Front yard Tree?

[ElectroMike]

I need some help selecting a new, fast growing, 20' to 40' tree for the front yard, near a sewer line and a power line, which can provide shade!

I have almost zero experience when it comes to trees, so I need as much help/education as I can get here, hopefully first hand knowledge, as the internet leaves out some gray areas.

I own a 1940's house, it's a two story Cape with a full height basement, I'm in the North East. I've been in this house for over 20 years, front property is about 35' from the foundation to curb line. The front is split in half with a concrete walk way from the steps to the curb.

Currently there is a ~40' Swamp Maple located 4' from the sewer line, which has been attacking my sewer line since I lived there and I had the full sewer line dug out and replaced, twice now. It's been about nine years and the roots have been entering the sewer again at the PVC/Cast joint two feet away from the foundation, thru the sleeve, it's still manageable to cut them thru a clean out but I'm doing it every four month, it got old, plus the tree was partially dying with branches falling, so I cut it down over the last few weeks, well almost.

Now that it's down, I miss the shade and the house looks naked, so I would like to plant a new tree. I want it next to the old one but on the other side of it, further away from the sewer line. I'm not super concerned with the power line, since our public service comes around every few years and trims all the branches near it.

Which type of trees should I look into, which can get to about a 15'-20' height within the next few years and mature in 10 years, to be in the 30'+ range, work in the sun, in my location, require little watering and do NOT sniff and look for the sewer line!

Here is the said tree, shown almost fully cut down so that you see what I'm working with, the steps/handrails closer in pic are to my house entrance:

 

[T.Orso]

Linden is fast growing and provides dense shade, so you may want to research that. I don't know about how thirsty it is for sewer pipes.

I'm watching a red oak grow in our front yard and enjoying that. Doesn't meet your criteria for rate of growth though.

 

[John Rose]

After cutting down a bunch of old Elm trees afflicted with Dutch Elm Disease, my town gave away a bunch of Linden (related to Lime trees - but not the citrus kind - or Basswood) saplings, and ours is growing nicely. It's worth checking out the characteristics of it at least, to see if it's suitable for your situation.

We recently had an arborist come by and do some trimming on our trees. It will help them to look fuller and more symmetrical in the future, and in your case might keep it from looking amputated near the overhead lines. It also can help minimize winter storm damage.

 

[Mick]

Kousa Dogwood.

Get one that is hybridized for your climate.

Kousa Dogwood (Japanese Dogwood) Tree on the Tree Guide at arborday.org

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[ElectroMike]

Thanks guys, Linden and Kousa Dogwood both look interesting. My coworker also mentioned a Dogwood.

Others at my work said Red Maple but when I searched it, looks like I would have the same problem with my sewer years layer.

Keep the ideas coming, it will probably take me another few weeks until I clean up the mess and grind the old stump down. I figured the hard part or cutting the existing 40 footers down without dropping them on the power lines and on my house was the hard part, next should be a more enjoyable experience!

 

[Mick]

Looking at your space anything larger than a flowering ornamental would be into the power lines every year.

Red maple is a BIG tree. 80-90 feet is typical. I planted 2 of them 30 years ago. Both are pushing 75 feet today.

American Dogwood is a slow growing tree. 50 years for 45 feet of height. I have 30+ dogwoods ranging in age from a few years to 90 years old (end of their life)

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[ElectroMike]

I don't think I have much more than 25 years left in me! Hence why something fast growing would be ideal. If I can get something to hit 20'+ within the next five years, I will be a happy camper. I have an Oak that is on the other side of the driveway, it's 3' from the same power lines in the pic but it's over them, I'd say it's a good 80' tree, provides great shade onto the driveway.

 

[Mick]

I don't think I have much more than 25 years left in me! Hence why something fast growing would be ideal. If I can get something to hit 20'+ within the next five years, I will be a happy camper. I have an Oak that is on the other side of the driveway, it's 3' from the same power lines in the pic but it's over them, I'd say it's a good 80' tree, provides great shade onto the driveway.

Any tree that grows fast has a higher risk of being weak and a potential risk to the house in the future.

Sycamore grows fast, is brittle, and prone to dropping large limbs. They do not fair well in storms. They have whopper large leaves and golf ball sized seed pods.

Tulip tree grows fast, not as brittle as a Sycamore but is prone to dropping large branches, easily damaged I storms. It has large petaled flowers and helicopter seeds, both of which clog gutters and downspouts.

Either of these trees will get to 30 feet in 10 years.

I also have mature tulip and Sycamore trees here.

The first thing we did when we bought this house 30+ years ago, we planted trees. They are now mature trees.

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[davent]

Armstrong Maple was the one recommended to me and planted by the city after Dutch Elm disease decimated our street. I have about the same frontage as you with sewer lines and power lines. Columnar in shape, relatively fast growing, very good shade, little in the way of key drop, high enough to shade our 1.5 storey, south facing house, twenty feet wide at the lowest branches and best of all, incredible fall colour, brilliant red.

dave

 

[Billski]

Get a silver maple tree. I've lived with these all my life.

 

[McNasty]

I would center either a Japanese Lilac or a nice crab apple. Be to get a crab apple resistance to scab.

 

[ColtRevolver]

My yard has 3 large maples. Nice for shade. Not so nice that they drop sticks on the yard constantly.

 

[ElectroMike]

Thanks for all the feedback. As much as I like Maples (have about 4 of them in the back yard mixed with other tall trees) seems like their root systems are known for looking for underground water and getting into sewer and water lines, so I need to rule them out.

Mick you make good points on fast growing trees and them not doing well in storms/high winds, so I might also have to rule them out.

Seems like a 25' Dogwood may be the way to go, I might have to drop a few hundred $ to get one in the 8' range to get a head start on the growing cycle.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[Raissermesser]

First, look up your USDA hardiness zone. See: Interactive Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Next, look for info from your state agriculture extension office.

You may want to give your power company a call about ROW maintenance distance. This varies from utility to utility, and can be from 10 to twenty feet from the center of the line. As it is, you may want to give them a call about that thing in the three-wire underbuild. Can't tell if the wires grew through a limb that was later removed or what.

 

[Mick]

Thanks for all the feedback. As much as I like Maples (have about 4 of them in the back yard mixed with other tall trees) seems like their root systems are known for looking for underground water and getting into sewer and water lines, so I need to rule them out.

Mick you make good points on fast growing trees and them not doing well in storms/high winds, so I might also have to rule them out.

Seems like a 25' Dogwood may be the way to go, I might have to drop a few hundred $ to get one in the 8' range to get a head start on the growing cycle.

Keep the ideas coming!

If you go with an American dogwood you have a few choices of flower color from pure white to pink to red.

Dogwoods like a acid soil ph.

When we bought this house there were over 30 white dogwoods with white azealias under them. When they were in bloom it looked like snow outside. Over the years many of the older trees died and we have been replacing them with pinks and reds.

 

[Rhody]

Check with your city or town they might gave a tree warden or check with an arborist who can make suggestions based on climate and the area

 

[ElectroMike]

First, look up your USDA hardiness zone. See: Interactive Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Next, look for info from your state agriculture extension office.
You may want to give your power company a call about ROW maintenance distance.

Raissermesser - Thanks for the added info, looks like I'm in zone 7a. Our town does not seem to care about adding trees and seems like only the local power company trims them every few years. As I started looking up at the trees more now, I see that there are two huge Oaks and a Maple at the house next to me, stacked 10' apart from each other and all are 4' c-c from the power lines and all are trimmed but the tops are covering middle of the street. Next block over, new Maples have been planted right under the power lines, actually between the electrical poles, so I gave up on being concerned about tree vs power wires at this point, since no one else does here.

The tree I cut never touched the power lines but the peaks were above the lines, so when cutting it down, I had to guide each section to fall into my neighbors driveway and his front lawn. I actually sat on this project for a few years but he sold his house and I had a 3 week time slot to get this done before new people move in.

Mick - That's an awesome view, looks like a park! Unfortunately my area is too congested for this type of property but I have enough back yard to stretch out on a 125' x 50' lot back filled with tall trees and a variety of shrubbery to enjoy the view. Those Dogwoods are growing on me!

Rhody - Good suggestion on the Arborist, our town is used to people hiring pro's for this, so they have nothing internal. However, we are surrounded by many nurseries and with some search one does indicate to have an Arborist about two minutes from my house, so I might pick their brain with intention to purchase and get a warranty on a tree, since I see some people plant nice/expensive stuff and then it turns brown within a season.

 

[davent]

Here we place a call to the city, they have a list of ~40 varieties to choose from, get some advice from the cities' arbourists for something suitable for your property, the city plants it on your property road allowance, you just have to water it to get it established. They'll plant up to three depending on your property.

You'd think everyone would have a tree, not even close.

dave

 

[August West]

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

 

[Fairwind]

I vote for American Elm or American Chestnut. Lets help to bring them back.