Tree Identification/Advice

[Claire_S]

Hi,

 

We've been living in our house for over a year now and I've been meaning to find out more about the tree in our front garden. I have attached some photos of it-is anyone able to identify it? Also can anyone tell me how big it is likely to get? At the moment its roughly 9 or 10 ft and it's about 15 or 16 ft from the house. The photos without the leaves are up to date, we cut back some of the sides of the tree this winter as the branches were starting to reach the paths on either side. I want to try and stop it getting much bigger, should we be cutting it back every winter? We have clay soil-is there any chance that the tree could affect the house in relation to subsidence based on it's proximity to the house?

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Claire

[NickinMids]

looks like a lilac

[Millbert]

Hi,

 

It's a lilac (syringa vulgaris). It won't grow very large and can be pruned after flowering or in winter.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Chris

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Agree with lilac. A shrub really. Not going to get huge. Do the flowers turn brown and persist on the shrub for some time making it look a bit shabby?

[Claire_S]

Thanks for your help, yep both winters that we've been here the browned flowers have stayed on the tree-I just assumed that was normal?

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

It is normal. Just confirms its lilac. If it gets too big you can cut it right back and it will come again.

[10 Bears]

Hello Claire,

 

With regards to subsidence - just because you have clay soil, it doesn't mean that it is the right type of clay. There are only two types of clay soil that can shrink or swell, and you may not have either. I wonder, have you ever seen any cracks appearing in your walls in the summer, then for them to close in the winter? This would indicate a clay shrink/swell situation. In all honesty, I would expect that the grass is taking more moisture from that small lawn rather than the Lilac, so I would not worry about this as an issue in any case.

 

As for pruning, you will be fine to put it in for an annual haircut, and to maintain it like this long term. Ideally about 8' is the best time to start but no problem here. You are best advised to prune no more then 1/3 of the stems each year, and to prune back the shrub just after the flowers have faded. This will give a longer period for next years flower buds to regenerate. Leave it too long and you will not get next years crop.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards

 

10B

[Claire_S]

Thanks for the advice, very useful, I haven't noticed the sort of cracks you describe so that's a good sign.