4 Bad Tree Traits You Should Avoid

Trees can be a great way to add life to a yard or garden and boost curb appeal. They provide shade, can flower in the spring, and can even be used to hang birdfeeders or other decorations from. However, not all trees are the same, and homeowners can’t just go to their local garden center and pick one at random. Many trees have traits that can be extremely inconvenient as the tree grows, and they can make themselves annoying to the homeowner or even damage the home. Here are some of the different traits all homeowners should avoid when choosing a new tree for their yard or garden.

How Tall the Tree Will Grow

When a homeowner purchases a tree, it’s not going to be fully grown. It may only be six to eight feet tall at the time of purchase, but it could grow to be 30 feet tall in just a few years. When choosing a tree, be sure to read the information about it. The garden center or nursery will either put a tag on the tree or have a sign near it that will have all the information about the species, including how much sun it needs, how tall it will grow, how fast it grows, and so on. Knowing how tall a tree will grow before buying it is a good way to keep from buying a tree that will get too big or won’t get big enough. When choosing a tree, be sure to read all the available information about how it grows.

How Many Leaves it Has

Most people have experienced trees shedding their leaves in the fall and how much work it takes to rake and bag them. The more trees a yard has, the more leaves the homeowner will have to deal with, and trees that have more leaves add even more to that. Homeowners who want to make raking in the fall easier on themselves may want to look for trees that grow fewer, larger leaves instead of trees that grow many tiny ones. Not only are small leaves typically more numerous, but small leaves are also more difficult to rake because they can slip through the tines and make an already-tedious job even harder.

If the Tree Drops Debris

Many trees grow fruit, nuts, seeds, and other things that will eventually fall onto the ground. These sorts of things can be a big problem for homeowners because many of them need to be picked up by hand before they can do any other yard work. Black walnut trees are a notorious example of trees that drop large nuts. Black walnuts are large, smelly, inedible, and can harm pets if they try to eat one. When looking for a tree for a yard or garden, homeowners need to make sure they know if the tree will drop anything.

The Tree’s Root System

There are two main types of root systems that a tree can have. The first is a shallow root system that spreads a long way from the tree’s trunk, and the second is a root system that digs deep into the earth but doesn’t spread very far. The type of roots a tree has can be a problem because roots are extremely strong and can break through concrete. Tree roots can potentially cause damage to sidewalks, driveways, or even the home’s foundation. Homeowners need to take this into account when choosing where they want to put their new tree.

It’s easy to avoid getting a bad tree when Southern Highlands homeowners know what to look for. Keep these traits in mind when looking at different tree species, and remember to do research before buying.