Also called a Stag Horn Tree, I got rid of mine a few years ago but their roots spread a long way out from the main tree and although I pulled a lot of the root up I still missed some so still have them popping up here and there so Good Luck in trying to get rid of it compleatly. :o)))

Our next door neighbour had a small one at the bottom of his garden. He raised the underside of it by cutting off lower branches. Can't say he wasn't warned, as it got it's marching boots on!. When they came back from hols it was everywhere. It got the chop, SBK, but some of the suckers shrugged it off and they had to be lifted. They are quite shallow. It was a very determined little tree!! Suggestion....put a big plastic drinks bottle with bottom cut off over the sprig. Protect grass with a bit of plastic bag with sprig pushed through. Secure the bottle with a small cane with protector and squirt roundup or similar through the neck.

Thanks both, I think the mistake was hacking through the bamboo and disturbing its roots as it is shooting up everywhere now. Hoping the rain stays away this weekend as I plan to cut it's trunk and roundup it straight away, but thats a really good idea with the shoots and plastic so I'll try that too.

Going on holiday next week, so am hoping I don't come back to a forest of the stuff!

They are nice, but can take over if left unchecked. I dug one out about 3 years ago and there is still the odd growth that pops up every now & then. When i dig it out, sometimes its only a solitary bit of root about 1" long - it sure is persistent.

It used to be in a lawn which when mowed would cut down any new growth of the tree in the lawn but in doing so it forced the roots further & further away - one root was nearly 15ft in length

Not looking forward to this particular project at all! But have got the roundup ready!

That is what our neighbour found Paulr. He was astonished at the length of the root running under the lawn and popping up many feet away from this little tree. We had a 'tree of life' over our back fence and sprigs kept coming up in my border and I covered them and squirted them when then got big enough to get a good dose. He eventually chopped it down.

This website may help you, and myself! Good luck!
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/aial1.htm

Thanks Wokaw.. My post was 3 years ago... and we did finally get rid of it all, but did have sprouts up through the lawn the following year.. nothing in the last 2 years though. we cut it all down and I think we poisoned it too.