Damas trees replacement options | ExpatWoman.com
 

Damas trees replacement options

1042
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 07:34

Our landlord has asked us about the trees in our garden (well more of a hedge) he wanted to know if they were Damas Trees which I'm sure they are (the previous tenants planted them).

So he is proposing if they are we get them removed and replace them, before giving him the bad news (there are probably 20 of them) I was wondering what they can be replaced with? Ideally something that will work as a screen/green hedge and not cost the world to water, but otherwise would consider some attractive trees. Any suggestions gratefully received. TIA

1575
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 14:21
We had huge problems with Damas roots infiltrating our downstairs bathroom where we used to live. One day, I open the cupboard under the sink to get some new toothbrushes out for the kids and found a lovely tree inside. The roots were also growing under the bath and had completely cracked the tub. The new owners had them removed asap when they bought the house.
4062
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 14:04
It normally depends on your contract Deeva. When I was renting all maintenance (including garden) had to be paid for by me. I think it's more common for the landlord to pay though.
158
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 12:58
In the instance that there is a tenant in the house, are Landlords paying to have the trees removed, or is the onus on the tenant?
4062
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 13 October 2012 - 13:30
Thanks for this (and thanks for other replies). I like the look of the bougainvillea may I ask how tall it has grown and how long it takes to establish(ish). We'd like something 8ft(isn) I think. Thank you again. Bougainvillea is fairly quick growing if it's fertilised regularly. I think I remember reading that in sandy soils it can be fertilised every two weeks for maximum growth and flowering. It will grow to 8 feet (and upwards) if it has support. There is a two story house in Saheel, AR that had bougainvillea growing up the side of the house to the roof! Do you have railings the bouganvillea could grow up? Failing that you could put in an eight foot trellis. You can buy trellis pretty cheaply at the plant souk off Academic City Road.
452
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 13 October 2012 - 06:19
Yes, this is the worry. Engineers will be on site this week to decide how to proceed. Inshallah, all will be ok..... scary thou.
1601
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 October 2012 - 02:43
Our 60 Damas trees have grown under the ground, around the pool....under our house foundations and are trying to come up in our central hallway....2 tiles cracked so far.....it is like The day of the triffids..... Anyway, municipality are coming to do the task for us...it is so great a job, no landscaping company will take it on. On Google maps, our house looks like a jungle...actually you cannot see the house for the trees. ETA Our drainage system needs replacing....estimates at 80,000 edited by CAPTAIN AMERICA !! on 12/10/2012 Oh that is just awful , removing them is such a pain in the butt too,you can't just lop the tree off just above the ground as it just grows back. One of our friends lopped off the tree at ground level drilled a big hole in the middle of the trunk poured petrol down and burnt the stump. I wouldn't suggest this as a solution but he got quite desperate !!
1042
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 13 October 2012 - 00:58
I'm inclined to agree with this. We have about 12 in our garden and no damage to walls or pool or drains as far as we can tell. We have been thinking of getting them trimmed down as they cast a lot of shade and grass won't grow in one corner. Since the EMAAR campaign our neighbours have complained that our trees are encroaching into their garden but they are just using that as an excuse to have another go at us I think. They have lived next door for over a year and not mentioned anything until now.. [b'>Why should Damas trees be any worse than any other tree?[/b'> They all have extensive root systems as far as I know they wouldn't stand up if they didn't Trees differ as much underground as they do above ground. Root systems have huge variation from species to species. Just as trees adapt above ground to suit their environment, they adapt below ground. Damas trees have adapted in order to be successful in the climate here, they tolerate heat, drought and high levels of salinity well which helps them thrive in the conditions here. Key to it's success is it's root system which is fast growing, covers a large area and is extensively branching making it very dense. The roots themselves are very fibrous rather than soft which makes them ideal for forcing their way through anything in order to reach water. Which is great for the tree, not so great for the wall/pipe/swimming pool that stand in it's way. When we first moved here we were in a rented property which had many large damas trees in the garden. The damas did great but nothing else would grow so I dusted off my plant and microbial sciences major and read up on them. When we bought a house my main stipulation for the garden was no damas! ETA: In answer to the OP, I've put in lots of bougainvillea which grow in to a dense hedge which I love the look of. You don't get the height of the damas though. edited by Daza on 12/10/2012 Thanks for this (and thanks for other replies). I like the look of the bougainvillea may I ask how tall it has grown and how long it takes to establish(ish). We'd like something 8ft(isn) I think. Thank you again.
1260
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 23:28
Our 60 Damas trees have grown under the ground, around the pool....under our house foundations and are trying to come up in our central hallway....2 tiles cracked so far.....it is like The day of the triffids..... Anyway, municipality are coming to do the task for us...it is so great a job, no landscaping company will take it on. On Google maps, our house looks like a jungle...actually you cannot see the house for the trees. ETA Our drainage system needs replacing....estimates at 80,000 edited by CAPTAIN AMERICA !! on 12/10/2012 Watched an episode of "help my house is falling down" on Channel 4, and they had massive tree issues; when they eventually got planning permission to cut them down their house continued to shift for a while as the earth started to have more water in it, so started to rise - sort of reverse subsidence..... as a result of the trees not taking it all - not sure if that will apply in a desert thou. Yes, this is the worry. Engineers will be on site this week to decide how to proceed.
452
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 21:39
Our 60 Damas trees have grown under the ground, around the pool....under our house foundations and are trying to come up in our central hallway....2 tiles cracked so far.....it is like The day of the triffids..... Anyway, municipality are coming to do the task for us...it is so great a job, no landscaping company will take it on. On Google maps, our house looks like a jungle...actually you cannot see the house for the trees. ETA Our drainage system needs replacing....estimates at 80,000 edited by CAPTAIN AMERICA !! on 12/10/2012 Watched an episode of "help my house is falling down" on Channel 4, and they had massive tree issues; when they eventually got planning permission to cut them down their house continued to shift for a while as the earth started to have more water in it, so started to rise - sort of reverse subsidence..... as a result of the trees not taking it all - not sure if that will apply in a desert thou.
500
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 21:25
Our 60 Damas trees have grown under the ground, around the pool....under our house foundations and are trying to come up in our central hallway....2 tiles cracked so far.....it is like The day of the triffids..... Anyway, municipality are coming to do the task for us...it is so great a job, no landscaping company will take it on. On Google maps, our house looks like a jungle...actually you cannot see the house for the trees. ETA Our drainage system needs replacing....estimates at 80,000 edited by CAPTAIN AMERICA !! on 12/10/2012 Do you live overlooking the golf course in Saheel, Arabian Ranches? Because there is a house there that fits this description!!
1260
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 21:07
Our 60 Damas trees have grown under the ground, around the pool....under our house foundations and are trying to come up in our central hallway....2 tiles cracked so far.....it is like The day of the triffids..... Anyway, municipality are coming to do the task for us...it is so great a job, no landscaping company will take it on. On Google maps, our house looks like a jungle...actually you cannot see the house for the trees. ETA Our drainage system needs replacing....estimates at 80,000 <em>edited by CAPTAIN AMERICA !! on 12/10/2012</em>
4062
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 19:53
I'm inclined to agree with this. We have about 12 in our garden and no damage to walls or pool or drains as far as we can tell. We have been thinking of getting them trimmed down as they cast a lot of shade and grass won't grow in one corner. Since the EMAAR campaign our neighbours have complained that our trees are encroaching into their garden but they are just using that as an excuse to have another go at us I think. They have lived next door for over a year and not mentioned anything until now.. [b'>Why should Damas trees be any worse than any other tree?[/b'> They all have extensive root systems as far as I know they wouldn't stand up if they didn't Trees differ as much underground as they do above ground. Root systems have huge variation from species to species. Just as trees adapt above ground to suit their environment, they adapt below ground. Damas trees have adapted in order to be successful in the climate here, they tolerate heat, drought and high levels of salinity well which helps them thrive in the conditions here. Key to it's success is it's root system which is fast growing, covers a large area and is extensively branching making it very dense. The roots themselves are very fibrous rather than soft which makes them ideal for forcing their way through anything in order to reach water. Which is great for the tree, not so great for the wall/pipe/swimming pool that stand in it's way. When we first moved here we were in a rented property which had many large damas trees in the garden. The damas did great but nothing else would grow so I dusted off my plant and microbial sciences major and read up on them. When we bought a house my main stipulation for the garden was no damas! ETA: In answer to the OP, I've put in lots of bougainvillea which grow in to a dense hedge which I love the look of. You don't get the height of the damas though. <em>edited by Daza on 12/10/2012</em>
1601
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 19:17
Having had personal struggles with our neighbours Damas trees,I can't give a professional opinion but.....the roots that destroyed our pipes and lifted the common wall were directly traced back to his Damas trees. In our garden we had a no of Pointsienna trees the neighbour said it was our trees doing the damage.So in the spirit of being a good neighbour,and to prove a point,I got the gardener to literally trace the roots of the our tree nearest the damaged wall and drainage pipes. We were able to show that it was def his trees. With respect to the Damas being used in the rest of the region I remember reading that they were used as windbreaks and to stop soil erosion. In DXB they have been introduced into areas where houses are really close together with ideal watering and growing conditions. Even if they are cut back severly they will grow back with a vengance and persist in their quest for water from the nearest source. Our neighbour initially cut his way back when we first discovered the problem, however in no time they had reached new heights and the root system carried on regardless. JMHO
524
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 10:51
The Damas Tree (Conocarpus lancifolius) is used widely throughout the Middle East especially in Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Kenya. I have not heard of a felling policy in any of these countries and you have to ask yourself why such a programme is being promoted by landscaping companies and Emaar? True the roots will seek water like ALL trees and planting trees next to walls is a no no but not just for the Damas tree. Highly suspicious if you ask me... We have our walls lined with Damas trees. They were huge, 10-12 m high and we trimmed them down to abt 2 m. At the beginning they were ugly stumps, but now, after 3 mths, they are lovely. The shape is rounded, our gardener trims them regularly. He's horticultural engineer and said they are not a threat to the house or walls, as the irrigation provides them enough water. We had the drainage checked a month ago, no issues and the trees were planted when the house was built, 3-4 years ago. I won't think removing them, not at all.
970
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 09:55
Our new garden plants were planted in feb/march and are already 3-4 times the size. Dont know the name of it but the trees that line the streets in AR with the orange flowers and tiny leaves (flame tree maybe) have grown exceptionally quickly, so may be a replacement option.
1097
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 09:48
I guess they are fine if you have a massive garden and they are not near any foundations or walls or drains. ! We have a small garden, which had Damas trees the height of the house, going down either side of the garden, probably 60 or 70 trees ! We had loads of problems with blocked drains from the roots of the trees, cracked perimeter wall and grass that would not grow. It actually felt like a different house when the trees were removed, so much brightness. However, the garden feel's really bare now and it did some provide some nice green privacy and shade.
219
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 09:47
Aren't the trees that surround the sewage plant in the ranches Damas? If they are making home owners remove their trees, shouldn't Emaar be forced to replace those as well?
500
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 09:26
The Damas Tree (Conocarpus lancifolius) is used widely throughout the Middle East especially in Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Kenya. I have not heard of a felling policy in any of these countries and you have to ask yourself why such a programme is being promoted by landscaping companies and Emaar? True the roots will seek water like ALL trees and planting trees next to walls is a no no but not just for the Damas tree. Highly suspicious if you ask me... I'm inclined to agree with this. We have about 12 in our garden and no damage to walls or pool or drains as far as we can tell. We have been thinking of getting them trimmed down as they cast a lot of shade and grass won't grow in one corner. Since the EMAAR campaign our neighbours have complained that our trees are encroaching into their garden but they are just using that as an excuse to have another go at us I think. They have lived next door for over a year and not mentioned anything until now.. Why should Damas trees be any worse than any other tree? They all have extensive root systems as far as I know they wouldn't stand up if they didn't
1097
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 09:26
I just pulled out the Emaar Brochure, here is a summary .... In conjunction with Emaar, from October 7th to October 7th, the following companies are offering a discount on removing Damas trees and replacing them Orient Irrigation Services 055 340 9883 Opal Landscaping, 055 854 7116. The trees they suggest as replacements are Neem, Bottlebrush Pink Trumpet Tree Geranium Tree Royal Poinciana Tropical Almond Indian Cork Tree, Tree Jasmine Estimated costs of cutting, removal, disposal and replacement are quoted as follows clear trunk height up to 2m 275 AED 5m 575 AED 4m 475 AED 3m 375 AED Damas trees are an absolute nightmare, it cost us a fortune to cut them down just a few months ago.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 09:00
We've just removed about 20 of these trees from our garden in the Ranches. The roots are deadly and our lawn was completely destroyed. It has cost us a fortune to take these trees out and replant our garden. You have to be careful with them as if the roots make their way near the manhole cover and plumbing etc it will turn out way more costly.
154
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 08:56
I never got the alternative solution brochure. They must have something on the website. My question is, does anyone know who to call to check if you have damas trees? We have those other ones that grow tall that a lot of people have, but they don't look like a googled picture of a damas tree. I have 1 or 2 that are suspect, and our gardener is clueless, as he keeps asking my husband if he should take down the "damas tree" which is what I am 99% sure is a ghaf tree. So he is of no help. Any ideas? TIA
1046
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 08:55
Our landlord has asked us about the trees in our garden (well more of a hedge) he wanted to know if they were Damas Trees which I'm sure they are (the previous tenants planted them). So he is proposing if they are we get them removed and replace them, before giving him the bad news (there are probably 20 of them) I was wondering what they can be replaced with? Ideally something that will work as a screen/green hedge and not cost the world to water, but otherwise would consider some attractive trees. Any suggestions gratefully received. TIA If you in an Emmar development, (like Arabian Ranches) check what has been said to the owner / landlord. Our LL told us they have had a letter from Emaar telling them it is their responsibility to remove any Damas trees - meaning at their own expense. We were pleased to have the two of them removed as in 3 years they had become really huge and overbearing. A leaflet has recently been left, suggesting alternatives: (Copied from leaflet) Bottlebrush Pink Trumpet Tree Neem Geranium Tree Royal Poinciana Tropical Almond Indian Cork Tree / Tree Jasmine You can look them up and see which are best for screening.
970
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 08:49
Emaar distributed a brochure in AR at the start of this campaign with alternative solutions to plant but I binned it. Maybe it is on their website? We removed 8 damas trees when we bought our property last year and so glad we did. We had a minor issue with drainage and it was the roots that were starting to clog the drains. If the LL wants to take them out, I would be encouraging it.
46
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 October 2012 - 07:51
The Damas Tree (Conocarpus lancifolius) is used widely throughout the Middle East especially in Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Kenya. I have not heard of a felling policy in any of these countries and you have to ask yourself why such a programme is being promoted by landscaping companies and Emaar? True the roots will seek water like ALL trees and planting trees next to walls is a no no but not just for the Damas tree. Highly suspicious if you ask me...
 
 

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