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You may want to check with city codes before planting anything. I also agree that you want to make sure you own the land. Have you thought about planting something smaller, like crape myrtle, or a weeping something or other? I too have seen tree roots go through sewer lines and sidewalks. Good luck!
Location: The Circle City. Sometimes NE of Bagdad.
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That strip of land in my neck of the woods is called a parkway, why, I have no idea. My city has a law that says that a house must have a tree in the parkway. When I moved in 40 years ago it looked like a dead weed, so out it came.
In the mean time, most of the trees have been removed because they were really messy pines and they were lifting the sidewalks and street, but no pipe damage.
have you thought of maybe doing a low maintainence ground cover in the whole area instead of trees? No mowing and no roots. Around where I live this area is called the "apron" - i think. Thats what i've always called it :-)
Consider your liability before choosing a large tree. Branches falling on people or parked cars, sap/debris damaging cars, children climbing and falling, branches entangling power lines if you have above-ground lines on your street, sidewalk section raising/cracking and causing someone to trip.... anything that may happen and come back on you as the owner of the tree.
I know that treee limbs falling are considered a act of god by the courts. I had a treee fall from my neighbors yard and wiped out a section of my fence.A friend who is a lawyer advised me that myinsurnace would pay because of this. Insurnace paid for the removal of the tree and for the fence.
Not trying to start a legal discussion but the point being it's the owner's responsibility, and all possibilities should be considered when making the choice.
have you thought of maybe doing a low maintainence ground cover in the whole area instead of trees? No mowing and no roots. Around where I live this area is called the "apron" - i think. Thats what i've always called it :-)
Yeah, I've considered ground cover too. Heck, I've considered just mulch and maybe a few small xeriscape plants, but I wanted some shade.
I will check into all the things suggested in these 2 pages before I do anything... thanks for the replies.
As for crepemyrtle; that's a totally reasonable suggestion, thank you, but I am just personally sick of CM's. I know that sounds weird but everyone has them here, everywhere, which makes sense because they're pretty and drought resistant and all but they are EVERYWHERE you turn. I have two huge old ones on the side of my house, in fact, and while I don't know what their root systems are like, my two CMs are VERY tree-like and huge with big fat trunks and they are almost 2 stories high.
I was thinking of something more delicate but shady. Not a big oak or anything.
It's all good to know though, because I DO plan to plant a big oak in the backyard (well, one that will get big anyway) so I should check out all this pipe stuff anyway.
As for the apron or parkway or whatever, I am actually not sure if I own it or the city?? I am required to maintain it, I know that much.
I guess my nosy neighbor was right this time in her warning, huh? Don't tell her I said so! lol
Around here it's called the parking and it belongs to the city, but we are responsible for it's maintenance.
Check with the city. Here we have a list of trees that the city allows us to plant on the parking. There will probably be an additional consideration because of the pipes.
Your city personnel should be able to tell you what you can and cannot do.
Edit: Around here if the city has to work on your parking (water, gas, electric, etc) they usually don't warn you, they just show up and start digging. Good reason to not put a lot of money into landscaping it. They will replace sod, but that's it.
You definitely need to check with the city. No matter what they call it chances are good they will have some say over what can and can't be planted on that bit of land. My dad has to deal with that issue, he is required to pay for and maintain a particular type of tree in that space but the city can come and dig it up at any time to work on pipes, pavement, sidewalks, etc, and he has to pay for a new tree again!!
I was thinking of something more delicate but shady. Not a big oak or anything.
Once you've got the "all clear" from the city, you might want to consider a chaste tree (vitex). As sturdy as a crepe myrtle, but a bit different, with lovely lavender-blue flowers, and can be a shrub or tree.
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Don't tell her I said so! lol
