Trees To Avoid Planting | 6 Trees You Don’t Want As Part Of Your Landscape

September 9, 2020

Yes, it’s true. There are hundreds (actually thousands) of stunning species of trees out there that you could find to plant in your garden.

Even in Alberta, you might be lucky enough to find a green house that is selling some really “exotic” looking trees that could hold up to Alberta’s crazy weather.

But does that mean you should jump right in and start digging to plant some of these unique trees?

No. There are several different trees to avoid planting and opt for something else. Even some of the prettiest looking trees with stunning blooms are on the list of the trees to avoid. 

lombardy poplar

Lombardy Poplar

This tree grows at an amazing speed (about 4-5 feet per year) and makes a great screen tree for your property line. It became quite popular for just that reason.

But then people quickly realized that this tree was prone to cankers and only had a very short life of about 15 years.

Having tall, dead trees on your property is something that needs to be taken care of and not pushed off. A dead tree can be dangerous and destructive when it falls.

If you already have some of these poplars on your property and suspect they might be dead or dying, call someone to have them looked at and removed.  

weeping willow

Weeping Willow

This one might seem a little disappointing to some, because well…these trees are simply stunning. But the truth is, there is a solid reason why you typically only find them in large parks with open space and water nearby.

These massive trees are extremely messy and have a very aggressive root system. They have one goal in life and that’s to find the most amount of water possible. They send their large roots out in every direction in search of several water sources.

When you plant one of these trees on your lawn, that water source could be the pipes leading to your house or your neighbours. A weeping willow is best enjoyed during a park stroll. 

leyland cypress

Leyland Cypress

Another fantastic lush tree that would create privacy around your property. But much like the Lombardy Poplar, the Leyland Cypress is a tree to avoid planting in your garden.

This tree is rather quick growing, but sadly it becomes just too big for most people’s yards. It is also extremely prone to drought, disease and wind damage.

tree of heaven

Tree of Heaven

These trees should always, always be avoided. They are imported and just an all around bad tree.

Tree of Heaven creates a huge mess in your yard and seeds itself everywhere!

It even releases a chemical to kill “competing” vegetation, making it almost impossible to plant anything else around it or under it. 

red oak tree

Red Oak 

An oak tree (red or otherwise) is loved by many. They truly are amazing looking trees. They are tall and strong and provide shade, shelter and food for many little critters.

But unless you’re up for the task of a high maintenance tree, then you might want to avoid this one.

It’s true that in the fall you’ll have to rake leaves from almost any tree you choose to plant, but a large oak tree just seems to be more of a pain.

Their leaves are massive and there are an awful lot of them. It would be like shovelling your driveway in the middle of a storm. By the time you finished, you would have to shovel all over again. 

Sadly, they are just as messy in the spring as well. They grow and drop large clumps of catkins which are almost a bigger pain than their leaves.

Allergies to pollen? Avoid the red oak. The catkins are going to drive your allergies CRAZY, make a huge mess of your yard and you’ll be picking them out of your car, front door step and everything else. 

bradford pear tree

Bradford Pear

Another sad tree to avoid because it’s truly beautiful. The bradford pear appears to be a fast growing, flower blossom tree that would be the perfect addition to any garden.

While it is rather fast growing and it does actually blossom with tiny white flowers, it’s not all that great. The blossoms on this tree create quite the mess all around your yard and they are actually very smelly. They do not give off a lovely aroma like that of a lilac tree.

They may grow big, but these trees are actually quite delicate and weak. Any kind of wind, strong winter conditions such as ice and these branches are a goner. They are very prone to broken branches and debris. There are however, lots of other flowering trees that would make a great replacement. 

If you already have some of these trees in your yard and they are posing a problem, dead or just not your type of tree, there is always the option to have them transplanted elsewhere or completely cut down. The crew at Pevach Corp specializes in moving and removing trees.

We can come to your location and assess the trees in question and help you figure out the best option.

If you choose to have it fully removed, we ensure that after the job is done you won’t even know there was ever a tree there!

It’s even an option for you to keep the wood or have it mulched for other parts of your garden. 

Give Pevach Corp a call today and let us handle that beautiful nuisance in your yard. 

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