Sissoo roots nightmare

8 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Moved into this house 3 months ago, where previous homeowner had 3 mature Sissoo trees all within 15' of the home's foundation. I immediately got them cut down and had the trunks drilled into and poisoned, but they're still sending shooters everywhere in the front/back/side yards!
The one below (side-yard) has roots going underneath the home's foundation, and I've uncovered a good 8" diameter root along the brickwall a good 30' away. AND, on the inside part of the wall where it goes underneath the house, the dry-wall is starting to crack in one spot, slightly. The other two in the front yard have already caused damage to the sewage line, are uplifting the driveway concrete, and I'm now afraid of the overall foundational integrity of the house!
Given they were cut / poisoned 3 months ago but still sending shooters everywhere, will the roots continue to grow (even if I stay on top of the shooters)? Should I be worried about the home's foundation, call in a structural engineer?

Featured Answer

Suanne Zone 9&11 Arizona USA & Sonora Mexico

8 years ago

Feel your pain..... it happened to me. I had a neighbor that had two trees in their backyard. They cut them down and didn't remove the stump. They moved two months later. In the mean time the tree roots traveled under the block fence, under a ramada outdoor kitchen area and were heading for the swimming pool. It cracked the concrete pad under the ramada and shoots were coming up. They are attracted to water. While the house next door was for sale, I went over every morning and dug up the roots leading to my fence and also dug up my backyard and removed the roots. Once you break a root it starts new shoots. You can't kill these trees....they keep coming back. Finally the house sold. The new neighbors thought they had a serious rodent problem. I had dug up the hole backyard....litterally, but the stumps were still their. I explained the situation and they got a back hoe and dug up the trunks that were still sending off new roots and shoots. The tree is native to Iran along rivers as they prevent errosion and they love water. Landscapers use them because they grow FAST and provide shade. So if you have a pool or grass that is irrigated they will send roots that way. They sell them at Lowe's and Home depot and people are buying them. You see them a lot in shopping parking lots too. And those little seed pods are impossible to get out of the landscaping rock. They are a home owners worst nightmare!

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Comments (12)

Suanne Zone 9&11 Arizona USA & Sonora Mexico
8 years ago
Forgot to mention poison doesn't work. I've tried them all! You have to remove the tree trunk and all the roots to get rid of the problem. Yes they will cause structural and foundation damage. I traced the longest traveling root at 45 ft. from the stump. These trees should be banned in Arizona.
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iandyaz
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Has anyone ever tried digging down and painting the roots with Crossbow (or Triclopyr Ester)? I've heard good things about it but I have never tried it.
plastike (usda 9b)
Original Author
8 years ago
Have an arborist coming out in a few days, have a feeling will need to tear apart entire front yard (driveway included) and side backyard. Will keep this thread updated
Nap z7b (TN)
8 years ago
following
Suanne Zone 9&11 Arizona USA & Sonora Mexico
8 years ago
Never tried Crossbow. The problem is when you break a root from the mother tree they keep sending off new shoots from the root that has been disconnected from the mother tree. They send up new tree sprouts over night. The root system is massive.
plastike (usda 9b)
Original Author
8 years ago
Well, nothing much more than I had already known, other than a price to retreat and grind the tree stumps. Foundation may or may not be impacted down the road, will have to spot treat new shooters for a long time, brick wall may or may not get worse, same with driveway until it tree dies after a long time. Noticed my post tension slab I'm the garage is starting to get a lot of hairline cracks too. We wouldn't have bought this house in Feb if we knew what we know now.
Anne Graniello
5 years ago
Hi! Dealing with a neighbor and these same root nightmares AS WE SPEAK. We asked them to remove 2 years ago after first incident (broken pool plumbing) and they refused. We never asked to be reimbursed for repair. Well, tripped on way to trash can and realized pavers are lifted. Husband dug down and not shocking but a NEW ROOT. Dug by foundation and there is another root. They are trying to sell. I am terrified of what it going to happen. My parents think I need to hire a lawyer just in case something happens. Arborist came yesterday and said likely that our pavers are lifting due to roots encroaching there as well. 😩 I hope you issue resolved, but I’m willing to take any names you might have as I am in AZ, too.
plastike (usda 9b)
Original Author
5 years ago
We ended up going with tree pros llc to grind the stumps, and a separate company (forget the name) to apply material to the freshly ground stumps that same day. This was about a year and a half ago, and we noticed shooters maybe for a few months after that, but then haven't seen one since! No more pavers lifted, etc.
HU-322279075
3 years ago
Did your tree finally die, We are going through the same thing as well, pulling my hair out dealing with this devil
plastike (usda 9b)
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes, theyre finally gone for good. it took the stump grinding and some stuff sprayed where the stump was immediately after, then had to spot treat the shooters for a few months after that, but no issues since!
bett64
3 years ago
I have these roots growing in my backyard under our grass. not sure where they are coming from. been in this house 5 years and this is the first simmer that we have sissoo shoots coming up off the roots all iver yard. what do we do?