Identify this plant growing all over my backyard

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by msecours, Jul 10, 2014.

  1. msecours

    msecours New Member

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    Location:
    Oakville, Ontario, Canada
    Can anyone identify this bush? It's growing all over my backyard and seems to be springing up from some underground roots.

    Also... How would I go about getting rid of them?
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 10, 2014
  2. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Kootenays, BC, Canada
    Looks like suckering Locust (Robinia). Probably Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia.

    As for how to get rid of them, well, I simply pull the suckers up.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 10, 2014
  3. ariani

    ariani Active Member 10 Years

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    albania
    It looks like Robinia sp.
     
  4. Atapi

    Atapi Well-Known Member

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    Hi,
    It is definitely black locust. Do you have any of this tree on your yard/garden?.

    I am experienced the same thing but from my neighbor locust tree. The roots are running all under my yard and sprouting everywhere. What I have found out is we can keep pulling them up and eventually it will run out of energy for these shoots but only if the tree is taking down else it will continue to come.

    So what I just did is finding any roots that come over to my yard and exposed them then use the herbicide with the 'Triclopyr' ingredient. It is quite expensive and sold by a gal or more (Garlon4, triclopyr...). You can google or search on Amazon.
    When I exposed the root by peeling off the outside skin; I then brush the concentrated liquid around them. The chemical will transfer the ingredient not only along to the end of the root but also back to the mother tree. It has been work quite efficient so far. As a matter of fact, after a second application (in 7 days apart) half of the leaves from the mother tree are turning yellow.

    I feel bad and afraid i may eventually kill the tree but on the same token I am getting tired of seeing these suckers sprouting all over my yards out-of-control and who knows what will happen to the house foundation if we are doing nothing. People has experienced these roots can run over 50ft long.

    I hope it helps you to id and treat these sprouting. Steve
     
  5. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Believe me, a little exercise pulling up the shoots would be much healthier for you and for the environment.
     
  6. Atapi

    Atapi Well-Known Member

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    Totally agreed. But I do not want to spend the rest oft life pulling them esp. Knowing it will multiply every year. :((
     
  7. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Do you have a lawn? Have you noticed that your grass grows better now with Locust roots underneath? Black Locust, like all other plants in the Bean family fixes nitrogen in the soil and makes it available to other plants, too.

    The tree is attractive, the flowers are sweetly scented and bees love them. The Locust honey is awesome. It would be sad if you harmed the tree.

    As for the shoots, if you don't want to have a healthy exercise pulling them up, how about mowing them with your mower?
     
  8. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    The only thing that will stop the suckering roots is an effective underground barrier or removal of the parent tree.

    And all its roots.

    Frequent mowing may be your best option. I definitely would not poison the roots of a tree located primarily on another property.
     
  9. Charles Philip

    Charles Philip Active Member

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    Removing the suckers is not that big of a chore, much less than mowing your lawn every week! Don't spray, to many residual negatives. You will probably spend more time on this forum than you will pulling suckers, which is great! :)
     
  10. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Besides pulling the suckers up yourself or mowing them, there is an option of paying a few bucks to your neighbour's youngster for removing them. It will make him/her happy and will cost you less than buying expensive triclopyr.
     
  11. Edie

    Edie New Member

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    Hi-I see this is an old post - any success with this problem? I have the same issue - probably about a hundred baby trees sprouting from runners from a neighbour’s tree. Total nightmare! I am thinking of installing a 30” rhizome barrier (noticed it online at Bamboo World, based in Chilliwack) across the entire width of my yard, and down the side as well. Expensive proposition though - will need to rent a digger. Not sure what kind of tree it is - a tree pruning guy said he thinks it is some kind of aspen. Does anyone know if 30” is deep enough to block these roots? Also, will be installing parallel to a twenty foot high cedar hedge - I don’t know how far from hedge I need to stay in regard to its roots. Any advice would be appreciated!
     

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