too. I've never heard it referred to as yellow poplar, so if
that's what the council calls it, I'd be suspicious you've got the first
one. But it hardly matters which it is. I wouldn't want any big fast
municipal tree to be planted only 30 ft from my house because this area
is now experiencing more frequent, more violent gales, as predicted by
climate experts. My insurers ask questions about nearby trees.

You'll probably find that your buildings insurance company takes the
same view. If you have that handy little clause in your contract about
"free legal support", now is the time to make use of it. I doubt if any
council is going to persist in defiance of an insurer's letter warning
of risk and liability.

Janet.

The message
from "Phil" contains these words:


I also thought it was a strange choice by the council especially as there
was a lovely Hawthorn tree there before it was blown over. They seemed to
have planted it by default as they had some in stock. I see what you mean
about theft. I have looked at the price of these trees on the web and they
cost over £100.

I do hope some hoodie vandal won't saw it down in the middle of the night.

Janet.

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes

I do hope some hoodie vandal won't saw it down in the middle of the night.

Oi!
Careful of the word 'hoodie'!
--
Kay - both of whose boys wear hoodies

The message
from Kay contains these words:

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes

I do hope some hoodie vandal won't saw it down in the middle of
the night.

Oi!
Careful of the word 'hoodie'!
--
Kay - both of whose boys wear hoodies

Tut. I blame the parents.

DAR

Janet.

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 11:29:37 +0100, "Phil" wrote:

My local council have recently planted a Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar
(Liriodendron Tulipifera) about 30 feet from my house.

This tree can grow up to 100 feet although the council have said they will
make sure that it will not grow more than 50 feet tall.

They are fools. It is impossible to keep a tree destined for great
height cut down to half that height and expect it to flourish. It
would be akin to cutting the feet and head off an overly tall teenager
in order to keep him at "normal size."

Should I be
concerned about the distance that this tree has been planted from my house?
If so, what is the recommended minimum distance a tree of this size be
planted from a house?

Liriodendron is a *big* forest tree. Native where I grew up in the
eastern US. Not at all suitable for any kind of built-up area --
simply out of scale. It's guaranteed to end up blocking somebody's
light, even if it doesn't do anything dire below ground.




--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net

I have seen some photos of the Tulip Tree on the web, with a particularly
spectacular example of its Autumn foliage at the famous landscaped gardens
at Stourhead in Wiltshire, England.

I found on the ABI (Association of British Insurers) website that only
Willows are likely to do more damage to properties. Tulip Trees are quite
thirsty and likely to extract a lot of water from the soil, which is a big
problem in this part of England as the soil is heavy clay.

Phil


Liriodendron is a *big* forest tree. Native where I grew up in the
eastern US. Not at all suitable for any kind of built-up area --
simply out of scale. It's guaranteed to end up blocking somebody's
light, even if it doesn't do anything dire below ground.




--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net

The message
from "Phil" contains these words:

I have seen some photos of the Tulip Tree on the web, with a particularly
spectacular example of its Autumn foliage at the famous landscaped gardens
at Stourhead in Wiltshire, England.

I found on the ABI (Association of British Insurers) website that only
Willows are likely to do more damage to properties. Tulip Trees are quite
thirsty and likely to extract a lot of water from the soil, which is a big
problem in this part of England as the soil is heavy clay.

I'd present that info to some higher level of you insurance company,
and suggest in an encouraging manner that they may care to urgently
review their earlier mistake, before it costs them a lot of money.

If that hoodie vandal doesn't turn up, the last resort would be to
get your solicitor to write a letter to the council including distances,
tree facts, your concerns for future damage, and give them due
forewarning.

Janet

Janet,

I'd present that info to some higher level of you insurance company,
and suggest in an encouraging manner that they may care to urgently
review their earlier mistake, before it costs them a lot of money.

If that hoodie vandal doesn't turn up, the last resort would be to
get your solicitor to write a letter to the council including distances,
tree facts, your concerns for future damage, and give them due
forewarning.
I am collecting the information that I need before I shall soon be writing
to my local council. Going to a solicitor is a last resort as I don't want
to spend money on fees.

I'll keep you posted and thanks for your information.

Phil

After writing a polite but firm letter to the council, they have agreed to
replace the Tulip tree with Prunus Umineko. They will move the Tulip tree to
a local park - much more sensible.

Phil


"Phil" wrote in message
...
Janet,

I'd present that info to some higher level of you insurance company,
and suggest in an encouraging manner that they may care to urgently
review their earlier mistake, before it costs them a lot of money.

If that hoodie vandal doesn't turn up, the last resort would be to
get your solicitor to write a letter to the council including distances,
tree facts, your concerns for future damage, and give them due
forewarning.
I am collecting the information that I need before I shall soon be writing
to my local council. Going to a solicitor is a last resort as I don't want
to spend money on fees.

I'll keep you posted and thanks for your information.

Phil