Tree floor growth. Help with removal options?

Discussion in 'Trees' started by SSC, May 9, 2020.

  1. SSC

    SSC Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi there! Looking for some help/advice about options to treat/remove floor growth from my tree.

    Am looking to lay lawn down around the tree but this area sprouts every year and is a pain/eyesore.

    I’m not sure what it’s called not if it’s possible to remove, any advice much appreciated. Thanks.
     

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  2. Mike Allen

    Mike Allen Total Gardener

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    Hello and welcome SSC. Sorry but I can't see the photos very well. The mere mention of floor growth, often called, feathering. This prompts me to suggest, Tillia vulgaris > Common Lime tree. This tree has disappeared from many gardens, but remains in large numbers as what is sometimes called street trees. It is a beautiful tree offerring shade in summer. Sadly its leaves exude a stick substance that can cover the ground below. Favourite of the Lime Hawk moth.

    Sad to say it has this dominance of producing sucker type shoots. Sorry but there is no way of preventing this. Attempts have been made to scale back the bark, to ashphalt or cement over the problem area. If left, the growths get larger and will break-up pavements etc. However a tree well worth keeping.
     
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    • NigelJ

      NigelJ Total Gardener

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      With growths like that rather than cutting it off; the best way is to pull them off. If cut off you get regrowth from the buds at the base of the stem; if pulled off you tend to remove those buds as well. The same goes for the growths on the trunk, these are also better pulled or rubbed off rather than cut. Some trees are worse than others for this type of growth. I have problems with sorbus and hawthorn.
      You could try digging down and trying to pull those growths from the trunk/roots. However given the mass you have there; you may want to consider removing the tree and root completely.
       
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      • pete

        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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        There is an Avenue near me with some pretty big lime (tilia) trees ,every year the council have to cut back the basal suckers.
        The trees seem to make a large burr like growth at the base that the new shoots come from.
        I don't think it's anything you can stop on the type of tree that does this, you just have to live with it.
         
      • Macraignil

        Macraignil Super Gardener

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        The area under the tree looks to be too shaded for keeping a good lawn anyway so I think you should consider different options. I'd try plant some shade tolerant shrubs to hide anything you don't like the look of and put down wood chips over the rest to give you something nicer to walk on.
         
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