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Trees & Shrubs - Australia

Which large evergreen tree without invasive roots ????

21 years ago

I need your help! We have a huge property with formal gardens around the perimeter. At the front of our home I would like to break the lush green lawn with two very large shady trees. I would have a square paved garden edge put around each one. I do not want palm trees! Nor do I want anything with large roots that may damage foundations. This makes it a little difficult as I would like large trees. Jacarandas are lovely, however they will be too messy. Something that drops minimal leaves would be teriffic. I hope someone some great suggestions. Thankyou.

Madonna

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Comments (4)

Vonney
21 years ago
How about Waterhousea Floribunda? (Weeping Lilly Pilly)Native tree, mild root system I believe, and has lovely flowers followed by berries.
Also Eleocarpus Reticulatus (Blueberry Ash)
TonyfromOz
21 years ago
Rainforest trees like Waterhousea floribunda or, for example, Syzygium francisii, could be good, but 1. may depend on the rainfall in your part of Qld, 2. if you are so worried by 'messy' trees you may dislike the very ornamental fruit.

What about eucalypts? I think one of the most beautiful Qld trees is Corymbia tessellaris (Eucalyptus tessellaris), Moreton Bay Ash or Carbeen, which adapts to most Qld regions. Its roots are unlikely to be invasive.
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I don't think you're going to be able to see much through that tree, at the height the branches are now. Maybe it should be skinned up higher so it looks like an arrow or a lion's tail. Lots of curb appeal there - especially if some concrete gnomes or black jockeys are arranged around the bottom of the trunk. Evergreen specimens with pointed tops and broad bases are far more impressive with the branches sweeping to the ground. Old, high-crowned mature specimens with lots of bark character, that have already been discarding or have long-discarded basal branches on their own are a different matter. Young specimens like one shown look scalped when bottom is "lifted". Out here it seems nearly everyone limbs up hollies, which then look as dignified as old women with thick legs in short summer dresses. Another popular pastime is cutting mature fruit trees in half with chain saws, so the fruit can be reached without getting a ladder or a fruit picker.
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Roots can extend outward about 2 to 3 times the distance from the trunk that the canopy does, it is said. So if your 15 foot specification is based on the septic tank distance, consider that. I believe I read an online article on a 'Thundercloud' purple-leaf plum chronicling a woman's experience with it, and I think it produced that sticky crud due to aphids on things underneath; might want to check whether that's a common problem. I'd almost be leery of most anything 'maple' near a septic tank. When you say a taller tree is okay if it doesn't get over 15' wide, are you walking radius (from the trunk) or diameter (of the whole canopy)? Richard.
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I don't think it's a good idea to plant any tree near a fence. The problem is that as it grows, it may end up actually hitting the fence, possibly causing damage to it. Also, you end up with part of the tree on the other side of the fence, so it's difficult to take care of it. And if you're planting fruit trees, your neighbor may not like the mess when it starts dropping fruit in the lawn (although the ability to pick fruit without needing to pay for the tree may mitigate that).
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lakota
21 years ago
Native frangipani is beautiful and not invasive. Illawarra flame tree is a bit messy being deciduous but the leaves are large and easy to pick up. I don't think its invasive either. Another tree which casts beautiful shade and is not invasive is paulownia. They are deciduous but have very large leaves and are easy to pick up, also if you have horses or other livestock they love the leaves especially when they dry out a bit after falling.
ipgf
21 years ago
Technically, any large (or medium) sized tree has the potential to have invasive roots - it is just that some are more invasive than others. Structural problems are usually not caused by root upheaval, but by the reduction in moisture in reactive clay soils which cause soil shrinkage and potential movement in the foundations. It is usually a good idea not to plant trees and shrubs no closer to the house than their mature height - so, a tree that grows 8 metres should be planted a minimum of 8 metres from the house. As far as shady trees are concerned, you may want to look at the Blush Macaranga - grows to 6 metres and produces one of the best shade canopies of large heart shaped leaves I have seen. It self-seeds prolifically, however, so you need to be careful. Some of the grafted gum trees may be okay - 5+ metres high with very showy flower displays in summer.

Ian

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