River Birch (Betula Nigra) close to foundation

Question from Priya:
We live in Northern VA.

We have a River birch that is 2 feet away from our foundation, but is now 15 feet tall. We planted it as a small tree couple of years ago and did not expect it to grow this fast. We chose a River Birch, because that space is down hill and was always wet.

We love this tree, but my husband now says it has to be removed or topped, so it won’t damage the foundation.

I can send a picture if you would like. Please let us know if we should cut down the tree or top it off.

Answer from Pat:
River birch or red birch (Betula nigra) grows rapidly, as you are already discovering, to 25 or 30 feet in height and after that a little more slowly to an eventual 40 to 60 feet, often with multiple trunks. Two feet from your home is too close for longterm safety. This species is well suited to wet soil and along stream sides it often sends roots right into the stream. However, it is a shallow-rooted tree so unless you planted a compact variety the roots could eventually endanger your foundations.

Topping this tree will do nothing to improved the safety of your foundations from root damage and might ruin its shape. Topping the tree might do exactly the opposite of what you want. When you cut the leader of a tree (or leaders if the tree has multiple trunks) this has the tendency to make the trunk or trunks of the tree grow thicker and wider. It would also force the growth downwards making lower parts of the tree wider. Additionally, this will destroy the good shape and beauty of the tree which is exactly what you love about it.

Since you love this tree you have a choice of actions, one possibility is to transplant the tree further from the house. But that sounds like a lot of work and even though river birches transplant easily, it could set the tree back and kill some branches. I think a better option is to cut this one down, purchase another one right away and plant it this fall further from the house. A third possibility is to enjoy the tree as long as it does not damage the foundations of your home. If you originally planted a ‘Dura-Heat’ variety this is a compact one and you might not have a problem for a long time. When and if it becomes a problem, then cut it down right away and plant another one five or ten feet away from your home. When planting another river birch consider the eventual height—50 to 90 feet— and width—40 to 60 feet— of the tree and plant accordingly. Also, be sure to select a disease-resistant variety such as ‘Dura-Heat’ or ‘Heritage’.