Tree?

[userxx]

Does anybody have any idea what this tree is? It's self seeded between my neighbours shed and my fence. I'm worried it's going to get huge and leave my garden even more shaded.

Did it have catkins/fluffy seeds earlier in the year?

We had a self-seeded goat willow that grew very strongly & quickly (& the fluffy seeds generated loads more seedlings). Yours looks a bit like it but too far away to tell.

Had it cut down during the winter. We’re missing the screening foliage but not the wild growth!

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-uk-native-trees/goat-willow/

Yep, I think you're right, my cordyline underneath it was covered in catkins a few months ago. Do I wait for winter to cut it down?

My garden is really small so every big tree in surrounding gardens is stealing the light. It was a sun trap when I moved in 10 years ago 😞

Agree looks like goat willow - we have a smallish one (about 15ft) Be warned we cut cut it back completely a year and a half ago and it’s even bigger now than it was. so now I just chop off the really annoying branches depending on where I want to thin it out a bit which it seems to like!

Bloody brilliant. With all the rain we've had recently it's put on a good growth spurt, I'm going to attempt to cut some of it down tomorrow.

We had to have regular cropping sessions in summer because of the rapid growth & density. DH used to use ladders, shed roof & garden wall.

You don’t need to wait till winter though & in fact doing it sooner will save a lot of leaf clearing in the autumn.

Is it actually in your neighbour’s garden though? Are they OK with it being removed?

If it is self seeded, and a willow, I'd recommend having a chat with the neighbour and you both working towards getting it out now before it knocks down the shed and the fence and becomes a behemoth.

1. DH & neighbour cutting back summer 2016
2. how it looked after cutting back
3. how much it had grown a year later, the bastard

It wasn’t even in either back yard, it was against the wall on the back street.

Tree surgeon charged £240 but did a proper job, chipped the wood (cheap ones tend to light smoky bonfires) & poisoned the stump.

If you cut it back yourself for now, cut as far back towards the trunk as you can, ie the thicker branches.

Every single stump you leave will produce multiple new twigs, so leave as few as possible

I've cut back the branches I could reach today, neighbour will be on board about removing it, I want to do it ASAP as I only had new fences and concrete slabs last year, do not want any damage!