Silver Birch - Is it a branch or root?

[Ray]

Hi guys.

I have just moved house to a place with my own garden, so as you can imagine I'm an absolute beginner when it comes to gardening!

I have what looks to be silver birch tree in my garden in which I am having problems telling if there is a large root coming from the tree on ground level or it it's a large branch growing out (such as a deformity) [see links below for pics].

2 questions regarding this:

1) - From your collective knowledge does this look to be a root or a branch from the tree?

2) - If I cut this part of the tree off will this make the tree unsafe or will it kill the tree?

For reference I am wishing to lay down turf around the tree so thus do not want this hazard/ eye sore on show.

Many thanks for your help in advance.

Image 1: http://goo.gl/CZRWjx
Image 2: http://goo.gl/5nlm70

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum!

I can't seem to see the second image - it says we need permission?

Looks like it could be a root to me, although it is very big compared with the tree itself! I'd be wary of cutting it off. Is it possible to expose any more to see for sure? You wouldn't expect a branch to grow that big underground. If it is indeed a root, perhaps you could make a feature around the bottom of the tree - put some plants around it to disguise the root?

Hopefully someone else will be able to provide another opinion as I am by no means an expert in this field!

 

[Ray]

Many thanks for your reply.

These link should work:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_fBunRD1N9rWU9KU2ZCQjJRbjQ/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_fBunRD1N9rai1IOFc3S2JRc1U/edit?usp=sharing

Indeed the item is very big compared to the tree itself. Do these links give anymore indication?

 

[firelily99]

It really does look like a piece of the tree but maybe the birch has roots that look like the tree. I would get an arborist to look at it, usually they will give a free or low cost assessment for something like that.

 

[Ray]

Thanks for your reply. That's what I thought, it really does look to be apart of the tree as apposed to the root. Thank you for your suggestion on consulting a arborist. I've never heard of one of this before, but goes to show that everyday is a school day

 

[gata montes]

1) - From your collective knowledge does this look to be a root or a branch from the tree?

2) - If I cut this part of the tree off will this make the tree unsafe or will it kill the tree?

For reference I am wishing to lay down turf around the tree so thus do not want this hazard/ eye sore on show.

Hi Ray and welcome to Gardening Forums

In answer to your question that is very definitely a root that you have at the bottom of your birch tree and although removing it won't kill the tree - as Birch trees are known to have very shallow roots that can travel some considerable distance and are renowned for causing damage to property - if you haven't dealt with anything like this in the past - I would strongly suggest that as has already been mentioned - it would be best to employ the services of a tree surgeon or arborist to not only access the situation - but also to see whether it would be better to remove the tree altogether.

Especially as most Birch trees are best grown in a pot rather than the ground - as the pot helps - not only to restrict where the roots travel but also the growth as it will keep it to a more manageable size - so that you can enjoy the tree rather than begin to dislike it for what it is doing to your property.

The main reason being that - although there are many different varieties of silver birch trees all of which will grow very easily in any kind of soil and all kinds of climate - as all varieties of Birch tree are extremely rapid growers - which once they get going have shallow roots that can travel a considerable distance often under nearby properties - most people sincerely wish that they had never put them in the ground in the first place - as they are not only extremely untidy messy trees to look after - but can very quickly become a birch tree forest - unless you are prepared to - on a weekly basis - to remove all the baby birch tree shoots attached to the far reaching exposed roots - which also make it near on impossible to grow anything under or around it.

 

[Ray]

Thank you so much for your sincerely detailed post gata montes, very much appreciated and very well informed. From yours and firelily99's I am now currently in the process of consulting a tree surgeon/ arborist.

Who would have thought that such a beautiful thing of nature could bring such chaos with it

I’m quite sure I will posting to this forum a lot from now on….