United Kingdom 
I have a Forsytheia Tree growing out of my stone wall. The wall is approx 5 feet high and the trunk is growing out of the side at about 4 feet from the ground. Only one stone appears to have loosened despite the trunk growing out of the wall being approximately 6inches thick. Indeed the wall seems amazingly secure considering the size of the trunk.
What is the best approach to manage this situation? Is it manageable without taking the wall down? Do I need to kill the tree?
I assume if I do nothing the wall will eventually collapse?
many thanks
Sandra Pollard
10 Apr, 2011
Answers
I'd be inclined to kill it off as well, as Vincentdunne suggests - most likely its trunk goes through the wall and down into the soil, which is how its managed to get so large, but you're right, it will damage the wall eventually. Recommend you drill into the stump and fill the little holes you make with SBK brushwood killer, assuming the cut stump isn't at right angles to the ground.
11 Apr, 2011
That seems to be a huge Forsythia to be growing in a wall. You can cut it off close to the wall and paint the stump with Brushwood killer. That should do the trick.
11 Apr, 2011