Um, look, guys, that tree is the only shade he's got right now. It appears healthy, nicely branched, and doesn't seem urgent to take it out. And it is interesting looking. No need to get offensive or jerky. The first photo doesn't show the top of the tree, to get an idea about whether it curves to point upward or whether it just leans straight out. If it's the latter, that's probably a reason to remove it now, otherwise it can wait a bit. It is, if I can estimate from the picture, about 5 feet from the foundation? So you will eventually want to remove it, I guess. I would do some landscaping and plant a couple other trees and get them started, so you don't have a completely denuded yard when you do remove the tree.

I also have the spiderwort, 4 different colors, a white, the zwanesburg blue, a pink and a purple (just like yours). I have not found that they are invasive in any manner in my yard. Yes, the purple and pink have spread but not taken over just an individual plant here and a plant there but the white and blue have not. I really enjoy its many little flowers. The white spiderwort... The zwanesburg blue was and still is mixed up with Grandma Jean Daylily just like it was when a friend of mine sold the daylily to me. They are very happy together so I think that they may remain that way here. Since they have taken over in your yard...yes, get rid of the majority of them. Wonder how many years they have been in the yard? Maybe your soil conditions are the exactly what they like. Brenda

Thanks Larry! I feel better knowing they only live for that long as adults. I don't want them to die by starving to death, ya know? (Certainly not when they are under MY care.)Thanks for the good link. :o) ~Nancy

Sisyrinchium striatum.