Several decades ago, my wise old grandmother introduced me to cactus and succulents. The rest is history.
I’ve taken that interest and developed it into a passion for landscaping, a passion that complements my passion for real estate and my career as a home inspector. My love of plants and real estate has developed into an intense interest to help people understand how the wrong tree, bush, or ground cover can have devastating effects on their home, effects that might not become visible until many years later.
Here in San Diego, virtually anything will grow because of our Mediterranean temperatures. With the proper amount of watering, those things will grow tall and wide. Some that you’ve never seen bloom before will bloom.
When I was growing up in South Texas, I was quite proud of my Norfolk Island Pine (also called a Star Pine) that had grown to six feet in ten years. Here in the canyons of San Diego, it’s not uncommon to find Norfolk Island Pines that are 35 or 40 feet tall, also in ten years.
The umbrella tree, or schefflera, is the same. We Texans were proud if they were six feet tall and still had all their lower leaves. Here in San Diego, they not only grow to 20 feet tall, but the darn things bloom! And beautiful blooms they are, too.
Unfortunately, because everything will grow here, people plant plants in the strangest places. Notwithstanding our desert environment with an average of 11 inches of rain a year, people will water their plants to make sure they grow big and strong.
Here’s an example of a ficus tree which not only grew big and strong, but its root system grew wide and destructive:
That tree was not at the home that I was inspecting; it was next door! Yet it had not only destroyed the foundation of the home in the picture, it had also destroyed the foundation of the home to the left, the home that I was inspecting.
Moral of the story? Don’t fall prey to the grocery stores that sell the cute, little ficus trees at all times of the year. Those cute, little ficus trees grow to be big, monster, destructive trees. So do many other small plants commonly sold in grocery stores, discount stores, home improvement stores, and, of course, at plant nurseries.
Join me tomorrow for part two.
Pingback: Do your plant due diligence — Part three | Real Estate Solutions by Russel Ray
Pingback: Do your plant due diligence — Part two | Real Estate Solutions by Russel Ray
Home owners do not need to be in the mild climate of San Diego to see major damage from tree roots. In our home community of Kentlands, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, many of the brick sidewalks are in bad condition due to the growing roots of the trees that line the streets. Maryland is known to be a very green area and all need to think beyond the beauty of the trees when planning the communities.