Large Monkey Puzzle tree coming down in Ballard

Geeky Swedes Ballard

Neighbors watched this morning as the large Monkey Puzzle tree at the corner of NW 60th & 9th Ave NW was taken down.

“I don’t remember it not being there,” a neighbor who’s lived nearby for 47 years tells us. Some neighbors say the tree was the largest in the city and possibly the state, although we couldn’t confirm it.

The house recently sold and the new owners made the decision to take the large tree down. “I don’t think they can expect warm pies on their porch,” an upset neighbor says. We knocked on the door, but the new owners weren’t there.

Dawn Hemminger with the East Ballard Community Association says the tree company tried to talk the owners out of taking it down. “They tried to talk the owners into pruning the tree, but they wanted it down,” she says. “It’s a bad week for East Ballard,” Hemminger said with sadness in her voice, referring to the tree and Sunset Bowl.

Other neighbors supported the decision to remove the tree. “I am the owner of one of the houses nearest them and I know they did not take the decision lightly,” says Erin in comments below. “That tree was planted way too close to the house…. They were constantly picking shingles off the roof when the previous owners lived there – we know because we would often help them trim it back…. I agree that losing any large tree is sad, but planting one or more of a more responsible variety to replace it is not an unreasonable plan in this case.” (Thank you everyone for the tips and comments.)

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

83 thoughts to “Large Monkey Puzzle tree coming down in Ballard”

  3. Congrats MyBallard, you just sent out the nighbors with the pitch forks and torches. Maybe they just wanted some light to make it into their windows.

    Well new neighbors, just a shout out if you ever read this: Welcome to the neighborhood, consider this your warm pie on the porch.

  4. yeh! they dont want branches breaking off an hitting their hou4se. we just bought a house in ballard and there is a huge unkept pine tree in our neighbors yard behind us. in every single wind storm we have had branches have broken off and either hit our house, or littered our yard. huge trees like that around small houses is irresponsible! good for them for taking it down..

  5. there aren't tons of big trees in ballard, but what a bunch of drama queens. it's not like it's the amazon rain forest or something.

  6. It's possible the root system of the tree was damaging the foundation of the house, which a home inspector would have pointed out to the buyers. Still, it's a shame.

  7. Being a homeowner with a large MP tree in the yard, I can't blame them for cutting it down. Nothing grows under them. Large branches fall down often. In the spring there are LARGE spats of Sap that end up on the sidewalk, roof, hair, everything …..

  8. God forbid someone cut down a tree in THEIR yard. It doesn't matter why they did it, I think stacks nailed it on the head, they didn't want a tree falling on their (or a neighbors!) house.

    This is just something for people to bicker about.

  9. If the neighbors wanted to keep it around so much, maybe they should have considered buying the house or at least paying off the new neighbors.

  15. To each his own. Still that was a pretty cool monkey tree. As an avid player of the monkey tree game, there are still an impressive amount of monkey trees in the area. That house has a great corner, they could make a pretty sweet garden with all that new space.

  16. We were unpopular for taking out a tree, too. We did feel bad about the decision, which probably seemed sudden to the neighbors, but was something we deliberated for a long time before having the tree removed.

    But there is now light in our house, plants will grow in our yard, we no longer fear windstorms, and the racoons (and their poo) have moved on.

  17. Maybe it wasn't the best choice of tree for the yard. I think I've walked by there and probably liked it, but did not understand what it might be for living beneath it. I would sure like for the City to develop a list of environmentally good trees with less hazards that are good for urban areas. My husband and I bought a small house in Crown Hill 6 years ago, and we searched for good trees to replace the 120 ft Douglas Fir the house inspector said needed to come down. Some of our neighbors were happy we took it down because of the less crows. I was sad because I like trees.

  18. Having watched our neighbors deal with the nastiness that spews forth from their monkey puzzle (and imagining the expense of having it trimmed) I can only congratulate these home owners for taking theirs down. It is NOT a native tree, and it is (literally) a pain in the patootie to deal with.

  19. Looking at the numerous power lines surrounding this tree, i think the owners were right in taking this monster tree down. With all the windstorms that Seattle is experiencing, i think they are doing the responsible thing and saving themselves and surrounding neighbors much grieve in the future. Good on ya!

  20. I am a neighbor. Just for the record, the tree was well-maintained, the old owners had it cleaned every year or two.

    I'm sorry to see the tree go, but I have to admit that the only reason I didn't worry about it falling over onto my house was that their house was in the way. Still, the tree was huge, it would have probably hit my house anyway. The good thing about trees is that they can be replanted.

    My wife makes excellent apple pies, and my new neighbors can expect one on their doorstep.

  21. Welcome to Ballard! :) That tree looks like it dominated your entire lot! I'm sure you'll enjoy your new space and the drama over your decision will die down soon enough.

  22. Looks like one building and one tree at a time Ballard is going to look like downtown Seattle soon. Condos, concrete and homeless people.

  23. So it tree was aborted. BFD. It's a tree. If you haven't had sewer issues yet from something as wonderful as a tree, just wait. Talk to somebody that has or had to replace gutters etc. due to something growing. I think there'll be a rush of people visiting their Dr.s due to knees jerking over and over. Must be therapy for that too? Perhaps I'll take 'em some of my scones. They don't need no stinkin pie!

  24. I am glad to see so many comments supporting these people's decision. I am the owner of one of the houses nearest them and I know they did not take the decision lightly. That tree was planted way too close to the house and limbing it up was tried by the previous owner. It did nothing as the branches eventually swooped down to fill in the space. They were constantly picking shingles off the roof when the previous owners lived there – we know because we would often help them trim it back.

    I agree that losing any large tree is sad, but planting one or more of a more responsible variety to replace it is not an unreasonable plan in this case.

    I can't resist pointing out that it is entirely possible that some of the quoted neighbors who sound most up-in-arms have completely treeless yards and turned down free trees from the city recently.

    I hope people take the time to meet the new neighbors. I think you'll find them to be everything but horrible, irreverent, tree-killers.

  25. It was a lovely tree, and it's sad to see it go. But, really folks, it is their yard, their tree, and as others here have pointed out there may have been a very compelling reason they decided to remove it.
    My pitchfork remains in the shed.

  26. I think the blog is boarder line on libel on this sort of reporting. There are plenty of people in Ballard and Phinney ridge that cut down or cut tree's for their views.

    It's private property, its their decision. I don't think we should point the figure at what people do on THEIR land.

    There are some tree's in Ballard that should come down because their are in poor shape or because they are unsafe. Hardpan does not make a very save place for tall tree's. The forest that used to be in Ballard needed the roots of the tree next to them not to fall down when they got very tall.

  27. We had a grand old tree cut down in our neighborhood during the condo years. The corner lot was subdivided and in place of the tree an ugly thin house was put up. Already the house's siding is going (has anyone seen a thin house with siding that has lasted?) and it will be an eyesore for many a year. Unlike the tree, which was majestic for decades.

  28. This article really sets up the new neighbors as tree-hating villains. I am also their neighbor and got pretty riled up upon reading this, but after reading through the comments it sounds like they made the right decision. This one-sided article against new neighbors took credibility away from the MyBallard blog, I would love to see a follow up article with the owners' reasons behind taking down the tree, as it sounds like they had some valid ones.

  29. As one of their neighbors, please exclude me from the “watched in horror” group. Yes it was a cool old tree and it's a shame to see it go, but if it was feet from my house, shading the entire front corner, dropping limbs and sap on my roof and possibly damaging my foundation and sewer, I would have it removed too.

    It's a one-sided and inflammatory article, but there's no need to hear “the other side of the story” from the owners. Assume that they thought carefully about it, weighed the pros and cons, and aren't tree hating villains wanting to just piss off their new neighborhood.

  30. I keep reading comments that this is private property and they can do as they wish.
    Some of the people saying this are the same ones that are up in arm over Sunset Bowl.
    So I might add the same Opinion, They purchased the property and as long as they
    are following zoning laws they also may do as they wish. There are some awful one sided people in Ballard. But I guess everyone has an opinion

  31. Thanks for your comments Erin. I have to admit that I reported that the tree was going down to MyBallard, but mostly because I felt it was an icon that the neighborhood would miss and that the neighborhood should have a chance to know what was happening to, in a sense, say goodbye. I agree that there are very good reasons for taking down a nuisance tree and this one more than likely was and it's terribly unfair to pit our feelings of loss against the new owners, our new neighbors. I want to apologize if my reporting this to MyBallard has stirred up unfriendly feelings toward the new neighbors. I did not mean for that to happen.

  32. I hate to see grand old trees cut down, but monkey puzzles are pretty rough on homeowners and neighbors. They're far better to look at than to own. I can completely understand the new owners' decision. We had to take down a pine in front of our house that was magnificent, but had been planted directly against the foundation. It was far above the house and might have dozens of feet left in its height, according to an arborist we consulted. We debated it for years, and finally had it removed. It was a shame, but it was the wrong tree in the wrong place.

    Neighbors across the street, now long moved, had a 60-foot tree that was on the edge of a wall and vastly too large for their property removed shortly after they moved in. I was indignant for a while, but later realized that in a storm, that tree would have come down and smashed my house, not theirs! Again, wrong tree in the wrong spot.

    What's this: “As an avid player of the monkey tree game” that an anonymous commenter noted? My older son used to be an aficionado of monkey puzzle trees, spotting them in twilight several blocks away from a moving car!

  34. “We knocked on the door”? Really? Because you are media? Or because neighborhood bloggers have a right to know what people do on their own property?

    This is a scary precedent for MyBallard. There is a line of decorum here, and I think your blog has crossed it.

  35. I can understand everyone's point of view as exhibited by the other posts. However, it doesn't change the fact that as someone who has lived down the street from the tree for ten years, I will really miss it. I do have a tree next to my house that is getting in our sewer, etc., but I think it is wrong to cut down such big trees. They add character to the neighborhood and help to clean the air. I just hope they get some more trees to replace this one. I won't be able to help but be a little mad at our new neighbors. I just hope they aren't planning to tear the house down.

  36. I can't speak for MyBallard, but I would have liked to hear the owner's side of the story. A knock on the door doesn't cross such a line as you have drawn. It was obviously a big operation to remove the tree, and quite spectacular. I'm sure the owners had a good reason to remove the tree. Is a knock on the door such a bad thing? The owners can choose to speak and not speak to anyone they please including real estate agents, Girl Scouts selling cookies, news media reporters. We might have found out the owners were really sad to see the tree go.

  39. yes, knocking on the door for comment does cross a line. This isn't a news site, it's a neighborhood blog.

    It's times like these that I feel very sorry for real reporters who are losing their jobs left and right, while sites like these play pretend reporters. I feel dirty for reading this drivel.

  41. I used to chat with the elderly lady who used to own the place. I think her name was Mrs. Wilson. A really nice lady. She was a Ballard Hospital volunteer in the childbirth center for many years. She would say “I live in that house with the big Monkey Puzzle tree” to identify her home. She said she didn't have a cat or dog, she had a parrot to keep her company. The tree was beautiful and unique but I can understand where maintenance would be an issue.

  42. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments.

    As longtime journalists, we strive to be as objective as possible here on My Ballard, and we take your feedback very seriously.

    Despite our best efforts, we were unable to find any supporters among the neighbors watching this morning — and that's why we tried to find the owners to provide some perspective. As other neighbors posted comments in support here on My Ballard, we quickly updated the story to reflect it, as we frequently do.

    That's our goal here at My Ballard — to give the many voices of our community a platform, while doing our best to ensure they're heard.

    We, too, welcome the new neighbors to Ballard, and we thank all of you for your comments and constructive criticism.

  43. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments.

    As longtime journalists, we strive to be as objective as possible here on My Ballard, and we take your feedback very seriously.

    Despite our best efforts, we were unable to find any supporters among the neighbors watching this morning — and that's why we tried to find the owners to provide some perspective. As other neighbors posted comments in support here on My Ballard, we quickly updated the story to reflect it, as we frequently do.

    That's our goal here at My Ballard — to give the many voices of our community a platform, while doing our best to ensure they're heard.

    We, too, welcome the new neighbors to Ballard, and we thank all of you for your comments and constructive criticism.

  44. Wow – I remember when I was about 4, always pointing out this tree to my parents from the backseat…we lived about 2 blocks away. It is always sad to lose a large tree, but these just look so unfriendly and prickly to me. Are they even native?

  45. How is a neighborhood blog not also a news site? The face of journalism is changing, and sites such as these seem to be what it's changing to.

    In addition, I think the fact that MyBallard won an Online Journalism Award for community collaboration, edging out the LA Times and Miami Herald, would defeat your argument that this is not a source for news.

    You may not agree with it, you may think it one sided, but that doesn't make it not news.

  46. all I hear about is how it's 'their' land.

    the reality is, these people are just borrowing it. we don't really own the earth, ya know? sequestering that carbon was really great when it lasted though.

    the tree was there long before the 'owners'. what gives them the right.

  47. I know that argument about the award, and I dismiss it. That award was created in order to capture the online market in the face of dying newspapers.

    I don't consider this news, it's entertainment…it might be infotainment, but it's not news.

    If this discussion is the new “letter to the editor”, then why do we all use fake names? Real newspapers require names and phone numbers for fact checking.

    The Swedes admitted to not talking to the owners of the tree before they published their “news” piece, yet they quoted people who were upset and frankly, that painted the new people in a bad light.

    Just my opinion, I am not interested in wheter you share it or not.

  50. I have an absolutely giant monkey tree in my front yard. It is beautiful to look up into. If any of the angst ridden mourners feel the need to channel their pain, come on over and help me trim this monster! You can't even touch the branches without drawing blood!

    When I moved in last year, half my neighbors seemed to be lobbying for me to cut it down- pollen and messy pine cones being cited as the reason. The other half just love it. I personally don't have the nerve to cut something down that's so much older than me, and so incredible. Personal choice though!

  52. Well articulated, Zipper, and to my point exactly.

    The face of journalism is changing, but the principles of good journalistic practice have not. As much as 'MyBallard' can amuse and entertain me, it lacks the content, gravitas and credentials to be considered serious journalism. Stick to the formula, and you will retain credibility for what you in fact, are: a blog.

    The return on investment for the MyBallard reader is solely the entertainment value found in the comments. No one is here for hard hitting exposes of hapless and nameless neighbors who are cutting down trees in their own yard, for crying out loud! Creepy for them, to find out that a photo of their house and an account of their home improvement project has been posted on the Internet by 'journalists' who don't even use their own names. Knock, knock, it's the Geeky Swedes?

    I, for one, won't be answering the door.

  54. Well, it is a news site. They use blog software to run it. So real news sites go knocking on Elizabeth Edwards' door … I don't see the difference. Your argument doesn't hold. If I want to see news about Ballard where I live, this is a great place to find it. I respect the currency and localized news MyBallard brings. The tree coming down was news. Back when there was a PI, both the Times and the PI reported extensively on a nice tree in Fremont that came down. They both interviewed the property owner.

    If you feel dirty, nobody is forcing you to read anything.

  55. If I lived in Ballard, I'd welcome them and applaud their decision. But my only confusion is why someone ever planted one, not why someone would cut it down.

  56. This tree was a non-native nuisance. It was pushing up the sidewalks and was way too big for a small Ballard city lot. It was cool to look at, but I wouldn't want one on my property. They will plant a new tree. I welcome our new neighbors.

  57. There is a huge difference between legitimate journalism, tabloid journalism, satire, sensationalism and editorial. No one argues that an event, reported on impartially and accurately, by a writer with a by-line qualifies as legitimate news. Most of the content on this blog is advertiser and merchant association-driven blather that lacks any of the characteristics of news. It is more editorial in nature (think: columnists who interpret and comment on current events), rather than reportage. Attempts to report information in a news-like style, such as the article above, fail because the accounts are so biased. Written in an intelligent way, there may have been merit to the story (no one denies that old trees are interesting); however, the way the story was edited and presented, it was a snarky critique of unnamed homeowners who now have to wonder if they are going to end up being villified on the next episode of “Inside Edition” (another pseudo-journalism, infotainment franchise). It was tacky and unprofessional to “interview” anonymous “neighbors” and give the erroneous impression that the homeowners have been shunned. It took the comment element of this blog to present the story in a more balanced way. THAT is why this is not a news site. Trust me on this.

  58. I'm a Seattle native, and we only called them 'Monkey Trees'. The game is, you yell, “Monkey Tree pinch, no return!” and pinch a sibling as hard as possible. The pinching goes 'round the car until the lowest on the totem pole has been pinched. In those days, most everyone had really big families so there was a lot of pinching going on. This is repeated every time you see a Monkey Tree. Pretty soon, the youngest kids learn to be very watchful for the trees, and get their pinches in. Perhaps this game is part of the reason native Seattleittes are more hearty, and less whiney, than transplants…

  59. Most the people on this blog want Bowling alleys to remain and have a love for Dennys but do not have the ability to do math. If just two people in Ballard take
    down a tree every month = 24 trees a year in ten years 240 trees.
    Hope everybody likes concrete! For the tree haters there are many condos ready
    just for you.

  60. This is non-news. The real story here is that MyBallard.com has just become every Ballardite's nosy neighbor from hell.

    That said, to the new homeowners on 60th: Welcome to the neighborhood!

  62. Hi,
    I'm thinking of ripping up my planting strip and putting in rockery… should I submit the plans to MyBallard.com before I get the permit from the city.
    Oh, yes and where should I send a portion of my property taxes… I am not sure of your address MyBallard?

    Maybe, I should mention also that we were considering painting our house this year… I will display our color options on this blog so everyone can take a vote. I wouldn't dare do anyting to our property that would disgruntle a neighbor.
    It would be so embarrasing to have it posted on MyBallard that I failed to bow down to public opinion.

  63. Well you can come up and see our monkey. We live in the house on Latona with the huge specimen in the front garden. It makes me smile even on ny lowest of days…

    Tim

  65. It's a local human interest story. Period.
    Human interest itself is the snakepit. Don't blame MyBallard, the Swedes, or dawnhemminger. Blame me, I called for the tree to be memorialized.
    And Zippy, Have a nice day.

  67. Glad homeowners still have the right to prune their own trees – even if it's all the way to the ground! As for the tree they are non-native and fugly – glad there is one less in Seattle.

  69. Apparently Monkey Puzzle trees were a bit of a fad back in the '60s, so much so that free saplings were given away at the Expo. A deep freeze a few years later killed off most that got planted, but a few (presumably including the one above) survived.

  70. People like you ‘Thngs that make you go “hmm”’ don't belong in a close community like Ballard, go elsewhere. Yes, they are media, moron, and it's a neighborhood thing, isn't that why you are constantly reading it? ;-)

  71. Zipper (a.k.a. Tool) – Do us all a favor and don't read this blog or comment on it again, you aren't worth it, and contribute nothing. We all know it is a great medium for neighborhood information and that is why there are so many eyes on it right now, including yours. Why turn this story on the editors? You must have a bone to pick with them, are jealous, or were laid off recently. Sorry about that… I hope things truly work out for you soon.

  72. Zipper (a.k.a. Tool) – Do us all a favor and don't read this blog or comment on it again, you aren't worth it, and contribute nothing. We all know it is a great medium for neighborhood information and that is why there are so many eyes on it right now, including yours. Why turn this story on the editors? You must have a bone to pick with them, are jealous, or were laid off recently. Sorry about that… I hope things truly work out for you soon.

  74. Zipper, I hope the readers don't have to read through any more of your ignorant rambles. But if they do and you comment on this blog again, that just proves you can't get your eyes off of this news site. And oh how funny that would be… you tool. We already know you read it all the time as your local news source. Some people just aren't happy in life and have to complain about the little things to make themselves feel better.

  76. Wow! Just wow…….

    The new neighbors are very nice people who do not hate trees. I sat at the corner for a couple of hours watching the tree go down and was not approached by any reporters. If I had been, I would have told them I was supportive of the decision. Maybe they need to ask more people instead of just the angry looking mobs (but I guess that's where the news gets manufactured, ummm, I mean reported).

    “No warm pie for you” makes a really nice soundbite, but the guy that was spouting it out doesn't live anywhere near the neighborhood, and I doubt he knows any of my neighbors.

    We may regret the demise of the tree (and I do, but I would have done the same thing), but the people I know on NW 60th Street will get over it and move on (at least the reasonable ones). The other ones cannot be made happy because they are genuinely unhappy people who work overtime to find something to complain about. It is their nature. What ya gonna do?

  78. Name calling is unwarranted…and a bit scary. I'm a happy Ballardite with over 45 years of history here. My Ballard differs greatly from yours, no doubt. And to be clear, I rarely peruse this blog.

  80. Uh, so to follow the logic held in the majority of comments here: Trees are dangerous. They are accidents just waiting to blow down on you or your neighbors house. We should all applaud the fact that a poor homeowner has exercised their right to do what they want with “their property.”

    I live very nearby and have a large non-native conifer in my yard. If it fell in any of three general directions it would almost certainly hit a neighbors' house. By this logic I should have this tree chopped down tomorrow, in fact we all should do the same. It is the only reasonably thing to do in the face of this sure and present danger.

    Araucaria araucana (MP) trees have extensive root systems. This is one of the least likely trees in the city to blow down. I'm sure that is why the tree company hired to cut it down (and which stood to make more money in doing so) tried to talk the homeowners out of it. They new it was not a threat. Ballard is notoriously tree deficit and this just adds to this sad fact.

    I hope all my neighbors are going to be just as supportive when I exercise my (newly granted by the City of Seattle) right to build on “my property” a two story DADU. Somehow I think not.

  81. How ridiculous! The homeowner should decide whether or not the tree should be removed, since when should the neighbors get involved…get a life!

  82. That tree would have been at least 100 years old, probably one of the first trees planted in the Victorian ages. These trees were first imported in the late 18th century and became a favorite Victorian folly. They were usually planted in the gardens of grand houses as they were quite expensive at the time. So it is fair to say that where that cheap house now stands there would have been a nice house that would have also been demolished. Monkey trees are also quite rare as, not being native trees, every one of them would have been individually planted. Felling them, as inconvenient as they may be, is just another example of the random destruction of beautiful old things. Here in Britain, a ignorant council wanted to take down a Monkey Tree and the people of the city of Swansea took it all the way to the Parliament to save their tree. And there a single family takes it upon itselves to destroy a tree that has been around for so long…

  83. Yes! So am I! I was really surprised to find out that they are generally called Monkey PUZZLE Trees, since I only knew them as “monkey trees”, too, and we did the same thing, but not just with siblings, with whomever happened to be in the car… (except the driver)

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