To many homeowners who have the time, doing the gardening in their backyard is a relaxing activity. It allows them to take a break from their busy lives by doing something at their own pace. Moreover, communing with nature is also a great way to boost mood and mental health.
One gardening activity that is healthy and beneficial is planting trees. If you think your garden lacks a vertical aspect, adding trees will be a good idea. Not only can trees beautify your garden and improve your curb appeal, but they can also offer you shade, fresh air, and fruits.
What Trees in Australia Have Invasive Roots?
Not all trees are desirable to plant in your backyard. In fact, you should avoid planting trees which can cause problems, such as those with invasive roots. To give you an idea which tree species in Australia have aggressive roots, we have listed a few of them below.
Camphor Laurel
Camphor Laurel is one of the highly invasive tree species in Australia. Although it’s a lovely shade tree, you would not want this in your backyard because it can self-fertilise and grow like a weed. On top of that, Camphor Laurel also has invasive roots that are notorious for damaging sewerage pipes.
Poplar
The roots of Poplar trees can spread up to 3x the height of the tree, and they can even surface. The reason behind this aggressiveness is thirst; Poplar roots grow extensively in search of water. However, this can destroy drainage systems, pavements, and foundations.
Golden Robinia
Golden Robinia is also not an ideal tree to plant for your yard, especially if you only have a small outdoor space. This tree is best planted in large gardens due to its invasive and fast-growing root system. Golden Robinia trees also have thorns and brittle branches which can be a safety hazard. Moreover, this tree grows rapidly that it requires frequent maintenance and pruning.
Pride of Bolivia
This gorgeous tree also has an extensive root system which, like Poplar, is because it’s searching for water. Thus, if you have leaking taps and pipes in your backyard, the Pride of Bolivia tree will poke into them and magnify the damage. Moreover, the aggressive root system of this tree can also impair your driveway, retaining wall, foundation, house, and other structures.
Willows
If you’re planning to plant Willow trees in your backyard, you have to know that this tree has invasive roots that can damage your properties such as water pipes, house foundations, and pavements. Furthermore, you might need to do frequent cleaning especially in the fall and spring as catkins and leaves shed off the tree.
What To Do If You Have Trees With Invasive Roots in Your Backyard
You’ve probably added trees in your yard in hope of adding value to your property and enhancing your home’s curb appeal. However, if you’ve planted the wrong trees, such as those with extensive root structures, you’ll get the opposite of what you want. Invasive roots can be extremely disastrous, so here are a few things that might help you deal with your tree problems.
Install root barriers
Prevent roots from spreading and invading structures that they might destroy.
Trim the aggressive roots
Contact an expert arborist to help you reduce the overgrown roots. Doing so on your own can harm or even kill the tree in danger. Make sure that after cutting, you nourish the tree and give it time to heal.
Remove the tree
Another option you could do if you have trees with invasive roots is to cut down the entire tree before it could even damage your property. If you need a tree removal expert, Trees Down Under has a team of certified arborists who can handle the tree removal job for you.
Conclusion
Although the above-mentioned trees are charming to place in your backyard, you should resist the temptation. Trees with invasive roots may look discreet, but the roots underground can cause damages to pipelines, sidewalks, buildings, and other properties.
Hence, as much as possible, you should opt for trees with small root systems and avoid those with invasive ones. Besides, there are plenty of non-problematic trees you can choose from for your backyard garden. You can consult with our expert landscapers here at Trees Down Under to help you pick out trees, shrubs, grass, and plants for your outdoor space.
Feel free to contact us at 0475 463 597 for residential tree and garden services.
