nuisance tree

Are Plane trees native to the UK? Our council have removed several opposite our house, which is a real shame, as they've left a huge gap in the skyline :(

It does sound a tad faddish to be removing trees, because they don't suit current thinking....

 

I presume you mean London Plane Trees (Platanus Ã? hispanica)?

if so then I'm afraid you out of luck as it's a hybrid tree... it's parents are believed to be Platanus orientalis (which could be considered native to anywhere from the Balkans to Iran - Wikipedia:hehe & Plantanus occidentalis (Native to North America)

It's also interesting to note that the most expensive tree in London is a Plane tree planted in 1789 (source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7361244.stm)

I'll stop acting like of swallowed a load of books now:rotfl:

 

Feel free to swallow more books if you share the information!

Goes to prove then that trees have a place in our towns and countryside, regardless of their country of origin. The London plane trees are famous...and being cut down at an alarming rate...

I'm all for protection of our native forests, but not when it means cutting down what's left in our towns and cities.

 

It does actually matter quite a lot in the wider scheme of things. Native plants are the best for maintaining and reversing the decline in wildlife. Native plants attract a wider range of animals from invertebrates right up to mammals. I believe the oak has the most variety of animals living on/in it with over 200 species regularly recorded followed by silver birch.

Having said that, I do not think councils should be cutting down all non native trees but doing rather more to plant native species or closely related cultivars as replacements over time as needed. I think new all new planting schemes should include such planning.

I have gardened for over 30 years and have seen fashions come and go. Nowadays most of my own choices are not for exotics but natives right the way up from annuals, through perennials to shrubs and trees. My garden still contains non natives but as they are replaced I'm giving much more thought to planting natives and their close relations. And it's paying off....got a bird list of over 80 bird species seen in and around my garden! Just planted a crab apple this winter....hoping to attract a few more winter birds by choosing one that holds it's fruit well into spring. We can all do our bit for wildlife....starting literally with our own back yards!

 

Thing is though...a lot of "native" plants were introduced by the various invaders to our green and pleasant land - Romans, Vikings, Normans. Many of our best loved "traditional cottage garden" plants are not true natives, coming from the Americas or Asia and introduced here perhaps 200, 300, 400 years ago. How far back to you go before you consider a plant a native?

 

This is a good question Sg. From my own perspective I would say any specie that arrived naturally would be native, windblown seeds, seeds on birds feet, even floated but definitely not in the pockets of a Victorian collector. Hard to say how far back in time makes it native.

Obviously we can't all plant oak trees in our gardens but what about a dwarf silver birch, a closely related cultivar, if you've not enough room for a full size one or a wild cherry instead of an ornamental one?

 

I did a bit of a search online after my last post and I was surprised at how many plants we consider quintessentially English actually aren't. Even good old lavender, that staple of the english cottage garden is from the Mediterranean region.

 

Well I love lots of the "non-native" trees like horse-chestnuts (balkans..) and plane trees there among some of my favourite and if the council so much as flinched with a chainsaw near any of the urban street trees where I live I'd be straight down the offices with banners and Molotov cocktails:rotfl:

 

Nice to see this discussion. I will rephrase my earlier definition of what I think could be considered as native to any specie that arrived naturally would be native, windblown seeds, seeds on birds feet, even floated and succeeded in establishing,colonising and reproducing itself.

 

The only real solution would be for your neighbor to get a decent tree surgeon in to do a crown thin, this should let a bit more light in, some of the overhang could also be sorted.

Other than that not a lot that can be done.

 

When Mrs Pip and I moved into our house 18 months ago one of the first things I did was ask the neighbour if I was ok to take off some branches overhanging our garden,his reply was "no problem".
Just like your neighbours tree alana,this one is right up to the boundry fence and spread well over into our garden blocking half the days sunshine and depriving plants and lawn of light.

I lopped it myself and took away a considerable amount of branches and opened the garden right up. The reason I did it myself was the fact that the neighbour has a tree house in it and betwen him and the previous occupants of my house they chopped it down to an eight foot high trunk and plonked this thing on his side. The tree then shot out limbs from the sides and developed from there. It is now at least 20 feet high. Had the tree been an untouched specimen I would have got a surgeon in but as it was already a botch job I lopped it all away.

To cut a long story short my neighbour took issue and we haven't spoken since,as I said I would have got a pro in to do it but it was already ruined with the treehouse and the previous hack job.

 

Alana we had a similar problem with our neighbours. We live rurally and there were huge ash trees growing in the hedge at the bottom of both our gardens. I took mine down but theirs continuously shaded our back garden and I mean quite densely. We brought the subject up a few times but they didn't really believe us because of the slightly different aspect of their garden they weren't so affected. I eventually brought them round to see. I warned of the dangers of them falling and the damage to their property etc I also mentioned the root thing and how it could not only harm their foundations but they were having septic tank problems so i threw that in for good measure.:hehe: The trees were down within two weeks.:rotfl:

 

No problem with my neighbour I prune their trees for them they are delighted that I do and they are tailored not to encroach on my garden.