Instead, the focus should be on “right plant, right place,” proper planting, and maintenance to reduce the risk of issues. “If they’re maintained properly, then the potential for those liabilities is greatly reduced,” Burley noted. Likewise, Brewer shared that providing and promoting a healthy growth envi- ronment greatly reduces the challeng- es trees can present. “Try to provide plants with a healthy growing environment as much as possible,” he said. “Then, they can better defend themselves against problems.” Brewer also advocates for a diverse landscape — with plants that attract insects and other ecosystem services that help trees thrive. “Diversity of trees in a landscape is important,” Aaron Dickinson, arborist at Arborcology LLC , explained. “If we
have more diversity, we shouldn’t have as many problems.” More than anything, Dickinson stated arborists need to be knowledgeable about the regions in which they work and the species that can cause issues. “Know what trees have been problematic in the area and what you can do to pre- vent issues in advance,” he continued. In Dickinson’s experience, sometimes it’s best to remove a challenging spe- cies and replace it with one that is bet- ter suited to the specific environment. These seven trees may make the prob- lem list, but that label shouldn’t com- pletely define them. With an emphasis on proper planting and a sound man- agement plan, many of the issues that make trees challenging can be mitigat- ed. And perhaps, these species could very well make your list of favorite trees to work with.
Eucalyptus — In residential settings, their size, brit- tle wood, and heavy limb drop make them difficult to manage.
ularly problematic for arborists work- ing in the field, the challenges aren’t limited to those in this list. Many in the tree care industry believe that every species can be a problem if it’s planted in the wrong environment. “Every tree is hazardous,” Burley said. “I think the environmental factors have the most play in whether a tree is haz- ardous or not.”
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14 | Spring 2026 ArborTIMES ™
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