This tree is growing outside my office and blocking almost all the light coming into my window. I don't necessarily want to kill the tree and I can't just blatantly chop it down, but I would like to get more light in my office. I'm also hesitant to prune it for fear of making it look holey. If the tree met an untimely end, I would not be upset.
Two questions:
Need a close up of the leaves to be sure what it is - at the moment, I'm guessing possibly a Pittosporum, or maybe some kind of holly, but really need a better picture of the leaves.
That said, however, I don't know who's responsible for the planting outside your office window, but you should speak to whoever it is and strongly suggest they remove the plant, because when something gets to that size and completely covers a window,it's a case of wrong plant, wrong place. If it's left in situ, it will soon cause a problem in the room above, where exactly the same thing is starting to happen, its already covering the bottom quarter of that window. Any replanting subsequent to removal should preferably be with something that doesn't get above windowsill height.
There isn't anything 'unobvious' you can do otherwise - if you cut it right down, people will notice; if you selectively cut out some branches, everyone will notice that too, but it's not reasonable to allow a plant to completely cover a window - should any repainting or repairs be necessary, the plant would have to be cut down anyway to allow access. By the looks of it, it must already be covering the downpipe from the guttering, and presumably the drain at the bottom - I'm surprised the owners of the building haven't done anything about it, not least because of its proximity to the building's foundations. Identifying it would mean you'd have some idea of just how tall its going to get - and how deep and wide the root spread may eventually be (though it must be fairly big already), so please add a photo showing a branch and leaves.
There are methods for killing stumps, but they're not particularly effective without cutting the tree/shrub down first.
Good call Bamboo...Don't you dare kill this SHRUB. Grins! It is healthy and beautiful and you should find a damn good pruner to THIN this guy. A little this year and a bit more next if necessary. This will allow more light yet still keep the light filtered and add movement, shadows, interest into your office. I've never seen a more healthy and yet huge pittosporum...still gotta send closeups to be sure. To have unadulterated sunlight where you have to use your blinds is just a shame. You'll love what can happen with selective, professional and artistic pruning!
Definitely the wrong plant planted at least a decade ago but I would try to thin it, not remove it! Planted so close to the foundation it is a miracle this guy is doing so well. THIN it, it could look like a humongous bonsai!! How are your summers? Do other offices with straight sunshine have problems with heat? Have to close their blinds from too much natural light? I would LOVE to prune that guy.
If you HAVE to get rid of this plant, check around for a company that goes out to dig up beautiful specimens like this just to sell them on the market for THOUSANDS of dollars. I am not kidding. The company I am familiar with is BIG TREES in Washington. You even have to pay them to do the removal, roots and all...good thing is that they have insurance. I've seen shrubs like this go for 5-10,000 bucks!! Hummmm. Selective pruning would be wonderful for inside your office as well as from the outside! Talk with Bonsai masters that prune big trees that look like bonsai...or Master Pruners from your cooperative extension service affiliated with your closest University!!
It's a great looking tree, though I understand that you want more light. Trying to kill it will most likely result in killing off the stuff around it and you'll end up with a dead tree outside of your window until someone decides to remove it.
Maybe contact the building owner or property management and ask them to come out and see what can be done.
take a cup of salt water and splash it on the tree, at the trunk. do this every day until the tree dies. keep in mind, salination can prevent any plant from growing there for months or years. it's nonobvious and permanent (arguably too much so). it may also kill the plants around it, be prudent with the application of salt.
this may be a direct violation of land management or tenant responsibilities depending on where you live.
