How do I rid myself of this tree ???
By Wildatheart
Hampshire,
United Kingdom 
Help I am being invaded ... I have been told this tree is a 'Schumaker'. It has large fern life leaves and produces large red candle shaped clusters, hairy branches with sticky sap ... is it ringing any bells yet ?
This said beast has been in the garden for longer than I have lived here (15 years) - we have cut it right down and tried numerous products in trying to rid ourselves of it. The last being 'Growing Success Deep Root Ultra Tree Stump & Weedkiller' - alas to no avail. Its roots are now half way up the garden (some 8 feet) with lots of fresh reddish shoots spurting up on a daily basis.
Please help me rid myself of the 'triffid' before it is encroaching indoors?!?!?!?!
All ideas welcome.
Best regards
Corinna Howes
6 Jun, 2009
Answers
Probably the suckers themselves have developed woody bases and roots of their own. Drill into anything woody you can find and use SBK (neat, even though that's not what it says on the bottle) by carefully pouring it into the holes you've made. Cover with something if possible, empty pots, bits of plastic, pebble, rock, old slates, whatever you've got. I use empty pots upturned, part buried in the soil, which means I can find the spot again if it needs retreating. Be very careful not to drip or pour the SBK onto anything in the surrounding area, not even the soil, and wear rubber gloves while using it.
6 Jun, 2009
This is a Sumach tree, and yes, it does 'sucker'. When you cut it right back to a stump, try sawing a grid pattern across it, then use the stump killer on it.
Some people also have success by drilling holes in the stump and pouring the stump killer in. Try whichever method, one of them might work!
If you cut the suckers off, they will grow again - try to pull them off the roots. Keep at it...good luck!
6 Jun, 2009