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Need advice on if it's okay to cut down this tree

last month

Hi! We've got a beautiful nice and tall tulip tree to the side of our house with a smaller willow oak growing right beside it. The willow oak might be 30 ft tall (??). The tulip is tree is quite tall, not sure exactly. Anyway, we do love all trees but I really want to protect the older tulip tree so I'm thinking we should cut down the willow oak before it really starts impinging on the tulip tree. My question is would cutting down the willow oak have any adverse effect on the tulip tree? I'm assuming their root systems are in some sort of a relationship under there, possibly beneficial? Would cutting down the willow oak be a blow to this nutrient gathering system for the tulip tree, or would it actually be beneficial for it (more nutrients for it alone)? Anyway, I'd appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks- Chris

PS Here are a few photos of them

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Comments (3)

BillMN-z-2-3-4
last month
last modified: last month
'My question is would cutting down the willow oak have any adverse effect on the tulip tree?'

no.

Your tulip tree has had a head start for many years, with root production and is now, if anything, causing the willow oak to struggle by reducing the amount of sun and nutrients the oak gets.

The oak probably propagated when one of your friendly neighborhood squirrels planted an acorn in the fall, then forgot about it and voila! Instant new oak tree. :-)

Nothing beneficial about it, it's just nature's way.

Yes, you can cut the oak, pretty much flush to the ground.

Don't treat the stump with any sort of stump killer or anything like that. You will get some suckering of the oak from around the stump. Just keep that weed whipped/mowed so it doesn't develop a new tree. The energy of the oak stump should diminish over time.
Christopher M
Original Author
last month
Thanks very much for the advice!
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BillMN-z-2-3-4
last month
You're welcome.
0

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