Invasive Root System

June 30, 2008 10:43 AM

I have an aspen tree in my back yard. It's beautiful, but is it too close?

Several years ago I saw a nice tree in the forest and dug it up, brought it home and planted it in my back yard. Now my neighbour is worrying that it will destroy our foundations. I've been googling Aspens/ Populus tremuloides all morning. I've turned up some references to aspens being wonderful foundation plantings because they grow so quickly, while others caution that because of their invasive root systems they should not be "too close" to foundations and plumbing. I have not been able to firm up "too close."

What is "too close?" I'm not talking a large suburban lot, here. I live in the city, in row housing, and the aspen is maybe 10 m? 25 ft? from the house.

posted by maremare to Home & Garden (3 answers total)

Response by poster: Oh: and being in an urban back yard, it is about 3 m/ 10 feet from the alley, in which alley is a sewer. So the question is not just about my own foundations.
posted by maremare at 11:17 AM on June 30, 2008

It is worth noting that while the trembling poplar is often planted as a quick growing shelterbelt, 20 metres tall by 10 metres wide, it does possess an extremely aggressive root system. These roots have the ability under certain circumstances to damage building foundations within a 10-metre radius, and to create further poplar trees by means of root suckers.
posted by Debaser626 at 11:29 AM on June 30, 2008 [1 favorite]

Poplars aren't great landscape trees: short-lived, weak wood, spreading roots. Unless you're partial to it, I'd say take it out. A river birch will give you a similar look in a better tree.
posted by BinGregory at 9:09 PM on June 30, 2008