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No canopy closure
Ficus trees with plenty of soil space for root expansion. The planting strip is twenty feet wide and roots can grow into the lawns of the homes along the street. Trees were planted about 60-70 feet apart. Because trees were spaced this far apart, they began to grow aggressive lower limbs.
Lower limbs are drooping creating a more spreading habit than would have occurred with closer spacing. The lower limbs must be pruned or removed to allow passage. This increases maintenance costs and can encourage an unhealthy urban forest by initiating decay in the large pruning cuts that are necessary. Plant trees closer than this in order to create an urban forest.
