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Ficus trees are related to the common fig, with species like Ficus benjamina and Ficus microcarpa valued for dependable growth and shade. The trees,Omega Copy however, are notorious for damaging sidewalks, hardscapes and planters with their aggressive roots. Newspaper accounts from Florida to California recently have documented the expensive problems ficus trees bring to cities. Most trees were planted 30 years or more ago, and are now proving more than a match for concrete. All the bad publicity means that, for many landscape architects and contractors, ficus trees are now off planting lists. The city of Oxnard, Calif. is now spending $3.3 million to remedy and replant ficus damage. The California cities of El Segundo, Glendale, Hollywood and Ventura recently completed their own expensive ficus mitigation projects. Also in Southern California, the city of Commerce is taking aggressive steps against ficus trees too. Unlike other locales, however, some Commerce residents are rallying to the trees?EUR??,,????'?????< The below excerpt is from an April 16 article in the Los Angeles Times. ?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< The graceful old ficus trees that line the streets of Commerce have long sheltered residents of this heavily industrial city from the hot summer sun. So when lush green ficus canopies started vanishing, alarmed residents started asking questions. They learned that city officials had approved a plan to cut down nearly 1,000 ficus to reduce the costs of repairing sidewalks cracked by the trees?EUR??,,????'?????< Last year, a local environmental group went to court to save the city?EUR??,,????'?????< Yet ficus have continued to disappear, one or two or three at a time. In their place, the city is planting young trees with trunks a mere inch or two in diameter that barely cast a shadow. Resident John Serfozo, however, is angry. ?EUR??,,????'?????< The city says most residents don?EUR??,,????'?????< Local activist Angelo Logan said it was ironic that for the 20th year, Commerce had been named a ?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< City Policies Vary Tree experts say that for a city to consider removing 1,000 trees ?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????< Commerce totals 6.6 square miles. Sprawling Los Angeles covers 470 square miles. The glossy-leaved, nonnative ficus became highly popular as a street tree in the 1950s and ?EUR??,,????'?????< Now, those trees have grown so large that many California cities are cursing their pervasive roots. In Newport Beach, residents went to court to save 25 ficus from the city?EUR??,,????'?????< People Point to Trees?EUR??,,????'?????< The leafy canopies help filter air in a city considered among the most polluted in the county. They muffle the sounds of screeching brakes and train whistles. Many of the 14,000 people in the largely Latino community cannot afford central air conditioning, so they count on trees to cool their homes in summer. TreePeople, a Los Angeles group, reports that an acre of trees can provide enough oxygen in one year for 18 people, and that three well-placed trees can reduce summer air-conditioning needs up to 50%. In Los Angeles, no tree is cut down because of its roots unless an inspector makes a recommendation to the Board of Public Works and a commissioner signs off on it, Gonzalez said. Some cities have turned to rubberized sidewalks that flex and bend as tree roots grow. The idea originated with Richard Valeriano, a sidewalk inspector in Santa Monica. In response, Lindsay Smith founded Rubbersidewalks Inc. in Gardena and began production in 2004. Today, 70 cities nationwide have installed the sidewalks, including 40 in California, Smith said. Sources: L.A. Times, Ventura County Star
Ficus trees are related to the common fig, with species like Ficus benjamina and Ficus microcarpa valued for dependable growth and shade. The trees,Omega Copy however, are notorious for damaging sidewalks, hardscapes and planters with their aggressive roots.
Newspaper accounts from Florida to California recently have documented the expensive problems ficus trees bring to cities. Most trees were planted 30 years or more ago, and are now proving more than a match for concrete.
All the bad publicity means that, for many landscape architects and contractors, ficus trees are now off planting lists.
The city of Oxnard, Calif. is now spending $3.3 million to remedy and replant ficus damage. The California cities of El Segundo, Glendale, Hollywood and Ventura recently completed their own expensive ficus mitigation projects.
Also in Southern California, the city of Commerce is taking aggressive steps against ficus trees too. Unlike other locales, however, some Commerce residents are rallying to the trees?EUR??,,????'?????<
The below excerpt is from an April 16 article in the Los Angeles Times.
?EUR??,,????'?????<
The graceful old ficus trees that line the streets of Commerce have long sheltered residents of this heavily industrial city from the hot summer sun.
So when lush green ficus canopies started vanishing, alarmed residents started asking questions.
They learned that city officials had approved a plan to cut down nearly 1,000 ficus to reduce the costs of repairing sidewalks cracked by the trees?EUR??,,????'?????<
Last year, a local environmental group went to court to save the city?EUR??,,????'?????<
Yet ficus have continued to disappear, one or two or three at a time. In their place, the city is planting young trees with trunks a mere inch or two in diameter that barely cast a shadow.
Resident John Serfozo, however, is angry.
The city says most residents don?EUR??,,????'?????<
Local activist Angelo Logan said it was ironic that for the 20th year, Commerce had been named a ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Tree experts say that for a city to consider removing 1,000 trees ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Commerce totals 6.6 square miles. Sprawling Los Angeles covers 470 square miles.
The glossy-leaved, nonnative ficus became highly popular as a street tree in the 1950s and ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Now, those trees have grown so large that many California cities are cursing their pervasive roots. In Newport Beach, residents went to court to save 25 ficus from the city?EUR??,,????'?????<
The leafy canopies help filter air in a city considered among the most polluted in the county. They muffle the sounds of screeching brakes and train whistles. Many of the 14,000 people in the largely Latino community cannot afford central air conditioning, so they count on trees to cool their homes in summer.
TreePeople, a Los Angeles group, reports that an acre of trees can provide enough oxygen in one year for 18 people, and that three well-placed trees can reduce summer air-conditioning needs up to 50%.
In Los Angeles, no tree is cut down because of its roots unless an inspector makes a recommendation to the Board of Public Works and a commissioner signs off on it, Gonzalez said.
Some cities have turned to rubberized sidewalks that flex and bend as tree roots grow. The idea originated with Richard Valeriano, a sidewalk inspector in Santa Monica. In response, Lindsay Smith founded Rubbersidewalks Inc. in Gardena and began production in 2004.
Today, 70 cities nationwide have installed the sidewalks, including 40 in California, Smith said.
Sources: L.A. Times, Ventura County Star
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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