Does this look like it is going to be a problem if not a problem already..






Just realized my pictures sucked. Ill take a few better ones tomorrow.

What kind of tree is that? It looks like other trees on the street also have damage. Is this storm damage?
To answer your question, yes it looks like the damage was too substantial, and I don't doubt the tree has disease also. The weeping sap is not a good sign. Poor tree.

I agree with CindiKS that it appears there is storm damage. Was there a hurricane or tornado in the area that damaged the mature trees?

When you ask: "Does this look like it is going to be a problem if not a problem already.."

Please, when you post additional photos can you also be more specific; what kind of problem are you anticipating? Are you asking if the tree will drop limbs? Or if it will shade the plantings under it? If it will require help from a licensed tree doctor? If the tree should be removed?

Also please, is this your house? Did you recently purchase the house?

Not sure what type of tree. I just bought the house so I'm just getting started with someone else's problems.
I'm wondering if i cut off the branch that has already been cut but regrew out of the original branch but is now more than half the size it should be. If I cut that one back off, BC its an eye sore, is that going to kill it ? It now reaches up and beyond the other branches , so I assume its the main branch .

It is a Silver Maple. They are notorious for becoming HUGE. and have VERY extensive-invasive, root systems. They are also a soft wood and break easily in storms. You do not want these anywhere near your house. They are popular because 1. big box stores promote them. 2. they grow very fast 3. they have pretty fall color and leaf out early in the spring. Big box stores promote them because they grow fast (make money) They grow fast because the roots are aggressive. They are pretty because they are maples! But there are better pretty things to plant.

Thank you for the additional info and photo. with Frillylily. The tree is not something you would want growing that close to your house. Since the tree is already damaged (and is none too attractive) it would be best to remove it and plant something well-behaved and beautiful.

Oh, and...nice house!! When you get settled everyone from ATP will come and sit on your front porch.

I cannot stress this enough.


Storm. Tree is going to split at red spot.
Tree will land all over house (as indicated in purple).

And that is my tree pictorial prediction

That's what I was thinking and to top it off the tree isn't level.





Here is problem number 2-5.

This tree is also ugly and I murder the crypte myrtle myself. I'm going to leave those alone but the tree would you prune it any or let it be? IMO it is an eye sore. Can u tell what it is??

If both of those trees were on my property, I would remove them. Both are old and appear damaged by storms and disease. I can't even tell what that 2nd one is. It appears as if someone tried to save it.

It might be a cherry. Did you see it flower earlier in the year? Some kind of fruit probably.
Can you get a pic of the leaves up closer?

I don't know, they all kinda look like they've seen their day. The crepe myrtles look awful. They are notorious for leafing out later in the year, they like it hot. I usually think mind is dead just about the time it starts to sprout out again. Usually grow out pretty quickly though once they start. If you want something that flowers, has wonderful scent, lives practically forever, and doesnt need pampered, try lilacs or forsythia. I know they are over used (in every yard) but who cares! They are nice. I don't know what zone you are in, but they do well over a large area.

On one of your posts you told folks where you lived. If you go to your profile page and add the info, it would show in the upper right corner of all your posts so people could give you better answers based on your zone and climate.

Would it be possible to walk across the street and take a photo showing the entire front yard?

I have cut down plenty of trees either by myself or with only one person to help. Your two trees look bad and at least one of them has potential to cause damage to your house; the trees are small enough that you should be able to cut them down without professional help.

Once the trees are removed you can get to work on the lawn, soil preparation, re-planting or re-sodding. After you get the lawn looking good you can step back and look again at the whole picture and decide where in your landscape a tree might look best. There are plenty of smaller trees that would provide visual interest; flowers and a nice scent would be a plus.

I completely agree with what's been said. We removed 3 trees from our property and started over because they were in bad shape and diseased.

Lilacs need winter cold and, as stated, we don't know your zone.

Frilly, it's nice to know CMs can successfully be grown in colder climes. I recently planted one and am hoping it does well.

Celia the CM will do fine for you in zone 6. I have one here that does ok, but others I've tried died. I know zone 5 and 6 is about the limit as far as I can tell. They do have vigorous roots so don't plant them in a flower bed. They can choke other stuff out.

I got one that is for one zone colder and it's in its own bed. Thanks!

Those trees look like they were pruned in the past by Morticia Adams!

Gruesome.

They would compliment a Gothic "haunted house" look, but yours looks too nice (and too normal) for trees like that, or gargoyles.

I agree that a sugar maple poised to puncture your roof is not worth the risk even if it could be radically pruned into some kind of reasonably healthy shape.

If the other one really is a cherry, maybe it is valuable enough to be very severely pruned. Then see if it grows back into less of an eyesore over a few years.

If you don't mind waiting a few years or more for new trees to grow up, I'm sure that would improve your yard's appearance and property value. In the meanwhile, they serve as poster children for "this is why trees benefit from CAREFUL pruning".

I enjoyed the photos!

By the way, when you had the property inspected, did the inspector mention that the sugar maple was a roof-killer waiting to happen? If he didn't, and had no disclaimer that excused him from looking at the elephant in the room, he deserves to be scolded or at least educated.

Rick, I was thinking the same thing about the appraiser. When I had appraiser training (in Texas, no less!) they emphasized mentioning dead, diseased or dying trees on the property report, because they can be soooo expensive to have removed.
We've had so many storms here that insurance companies are picky about who and what they will insure. There's a few companies out there who would not write a policy on that house until the tree was removed, or they would limit coverage from damage from the tree.
Gotsqueeze, you are actually lucky because you get to choose a new, better tree. Find something that will hold up in storms because every year the storms get more and more intense. Or just do a flower bed there! Silver maple roots are the worst. I've about torn up my mower bouncing over the roots that have surfaced because of our drought. They are thirsty, greedy trees. If I had any other source of shade, I would tear out our maple in a heartbeat, but since it's so big, I'm stuck with it. Every single year, storms break off limbs in that tree.

I absolutely agree you should remove that tree. It's way too close to the house. When you do go to replace it be sure to research really thoroughly as to how big the new tree will get before you plant it. You need to plant it at least its eventual full height away from your house both to prevent damage from limbs falling and to keep the roots from invading your foundation and plumbing.

Two more thoughts - in your first picture, look beyond your tree to the tree in the yard across the street. Whoever pruned that tree knows what they were doing. It's really nice (although I have no clue what kind it is). That yard is a bit too "groomed" looking for me with all the shrubs trimmed into ball shapes, but that person either has good help or knows what they're doing. Maybe get to know them, and ask about a good tree to plant, and later, how to prune it or have it pruned. An example of really bad pruning (or none at all?) is the tree in the next-door yard with the little brick thingys around it.

Second, the beginning of summer is not the time to think about pruning trees, just for future reference. Sap is flowing full-on and some trees can literally bleed to death from major pruning at this time of year. Fall, winter or early spring before the leaves start to bud (dormant times) are all better times. So if you do leave the "maybe cherry" tree and try to recuperate it, wait until it starts to lose its leaves in the fall, at least!

The best time to prune fruit trees is when they have no leaves.

Here is the leaf :




Front :