You can’t imagine your yard or street without trees — and for good reason.
For many individuals, several of their fondest memories — from enjoying summertime snacks in the shade to climbing high branches — revolve around trees.
Still, unless you’re an arborist, some yard trees just aren’t worth your time. Let’s explore eight trees that will give you a headache.
- Weeping Willows
You may love a weeping willow’s gorgeous appearance. However, it’s among the worst tree options to plant in a backyard.
Weeping willows can grow as tall as 10 feet within one year. However, these fast-growing trees may live for only two to three decades.
In addition, weeping willows have fibrous, thirsty root systems that may damage sewage pipes and underground lines. If you still want to plant a weeping willow, keep it away from your pool, septic system, foundation, sidewalk, and driveway.
Weeping willows may also fall susceptible to various fungal diseases, which can lead to death or defoliation.
- Female Ginkgos
Female Ginkgos are also aesthetically pleasing, but like weeping willows, they don’t make great yard trees for a few reasons.
Female Ginkgos, which originated in China, have been used for traditional medicine and food for centuries. However, the female Ginkgo’s seed features butyric acid. Once this acid falls, it may smell like rancid butter or vomit.
Female Ginkgo seeds can also make messy droppings. This may make your yard less appealing.
If you still want to enjoy the Ginkgo tree’s beauty in your backyard, consider planting a male version of this tree instead.
- Black Walnut Trees
These trees, which originated in North America, are also problematic yard trees. That’s because they are allelopathic. This means the chemicals they release may harm some organisms.
This defense mechanism helps black walnut trees survive. However, it may also harm your grass, flower garden, or vegetable garden.
Black walnut trees also produce nuts that can be messy when they fall over the yard.
- Quaking Aspens
You might want to steer clear of quaking aspen trees for your yard as well.
These trees, which are native to North America’s cooler climates, stand out for their vibrating leaves and white bark. However, they don’t fit well in a yard, as they form big clonal groves that can make your yard look more like a forest.
Quaking aspens produce suckers that try to become new trees. When these trees are established, they may take over your yard.
An example of an aspen clonal grove is a root system called Pando. It spreads over more than 100 acres, features more than 40,000 trees, and weighs millions of pounds. Some of these trees are 130-plus years old.
- Silver Maples
Silver maples are native to the central and eastern parts of the United States, as well as southeastern Canada.
These trees were often planted along streets and in landscapes following the Second World War because they grow quickly and are great shade trees. However, it poses several challenges for homeowners.
For instance, if a silver maple’s root system is shallow, the tree may crack a home’s foundation, a driveway, and a sidewalk. It may also invade a septic field or an old drain pipe.
Also, because silver maples grow quickly, their wood can be brittle. This can lead to tree droppings that make your yard appear messy. The brittle wood may also cause property damage or be dangerous if it breaks during an intense storm.
If you have a silver maple in your yard, a reputable tree care service can evaluate it to determine if it’s causing issues to your home, walkway, drain field, or sewage pipe. They can also let you know if they pose a danger in a storm. If so, the company can remove the tree for you.
- Bradford Pears
Bradford pear trees can also be problematic for homeowners because they are vulnerable to damage in stormy weather. For instance, strong winds, ice storms, and heavy snow can easily disfigure or kill these trees.
In addition, Bradford pears, which grow rapidly, are prone to splitting, cracking, and breaking when they reach adulthood. This means these trees can easily lose their limbs.
Yet another problem with Bradford pears is that they may produce a fish-like, foul odor in your yard when they are flowering.
A flowering tree like the Bradford pear can be beautiful, which is why it has become a favorite in suburbia. However, you may struggle to appreciate it if it keeps producing an unpleasant smell.
- White Pines
You should additionally avoid white pines in your yard because they may drop a syrupy pitch that may stain car surfaces, lawn furniture, and clothing. In addition, these trees’ pine needles can increase your soil’s acidity when they cover your backyard. This will make it harder for other types of plants to flourish.
White pines’ evergreen branches may also fall on electrical wires, houses, and driveways during an ice storm or heavy snow. That’s because these branches are brittle.
White pines are additionally susceptible to various diseases and pests, like blister rust and the weevil, respectively.
- River Birch Trees
Finally, avoid planting river birch trees in your yard. These trees produce sap that may attract sapsucking insects and birds, which can make holes in them and kill them if they feed on them too heavily.
These trees can also be messy, as they may shed leaves, twigs, and bark all year long.
How We Can Help With Your Yard Trees
The most troublesome yard trees range from weeping willows to female Ginkgos. Other problematic yard trees include black walnut trees, quaking aspens, silver maples, Bradford pears, white pines, and birch trees.
At Tree-Line Arbor Care, LLC, we have years of experience helping homeowners care for numerous varieties of trees. If you need help with tree removal, stump grinding, or tree clearing, we’ve got you covered.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our tree services, and schedule an appointment today!