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Deciduous trees for privacy


Dammann's Garden Company – Fast-Growing Deciduous Trees for Privacy

If you’ve just moved into a newly-developed neighborhood, or there’s been a new house built that can see into your backyard, you might be wondering how you can add some privacy to your backyard. Trees are one of the best ways to add privacy, but many take a long time to grow—and you don’t want to wait for ten years to get some privacy!

Luckily, there are quite a few deciduous trees that grow quite fast here in Indianapolis. You can add a few of these trees to your yard—and you’ll have plenty of shade and privacy in just a couple of growing seasons. 

Red maples

can be a little smaller than silver maples but still grow very fast and have beautiful color.

SILVER MAPLE

Silver maples are one of the fastest-growing maples out there, pushing up more than 2 feet per year. These deciduous trees also have a very vigorous root system and should be planted a minimum of 10' away from sidewalks, driveways, homes, and sewer lines. They will mature between 50-80' tall and have a spread of 35-50'. Silver maples prefer plenty of moisture and do need to be pruned regularly to prevent ice damage in winter storms. Silver maples need about 4 hours of sun per day and will benefit from some dappled shade in the afternoon.

RED MAPLE

Red maples can be a little smaller than silver maples but still grow very fast and have beautiful color, with red-tinted leaves in summer, deep red or yellow-orange leaves in fall, and red stems in winter. It will usually put on 1-2' of growth per year and should mature to 40-60' tall with a spread of 40'. These deciduous trees also need plenty of water, and also have a very robust root system. Red Maples like full sun, 4-6 hours per day.

TULIP TREE

The tulip tree, sometimes called tulip poplar, is a deciduous tree that grows very fast and has vibrant green leaves that turn yellow in the fall. It has yellowy-green flowers in the spring. It can mature from 70-90' tall, with a 40' spread. Tulip trees may put on more than 2' of height per year. The stems of the tulip tree have a spicy-sweet scent that many people enjoy. Because it is so hardy, it is commonly used as a boulevard or street tree across the US. With consistent moisture, and a full sun location, this tree will be a joy for years to come! 

LONDON PLANETREE

London planetree is a fast-growing deciduous tree that gets very large, reaching heights of 75-100' tall and a spread of 80'. It may grow up to 2' every year. London planetrees will do best in a location with at least 4 hours of direct sun every day. They are tolerant of urban pollution and handle transplanting stress quite well, so you could start with older saplings. The leaves are very large, up to 10' long, and their bark is particularly interesting; it peels and flakes reddish-brown flakey scale-like bark to reveal creamy white under layers. Also, goldfinches love planetrees!

PRIVET SHRUBS

Privet isn't a tree, but it is one of the fastest-growing shrubs in North America. It can grow up to 3' in one year! A privet is a fantastic option for privacy hedges. It matures around 12' tall and can be up to 4-6' wide. Privet is semi-evergreen, which means it may drop its leaves like a deciduous tree in late winter, but then new leaves will not be far behind. Privet will provide more privacy year-round than many other deciduous hedge options. It can handle hard pruning and can be shaped to your preference. Privet prefers 4-6 hours of sun per day. 

With the options above, you can have privacy in your yard within just 1-2 growing seasons! You can plant larger saplings, which will speed up your privacy screening, but remember that older saplings may take a little longer to establish after transplanting than younger saplings. Come see our landscape specialists to learn more about creating a private retreat in your yard.

Mattew DammannDammann's Garden CompanyDammann's Garden Company, Indianapolis, gardening tips, gardening, landscape, landscaping, 2021, garden center, trees & shrubs, tree care, tree maintenance, trees, tree planting, big trees, trees for privacy, privacy, plants for privacy, deciduous

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Best trees for privacy – 15 ideas to screen your yard

(Image credit: Jon Lovette / Getty Images)

The best trees for privacy not only offer a beautiful, natural way to screen your yard, but also provide structure and interest year round.

Privacy trees give such a wonderful feeling of seclusion, and are one of the best backyard ideas for creating a lush backdrop for planting.

While fencing and walls are good for practicality and security, the best trees for screening offer a softer way to achieve this, and are perfect for pairing with more solid boundaries.

Trees offer more dappled coverage and, where a canopy starts at a higher level, can allow you to see through at a lower height. This means they can be used to retain an attractive view or be grown next to boundaries – so consider trees alongside your garden wall ideas and garden fence ideas.

Also think about landscaping around trees to add character and interest to your yard.

Some of the best trees for privacy are also the best trees for shade, so decide where you want them positioned in relation to the house and how compatible that is with your outdoor dining ideas.

The best trees for privacy and screening in a backyard

There are no better garden screening ideas than natural ones. Namely: trees. Whether you are looking to stop neighbors being able to see into your garden or to screen out a nearby building, trees do the very best job, while providing color and garden shade. 

Planting a mixed variety of trees for privacy and screening is also one of the best wildlife garden ideas for providing natural habitats and food for birds and wildlife.

The best trees for privacy – and the best trees for screening – will generally have a bushy, evergreen canopy, making evergreen trees for gardens an ideal choice. 

If space allows, however, consider planting a variety of screening trees, including some of the best trees for autumn color, or others bearing seasonal blossom or fruits, to add color and interest throughout the year. 

Before you start planting trees for privacy and screening in a backyard, do your research. This includes checking:

1. Crabapple (Malus)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With their beautiful spring blossom and fall fruit, crabapples are some of the most ornamental trees for privacy, and are also beloved of wildlife.

Growing up to 39 feet over several decades, crab apples are medium-sized trees that work well in the town or country. ‘A distinctive crabapple with a rounded form and medium growth habit can be planted 15 to 20 feet from the house,’ says Dan Lambe from the Arbor Day Foundation , author of Now is the Time for Trees . 

Dan is particularly fond of the Prairifire crabapple, which grows to a more compact 20 feet tall, making it one of the best trees for small gardens. 

‘It’s a showy, disease-resistant tree that offers year-round beauty in the landscape,' he says. 'Dark red buds open to reddish pink flowers in spring with glossy reddish maroon trees. Its foliage turns dark green in summer and a beautiful bronze color in fall, when small decorative purple fruits attract wildlife.’

Grow it in USDA zones 3-8 in moist but well-draining soil, in full sun or partial shade.

2. Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia’

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While actually a large semi-evergreen shrub, Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia’ is usually grown as a medium-sized tree. It’s one of the best trees for privacy and screening if you’re looking for an ornamental variety, as it’s also one of the most striking trees with red berries.

‘Winter wouldn’t be winter without berries,’ says Claire Masset, author of Cottage Gardens .

‘The semi-evergreen Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia’ has elegant oval leaves and an attractive arching habit. Every winter during a particularly cold spell, my cotoneaster becomes a magnet for birds who come to feast on the berries – a cheering sight indeed. ’

With a maximum height of 26 feet, Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia’ is fairly slow-growing, so won’t dominate your yard – making it one of the best trees for front yards. It likes full sun and well-drained soil, but prefers a milder climate, thriving in USDA zones 6-9.

3. Birch (Betula)

(Image credit: Anna Stowe Botanica / Alamy )

‘Birch trees have beautiful bark that’s particularly noticeable in winter,’ says gardening expert Matt James. ‘Chalk-white paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and Betula ‘Doorenbos’ are popular but big, so site them carefully – both look great as single specimens in large yards. For small yards, choose dome-shaped Betula ‘Youngii’ which grows no bigger than 26ft tall.’

If you have the space, you can group together various types of birch trees with different-colored bark.

‘While birches are some of the best trees with white bark, not all birch bark is white. The Chinese red birch is orangey red, Betula ‘Parkwood’ is dark purple with little white bands and Betula 'Mount Zao' has dark purple and orange, peeling bark,’ adds Matt.

You can grow birch trees in USDA zones 2-9, depending on the variety, in full sun or partial shade.

4. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A smaller tree with a rounded growth habit, flowering dogwood is one of the best trees for privacy and screening in a compact yard, and can be planted as close as 10 feet away from the house.

‘Flowering dogwood is an excellent landscape choice for all four seasons. Showy white bracts appear in spring, foliage turns a vibrant red purple in fall, and glossy red fruits attract winter songbirds to the enjoyment of all,’ says Dan Lambe. 

'This tree offers nice contrast when planted along with pink or red dogwoods with larger evergreens in the background.’

Growing up to 25 feet, flowering dogwood can be grown in USDA zones 5-9. Plant in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

5. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you’re looking to establish privacy quickly, then look at the best fast-growing trees such as the Eastern white pine.

It increases in height by up to 24 inches per year until reaching a maximum height of 50-80 feet and a spread of 20-40 feet at maturity. 

'This hardy, valuable evergreen is striking in the winter landscape, where it makes an ideal wind-break,’ says Dan.

The Eastern white pine thrives in acidic, moist but well-draining soil, in full sun or partial shade. It's a great option for USDA zones 3-8.

6. English yew, or common yew (Taxus baccata)

(Image credit: Future / Rowan Isaac)

The English yew – also known as the common yew – 'is probably the classic evergreen tree. It is elegant and long-lived, and rejuvenates itself remarkably well if pruned in the early spring,' explain the experts at Practicality Brown .

One of the best trees for privacy, and planting en masse to create hedging, Taxus baccata can grow to about 40 feet (12 meters) tall. It thrives in free-draining soil and can tolerate sun to shade. Some varieties also produce small red berries – loved by wildlife as a food source.

Grow it in USDA zones 5-7.

7. Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the best trees for screening tall buildings at the back of your backyard – and for adding a marvellous Mediterranean garden feel to your backyard – is the hardy Italian cypress. 

These tall, slender beauties can add dramatic height to a boundary, driveway or path and, with their dense foliage, are among the best trees for screening if your garden is overlooked by the neighbors. 

Very easy to grow, they just need the occasional clipping to keep them in good shape and can shoot up to three feet each year, reaching a maximum height of up to 70 feet (20 meters).

Grow it in zones 7-9.

8. Bamboo (phyllostachys or fargesia)

(Image credit: Future / Claire Lloyd Davies)

Although technically a grass, the larger, woody varieties of evergreen bamboo are more tree-like, and are very effective for screening and privacy.

'Bamboo is tough and easy to grow. For space-strapped gardeners, it also answers the need for tall but thin, which very few other plants can offer without the need for regular trimming,' explains gardening expert Leigh Clapp. 

Providing movement and an oriental feel to your garden, bamboo is fast growing and hardy. 'Choose clump-forming varieties like Fargesia robusta, not one that sends out invasive runners,' Leigh adds.

9. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A vigorous spreading evergreen with glossy, dark green leaves, cherry laurel is one of the best trees for screening and privacy due to its upright and bushy form.

It also has some added seasonal interest, producing small white flowers in spring, followed by cherry-like red fruits in fall. 

Preferring slightly acidic soil, this tree can grow up to 26 feet (8 meters) and likes sun to shade.

'The cherry laurel is also available in pleached form, which is excellent for screening in smaller gardens,' advise the experts at Practicality Brown.

It's suitable for USDA zones 5-9.

10. Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

(Image credit: Getty Images/ Danielle D. Hughson)

With its distinctive prickly leaves, holly is a classic evergreen that makes a good tree for privacy as well as security. 

Although it ably keeps intruders out, it welcomes wildlife in, and can provide shelter for many bird visitors to your backyard.

Suitable for free-draining normal, clay or chalk soils, Ilex aquifolium produces red or orange winter berries – making it a favorite choice for use in Christmas foliage arrangements – and an ideal choice when planning a winter garden. These are then replaced with small white flowers in spring. 

As well as the common holly with its dark green glossy leaves, there are those with beautiful variegated leaves, such as 'Argentea marginata', with lovely silver edges tinged with pink, or 'Myrtifolia aurea maculataso', that features yellow and green splashes, so you could plant a mixture for contrast and interest.

Holly is, however, a slow grower – only a couple of inches per year – so not one for speedy screening potential. Grow it in USDA zones 5-9.

11. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)

(Image credit: Getty Images/ Adél Békefi)

'The evergreen conifer Western red cedar is densely branched, making it a great tree for screening,' say the experts at Practicality Brown.

It's dark, olive green leaves can turn bronze in winter and the foliage has a pleasant, fruity aroma if crushed.

They make popular alternatives to leylandii as best trees for privacy, although have a slightly slower growth rate. They can also afford protection from noise and wind, so make a good choice for screening trees along a garden boundary beside a road.

Western red cedar will grow in USDA zones 5-9.

12. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

(Image credit: Getty Images/ Clive Nichols)

Hornbeam is a popular deciduous tree for screening, with fresh green leaves in spring that turn golden yellow in fall.

'Hornbeam also keeps a proportion of its old leaves on its branches through to the spring, dependent on how exposed to the wind it is, giving a better screening effect,' advise the experts at hedgeplants.com .

This hardy specimen can be planted in sun or shade and is tolerant of most soil types in zones 3-9.

13. Red robin (Photinia x fraseri 'red robin')

(Image credit: Getty Images / Jacky Parker)

This stunning evergreen boasts red, glossy leaves in the spring and summer, before maturing to lush dark green foliage in fall – perfect for both privacy and screen, but color, too.

It can reach a height of 13 feet (4 meters) and a similar spread, but can be easily kept pruned to a smaller size. 

Fully hardy, red robin prefers sun, but can do just as well in shade, and if left unpruned will produce masses of white flowers in summer. Grow it in zones 7-9.

14. Holm oak (Quercus ilex) 

(Image credit: Getty Images/ La Bicicleta Vermella)

'For evergreen screening or year-round interest, holm oak is a wonderful choice,' say the experts at Ornamental Trees

With its leathery, serrated holly-like leaves, it is also known as the holly oak and is as equally hardy and robust.  

It will withstand exposed positions and as it is also tolerant of salt-spray, 'so it is ideal for using as an evergreen windbreak in coastal gardens,' they add.

Grow holm in oak in USDA zones 7-10.

15. Colorado blue spruce trees (Picea pungens)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With blue, pine needle-like foliage that becomes densely packed in a pyramid shape, the Colorado blue spruce trees provide year round interest and are particularly suited to small gardens, eventually growing to about 8 feet.

'It is a very hardy small tree that will grow in most soils, excluding dry soils; it is also best to avoid full exposure,' say the experts at Ornamental Trees.

This is a slow grower, but could be included in a mix with other faster growing evergreens, and makes an excellent foil for other plants.

Grow Colorado blue spruce in USDA zones 3-7.

What tree provides the best privacy?

The type of trees that make a good privacy screen are those that are easy to grow, hardy and will tolerate most soils and conditions.  

You do not want to choose trees that are high maintenance, but rather those that are self-sufficient for much of the year, maybe just requiring the occasional prune to keep them in shape.

As you will seek privacy year round, choose a good variety of evergreen that will not drop their leaves, with dense foliage, and which will thrive when planted close together. You can, however, intersperse these with a few deciduous specimens for seasonal interest and color.

The best trees for privacy and screening need to grow to at least 8 feet, and there are many options that will grow much taller.

What is the fastest growing tree for privacy?

'Some tree species grow much faster than others, which is great if you’re looking for a quick privacy screen. However, slow-growing species typically live longer than those with a faster growth habit,' says Dan Lambe.

'Local growing conditions dramatically affect growth, so more often than not rates are described in relative terms as fast, medium, or slow. Check with your local arborist or nursery professional for expected performance in your region.'

Dan recommends the following trees as being among the fastest growing trees for privacy: paper birch, pin oak, Eastern white pine, October Glory red maple, and quaking aspen.

Which trees can be planted close to houses?

Many trees can be planted close to houses and this does not cause a problem, but it is difficult to predict which trees will or won't cause issues.

There are a number of factors that could contribute to a tree causing damage to a building or surrounding structures. These include whether the garden has heavy clay soil – as there is an increased risk from trees drying out the soil in periods of drought, causing the soil to shrink and cause structural damage to a property.

Also some trees have a higher water uptake than others. Those with a low water demand include picea and pinus, whereas trees with a high water intake include cupressus and quercus.  

Do your research beforehand and, if in doubt, consult an expert.

Rachel is senior content editor, and writes and commissions gardening content for homesandgardens.com, Homes & Gardens magazine, and its sister titles Period Living Magazine and Country Homes & Interiors. She has written for lifestyle magazines for many years, with a particular focus on gardening, historic houses and arts and crafts, but started out her journalism career in BBC radio, where she enjoyed reporting on and writing programme scripts for all manner of stories. Rachel then moved into regional lifestyle magazines, where the topics she wrote about, and people she interviewed, were as varied and eclectic as they were on radio. Always harboring a passion for homes and gardens, she jumped at the opportunity to work on The English Home and The English Garden magazines for a number of years, before joining the Period Living team, then the wider Homes & Gardens team, specializing in gardens.

Deciduous trees

Trees are a morphological group that unites plants, the main feature of which is the presence of one pronounced trunk (stem). They reach large and very large sizes. Some trees, for example, maples - ginnal, ash-leaved, field, Tatar - can be bush-shaped, with several trunks, but can also be formed in the form of a real tree.

The main thing to consider when choosing trees for your garden is their rather large size in the future. When planting a young plant, many often do not think about how quickly time flies ... It is possible, but not always justified, to restrain the growth of a plant, and replanting mature trees is laborious, risky and often requires the use of professional equipment. What are the future dimensions of the tree? This very important question should worry you when buying. There are trees suitable for even the smallest gardens, and some require large spaces. The narrow streets of many European cities are decorated with ordinary plantings of spherical maple. While he is young, he will perfectly suit our small garden plots, much better than his wild relative, who at the age of 10 years will be taller than a garden house, and someday he will definitely reach his prescribed 25-30 meters. It is also worth thinking about the width of the crown, the thickness of the trunk - I saw with my own eyes the planting of trees on both sides of the narrow garden paths. What will happen to these trees and these paths next? Actually, this is a rhetorical question. And the answer to it: "We'll think about it tomorrow" does not do credit to a good gardener.

So, let's think today! Choosing trees for small areas.

This group includes not only potentially small plants, but also those whose growth is limited by grafting.

One of the most popular trees is, of course, maples (Acer). On a small area, you can plant the ginnal maples already mentioned above (A. ginnala) and the forms of ash-leaved maple (A. negundo). Ash-leaved maple variety "Aureo-variegatum" is a small tree 5 m high with a crown diameter of up to 4 m.This form is distinguished by the color of the leaf blade: it is variegated, has yellow (or golden yellow) spots and partially yellow edging along the edge of the leaf. Even brighter foliage in the variety "Flamingo" - young pink leaves become green-white-variegated by summer. Ash-leaved maple 'Odessanum' is a ten-meter-tall tree with a crown diameter of up to 7 m. Young leaves of bronze or reddish flowers turn lemon yellow. Relatively small trees can also be varieties of common Norway or plane maple (A. platanoides). The variegated variety "Drummondii" is very beautiful. Its young leaves are pink, later they turn green with a wide creamy border. This maple looks very advantageous in a contrasting combination - against the background of plantings of a darker color. It grows slowly, and it can reach a height of 10–12 m with a crown diameter of up to 7 m only by the age of thirty. 6 m Leaves are five-fingered, glossy, yellow in autumn. It's perfect for our small gardens. Red-leaved sycamore varieties such as 'Crimson King' and 'Crimson Sentry' are often grafted onto stems, these two cultivars do not exceed 15m when mature.0003

Birch (Betula) is “our everything”. The tree, which certainly gives Russian charm to any landscape, should rightfully take its place in the gardens of the North-West, where the cultivation of this crop will not be a problem. We are talking, of course, about the drooping birch (B. рendula). The size of the species plant, unfortunately, is too large for a standard garden plot, because this birch reaches 20 m in height with a crown width of up to 7 m, besides, it grows quickly. However, there is a great "Youngii" form that can be recommended even for the smallest plots. Variety "Youngii" is grafted onto a trunk of common birch, usually at a height of 1.5 to 2 m. Taking into account the growth of the crown in height, the entire structure can reach 3-4 m with age, no more.

Such well-known trees, widespread in urban landscaping, as mountain ash (Sorbus), elm (Ulmus) and ash (Fraxinus) can also find a worthy place in private gardens, even small ones. We are talking about grafted weeping forms. All of these plants have varieties that are often found on sale and are called in Latin "Pendula". This word is translated as “hanging” and denotes a weeping form grafted onto a species plant. Such forms overwinter perfectly - no worse than their wild relatives. The main thing is that the vaccination was done correctly and, preferably, a long time ago, at least two years before the date of sale.

Among the mountain ash, you can find small trees with decorative foliage or fruits. Rowan intermediate (S. intermedia) - a slender, low tree up to 10 m with a decorative oval crown and a smooth gray trunk, the leaf is dark green above, grayish below due to pubescence, which creates a general feeling of silver foliage. Rowan Koehne (S. koehneana) from China is an elegant tree up to 5 m tall, in autumn it is decorated with white fruits. White-fruited mountain ash is exclusively decorative, but usually white-fruited mountain ash has bitter fruits, but birds love them. If gardeners want to enjoy berries without bitterness, they need to choose rowan elderberry (S. sambucifolia) or hybrid (S. x hybrida) - a hybrid of rowan ordinary and intermediate. The mountain ash (S. aucuparia) has a variety "Fastigiata" with a narrow pyramidal crown and upward branches. Such trees do not exceed 8 m in height, are characterized by slow growth and look spectacular in single and row plantings.

Columnar forms are found in oak (Quercus) and birch, they are also called "Fastigiata". These trees reach a maximum height of 10 m only by the age of thirty, while the width of the crown remains no more than one and a half meters!

And, of course, a few words should be said about the main decoration of the garden - fruit trees. These plants are traditionally divided into two groups: edible and ornamental fruit. As for the actual fruit trees, we can only say that only local, zoned varieties are suitable for cultivation. We are now interested, first of all, in decorative views.

They don't expect fruit, and if they do, it's more beautiful than tasty. Among the apple trees (Malus), the well-known varieties are "Royalty", with red flowers and dark purple leaves, and "John Downie", with decorative fruits that stay on the branches almost all winter. Varieties with large pink and red flowers and small white flowers have also been bred, which are distinguished by especially abundant flowering and an unusual (weeping) crown. All of them will winter relatively well in our climate, although in severe winters there is a high risk of freezing.

The red-leaved form of plum or cherry plum (Prunus divaricata) is a spectacular plant with dark red, almost black foliage that does not change its color either in the sun or in the shade. Unfortunately, this plum is not very winter hardy. But the willow pear (Pyrus salicifolia), reaching a height of 4–7 m, winters very well here. The fruits of this pear are of no gastronomic interest - they are small, green, and there is no need to talk about taste. This tree is beautiful in spring, when the flowers, collected in corymbose inflorescences, open, and young shoots appear with white-tomentose pubescence. It is also decorative in summer, thanks to unusually shaped leaves - narrow and long - up to 8  cm, covered with silver-gray hairs. The pear also has a variety "Pendula", which looks advantageous not only in summer, but also in winter, when hanging branches are especially clearly visible. Such a pear is wind-resistant, but does not tolerate heavy soils.

Common cherry (Cerasus vulgaris), along with lilac, is an indispensable attribute of Russian landowners' estates. There are cherry trees in almost every old garden. The white bloom of cherry blossoms makes the garden lacy and airy. For a small garden, we can recommend felt cherry (C. tomentosa), which easily turns from a shrub into a low (1–1.5 m) standard tree with an openwork crown. The structure of the skeletal branches makes it possible to do without grafting, it is enough to remove the buds on a young seedling to the desired height during the season, and cut the crown 2-3 times per season. The trunk in the early years needs a garter to the support.

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Assessing the impact of trees on base soils

It is undeniable that trees are a beneficial asset for the environment, our way of life and a symbol of a healthy landscape. They provide shade and privacy, improve air quality, provide habitat for native birds and animals, and help reduce salinization and soil erosion.

However, without proper control and monitoring, trees can also negatively affect the environment by damaging buildings, paths, driveways and underground infrastructure.

The influence of a tree starts literally from the roots. They are responsible for keeping the tree alive by extracting essential nutrients and water from the environment. Roots will continue to grow as the tree matures, and during this growth, roots will spread wherever there is a biological environment that supports the life of the tree. Roots typically seek out moist soil and often find entry into old or damaged pipes, including storm drains, sewers, and water mains.

Seasonal changes also affect how trees interact with their environment. During the warm months of spring and summer, soils can dry out due to lack of moisture, which causes clay soils to shrink. In extreme cases, ground settling can lead to significant ground movement, localized subsidence, or even subsidence of foundations throughout the home. Unfortunately, trees can exacerbate this process. In their pursuit of moisture, the root systems will spread through the dry soil, drying out the soil even more and absorbing the remaining water.

The combination of dry soil and moisture-hungry tree roots is the perfect recipe for ground movement and warning signs of subsidence, including cracked brick walls, warped wood frames, and jammed doors and windows.

Tree influence assessment

There are several factors to consider when determining whether trees may be the "primary cause" of damage to a home. These include:

Planting density

When trees are planted close together, they have to compete for moisture and nutrients in the same area of ​​soil. The larger the group of trees, the greater the impact on soil drying in the surrounding area. Therefore, houses or buildings located near large groups of trees are more likely to be affected by adverse ground conditions as the trees absorb more moisture, which can encourage more ground movement.

Tree type

Tree activity varies throughout the year depending on tree type, so it is important to identify the type of trees growing near your home. Deciduous trees, for example, hibernate in the winter and regrow in the spring. This life cycle means that their water requirements are often highest during the dry months, resulting in increased land shrinkage.

Characteristics

The physical parameters of a tree can determine how much moisture its root system can absorb, but this does not always depend on its overall size. Studies of the influence of a tree on soil conditions have shown that it is the area of ​​the tree's leaves, and not its height, that ultimately determines its need for moisture.

Learn more