What do you think about a euc tree like this?

[ForTheArborist]

Euc trees are bad wood. That's why my concern. Unfortunately I don't have a pic to show.

Originally this tree was of a diameter at the base of a smidge more than 3 feet wide at 3 feet off of the ground. That is how high the tree was cut off long ago. Now there are about 10 well grown up stems sprung out of that stump. They range from 8 inches to 1.5 feet or better in diameter at their bases. They are 40ft high at their tips. All of this is growing 6 ft from the house.

I'm looking at this like the HO has to remove that ASAP before this hazard grows any higher and broader. It's getting really broad already, and that stump in the middle has no kind of hold on those big stems. They're only getting bigger, heavier, and the stump is only getting more and more rotten.

Our part in this was to just shave up around the base and take the canopy back from the roof. As we cleaned up, I noticed the stump. I then realized what the HO's had on their hands.

What do you think about something like that?

 

[David (saltas)]

Many eucalyptus have vigorous epicormic growth.

Cut stump poisoning has some effect but it is difficult as you only have a few seconds to get the poison applied and is too late if you are using a saw.

Basal bark spray is more reliable method.

 

[ForTheArborist]

Basal bark spray

I'll check on that one if they sell it here. I just wonder if these are going to fall all over the place with the rottin stump in the middle them all. opcorn:

 

[David (saltas)]

Basal bark spraying is a technique, so is cut stump

Table 1 Herbicides registered for the control of chinee apple
Situation Herbicide Rate Optimum stage
and time
Comments
Basal bark/
cut stump
Access®
/
triclopyr and
picloram
1 L/60 L diesel Basal bark
spray when
actively growing
Cut stump any
time of year
Thoroughly spray all crevices. Basal bark spray
plants with up to 15 cm basal diameter. Cut
stump plants with greater than 15 cm basal
diameter. For cut stump, spray immediately after
cutting.
Starane 200®
/
fluroxypyr
3 L/100 L diesel Spray plants with up to 15 cm basal diameter.
For cut stump, spray immediately after cutting.
Tomigan
200EC®
/
fluroxypyr
3 L/100 L diesel
Garlon 600®
/
triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel Basal bark
spray when
actively growing
Cut stump any
time of year
Thoroughly spray all crevices. For cut stump,
spray immediately after cutting.
Invader 600®
/
triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel Basal bark spray suckers and seedlings with up
to 5 cm basal diameter. Cut stump suckers or
seedlings with greater than 5 cm basal diameter.
Spray immediately after cutting.
Hurricane
600®
/triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel
Redeem 600®
/
triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel Basal bark spray plants with up to 5 cm basal
diameter.
Triclon®
/
triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel Basal bark spray plants with up to 5 cm basal
diameter. Cut stump plants with greater than
5 cm basal diameter. Spray immediately after
cutting.
Tryclops®
/
triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel
Safari 600EC®
/
triclopyr
1 L/60 L diesel
Basal bark
spray only
AF Rubber Vine
Spray®
/2,4-D
1 L/10 L diesel When actively
growing
Basal bark spray plants with up to 5 cm basal
diameter.
High volume
spray
Grazon DS®
/
triclopyr and
picloram
0.35 L/100 L
water
Seedling
regrowth to 2 m
Spray when
plants are
actively growing
A wetting agent is recommended to increase
effectiveness.
Soil application Tordon®
granules/
picloramtriethanolamine
35−45 g/m2
Apply prior to
expected rain
Refer to label for critical comments.

 

[David (saltas)]

Recommendations for Directed Spot Spray, Tree Injection, and Basal Bark Treatment | Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook

 

[ForTheArborist]

Question is do you think these overgrown shoots are going to stay up???

 

[David (saltas)]

Many eucalyptus have vigorous epicormic growth.

Epicormic growth is weak..............So no it will not be safe to let it keep growing.:msp_scared:

It is why I recommended poisoning it in the first place.:rolleyes2:

 

[derwoodii]

Epicormic growth is weak..............So no it will not be safe to let it keep growing.:msp_scared:

It is why I recommended poisoning it in the first place.:rolleyes2:

Agree, gum sucker or epicormic regrowth is by its physiology poorly attached to the mother stump and so in time prone to failure. Thats Ok if still small but often coppiced or left gum stumps may regrow to massive heights and sized trees depending on species and habit. Sox it, poision it or grind the stump, but offer to replant a few nice suitable trees in the deal.

 

[treeseer]

Our part in this was to just shave up around the base"

Did you use a straight razor, or electric? :msp_tongue:

Seriously, if this is a new term for 'remove lower branches", why do it? just makes the tree weaker.

As we cleaned up, I noticed the stump."

Many trees are stump sprouts and they stand up fine. Epicormic turns to endocormic over time. Reducing the ends will reduce risk of failure while maintaining the asset. without a pic it's hard to say whether you are just trying to scare the HO into a removal or not.

 

[ForTheArborist]

No, I wouldn't scare these people. More like their little brother putting the pieces of the puzzle together for them than anything else. I really like the idea about offering to plant a tree to replace the removed one. Very professional.

I also don't buy this transition from epicormic to endocormic on a 3ft wide, rotten stump, and the wood we're working with is no more than eucalyptus wood. A trash on a weakened foundation doesn't make a strong tree. And with this particular species growing 100+ feet high around here....even worse. Oh, and the storm winds during the winters as well as the tree growing half way off the edge a steep incline and very brittle ground at that.....well, I can't any faith in a compounded set of hazards like this. Letting the thing grow is a gamble with the homes around at best. $2k now or tens of thousands of dollars later in home repairs?

 

[beastmaster]

I may be bias, but to me, the growth that grows from a stump is more weed then tree, and the bigger it get you just have a big ugly weed that has lost its treeness. Euc's especially, will shoot up a lot of epicormic growth from a stump, and get as big or bigger then the original tree and not have the integrity the original tree had or strong structure of its single trunked parent, instead having several weaker attached leaders growing at acute angles. You have to ask your self why the original tree was cut also.
There are many options you could recommend, cabling, tip and weight reduction, but you still have an altered, weakened, weed, in my humbled personal opinion.
To determine if its a true hazard or not, you should do a proper hazard tree evaluation on the trunk and roots. Beastmaster

 

[ForTheArborist]

"To determine if its a true hazard or not, you should do a proper hazard tree evaluation on the trunk and roots. Beastmaster"

Yeah, that sounds like my kind of business. What does that entail?

From my point of view, which is stated above, I wouldn't even climb this tree. As a matter of fact, I would just rope and bull over the these giant weeds down the hillside away from the house. It to get it all back to the top the hill, but I won't put myself or anyone else in that while shock loading them. :msp_thumbdn:

Previous owners removed it originally more than likely because it was just another big, over grown Euc next to a house with much of it's ground cover non existent. The hill takes a steep drop on the side away from the owner's house. They have poor rooting systems, and I speculate it could topple over in a storm due to it's ground cover to be nonexistent.

 

[David (saltas)]

Yeah, that sounds like my kind of business. What does that entail?.

AS490-2009 page 9 clause 2.3.2 preliminary tree assessment.

correct botanical identification.......................you have not provided this
vigour........................................................you have not provided this
structure....................................................very poor
dimentions,hieght,crown spread and dbh.......
age class....................................................you have not provided this
estimated life expectancy.............................you have not provided this but once an id has been done it would be fair to say it is severly reduced
Heritage and cultural matters........................introduced species that is now endemic, of little to no significance
ecological and habit matters..........................it is plant out of place and has the potential for adverse economic impact, the definition of a weed
the location relative to existing site features... It is too close to the house
other relavant maters eg surface roots..........you have not provided this
retention value............................................A tree in this state is on negligible value.


You presented a description of a stump that is rotten and has epicormic regrowth and asked for an opinion.

You did not understand the opinion
I suspect you mistook BASAL for BASIL.

Everyone would be able to give a more reliable opinion if you had posted pictures of the site, the regrowth, the stump decay.

Now you have asked ho do you asses a tree and its roots.
I have given you a inaccurate one based on the limited info you have provided.
I think it is time for you to do some work, learn to id trees, read up on tree/root assessment, there is alot to it and you are not going to learn it all in here.

Euc trees are bad wood

I disagree with this generalisation.

YES They can be a plant out of place, but who's fault is that.
Many can be attractive corymbia ptychocarpa

Eucalyptus/Corymbia species can be very good lumber.
The eucalyptus lumber industry was started in California because the timber that had been used in Australia was very Good, it was old growth timber however.
The people that started the eucalyptus lumber industry in California did not understand this, They started the eucalyptus lumber industry because it was fast growing. they harvested the lumber when the trees were big enough but not old enough and the lumber was of poor quality it would bend and twist shrink and crack and was totally useless, much to their bafflement.

eucalyptus/corymbia are hardwood (they have flowers) the wood is also heavy / dense and makes good firewood.

 

[ForTheArborist]

"Eucalyptus/Corymbia species can be very good lumber.
The eucalyptus lumber industry was started in California because the timber that had been used in Australia was very Good, it was old growth timber however.
The people that started the eucalyptus lumber industry in California did not understand this, They started the eucalyptus lumber industry because it was fast growing. they harvested the lumber when the trees were big enough but not old enough and the lumber was of poor quality it would bend and twist shrink and crack and was totally useless, much to their bafflement."

You're right, but these aren't that. Besides, I wouldn't want to put up with Eucs. They are a poor structured species of desert tree that constantly shed. I just wouldn't want to constantly fight them with time and money to stay safe from them. Along the highways, fine. In outer space, A OK. Near the homes. Na.....well unless you're rich :msp_thumbup: Then I understand your infatuation, kind sir. They're kind of neat then.