ken_adrian wrote: "i am wondering of this is an invasive callery pear ..." What is a callery pear? "no where is it stated it was a fruit bearing plant ..." It did bear fruit. "and being self sown under a power line.. sure brings a birds butt into thought ..." I don't know whether it was self-sown--I just know it's probably at least 50 years old. "second.. that is the utility easement that it is planted in .. the utility has every right to clear the lines ... that is why it is called an easement ... it on your mortgage documents ..." Can you please tell me why, for the past 35 years, they never had a problem with the tree, and in fact never even attempted to trim it? "all trees.. continue to grow upwards.. they only stop growing up.. when they die" Are you saying that no fruit tree has a maximum height? "... to say it was 50 feet.." Huh? Who said that? "and not going to grow any higher... is not consistent with how trees grow ..." In the past 35 years, it hasn't grown much taller. So, if it was getting taller, it was doing so very slowly, and the tree was not even close to reaching the power lines. "if you lived in snow country ... where a 2 or 3 day power loss in winter is possible .. when its zero outside ... you would not be happy.. if the utility did not proper clear lines to insure power .. especially if its an ice storm ... we kinda have a different view up here in MI ... about proper maintenance of utilities ..." If a tree is a genuine threat to the power lines, I can understand. But if this tree was such a "threat," then why did the power company completely ignore it for 35 years? "as far as i am concerned.. the only thing they did wrong.. was not kill the stump ..." Heh heh. I'm glad they didn't. ;) Besides, they seem way too lazy to do a thorough job anyway. They cut a bunch of branches, left them lying all over the place, and then didn't bother to clean anything up until we nagged them, and they did a good bit of littering as well.

Carol--- If I have a pair of loppers shoved down my pants....does that count as a concealed weapon? Ann-- If I start talking about aliens....will I be sent to the cell that houses the town drunk? :o) Seriously though....should I just douse the plants with the Round-up or do I need to cut it back? I purchased a big old jug of Roundup® Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Plus in the Ready-To-Use Formula. This is supposed to do better on woody stemmed brush. What do you think??

That would make sense. The soil was VERY compacted, and we had tons of heavy rains during construction, which of course completely ceased once we moved in. I watered lightly every day, but it was super windy last fall and winter. Right now, I can get a smaller tree at Home Depot for like, 15 to 20 bucks, so I can afford that. As for the kind of tree, I have zero idea. they never told us, but I'll go take a pic of the one that's doing well, and maybe that will give some hints as to what it is.

Just got back from Orlando (not Disney)and I'm a hankering for a Chinese Flame tree. Dummy me, we drove a golf cart right past one with low branches to get the pods and I should have insisted hubby stop for me to scavenge. Also saw a tree that looked very much like mimosa but a bit fuller and the blossoms (or seed pods) were dark purple. Couldn't get to that one. Anyhoo..I don't like putting mulch over bulbs or anything else. It's like erecting a mulch hotel for voles with all they can eat nearby. I just take the poly foam plant pots and invert them over the stub. Keeps the excess rain off the bulb top. That's worked for 2 years we've been here and the EE's are fine. The poly foam seems to be adequate insulation.