> Thank you for all the informative dialogue about the liquid amber trees. I have designed 4- three story townhouses and they each have one liquid amber planted 3 feet away from the building. This is on sandy soil near the beach in Venice California. Approximately three feet of topsoil had to be imported to plant the trees. The foundation of the building is five feet deep. The trees were planted four years ago.> Is this going to create a problem for the building in the future?> Should the trees be removed? Would they die if they are to be removed?> Ideally how far away should they be from the building?> Thanks
i would say 3 feet is too close for any tree. however, sweetgum (Liquidambar stryaciflua) can get 40 feet - 60 feet wide. in the south, this is consider a large shade tree. it would be nice to relocate them and replant with something more size appropriate or plant further away from the building, but being in the ground 4 years is quite some time. how big are they now? could you post a picture?
Sandy soil isn't likely to give you any root subsidence problems with the foundations - that happens where you have shrinkable clay soils. But I agree with Dixie on the problems you will get with branches, etc.
Is the foundation hollow behind the foundation, or is there solid fill behind it. 3' distance could make me concerned knowing just how impressive the roots and base of those can become.
