Is this tree safe?

It's just over my fence and it's huge. In the garden of a big house somewhere behind the fence. That's a full grown tree beside it, and the fence is 6ft tall, for scale.

 

It will never stop growing .
It is probably safe as they have a very strong root structure.

 

God I hope so. I lived 30 years above the tree line, I'm not used to this and find it intimidating. But what you've said makes me feel slightly better

 

It looks fine to me fumanchu. I have six 60ft pines in my garden and as Roders says they have a good root structure. They are shallow rooted but spread them over a wide distance. The one in your picture looks healthy and upright, if it was leaning then that would be of some concern.

 

If it ever starts leaning then I'll pack my bags. I'm just not used to trees so close and this one looks huge. TY for reassuring me Gardeners

 

As Sheal says, they're shallow rooted, but should be ok if the soil is good, but if you have a layer of rock close to the surface then they can be a problem in wet times

 

The ground in there used to be an orchard so should be ok, dont thinkt here's any rock. I'm just not used to living near trees, dont really like trees! Find it very menacing and too near, but will get used to it. No option

 

My garden is on bedrock Jiffy but the trees aren't a problem even when it's wet. In fact the ground here stays very dry deeper down.

 

There are trees and there are trees, you sometimes see them with exposed roots wrapped around rocky outgrowths and they never blow over.

My local park has some fairly mature trees and some have blown down over the years, but the area had lots of rag stone quarrying going on back in history, and usually it the rock that gives way, not the trees.

Dont think I'v ever seen on of those in the OP ever blown down.

 

I'm thinking possibly a chamaecyparis or similar, never saw one of those blow down around here in the 87 gale.

 

Had to help some one with a big problem many years ago, tree 150-200 foot high and trunk was about 10 feet round, it was on rock and as Pete sayed the rock gave and the big tree fell, it went though the middle of a big house, house was only 30-40 feet away, lucky the lady was in a diffent part of the house, it took 2 weeks just to cut up the tree and 2 and half years to sort out the house

 

It's nearer than it looks - the phone camera makes things look odd. But as you say, it has plenty other directions to fall in You have all reassured me, thank you for that. I was probly just fussing, never ever lived among trees before. I sort of miss my 1000 ft moor now though..

 

Hi fumanchu

I'm a bit late to this particular party, but here's my tuppence:

Professionally no tree is ever described as being safe. What you have is a likelihood of failure, normally given a numerical scale to quantify a report's findings. Anyone saying 'that tree looks safe to me', is providing you false reassurances based on very little information. No-one should offer advice based on one poor quality photo.

If you're really concerned about the tree safety you need to get a professional arboricultural consultant to provide a report (which could be used in court should anything happen). If yo uhave any further questions regarding tree health etc. I'm more than happy to help.

 

Bit like asking someone if its safe to cross the road I guess.

Do you ask the bloke standing on the corner.
Or a policeman.