My 103 year old Next door Neighbor

Ssinian

My next door neighbor, who turns 103 years old this year has asked me to help her remove a VERY invasive Shrub/Tree/Bush which grows between our properties. Last year she asked me to cut it back, which I did...to ground level. We both kinda hoped that would be the end of it ( lol) . This year it came back with a vengeance...it appears to have several stems and one DADDY stem, which I would guess is around 6/7 inches in circumference. Since the growing season started in April/May of this year it has grown around 10 to 12 feet high and now has a spread of around 6 feet. I think the correct term would be VIGOROUS!
My questions then are these: What is it? and how the h*** do I get rid of it for her without hiring an earthmover and a team of Tree Surgeons
I've uploaded two images of the leaf in question which measures 8 inches stem to tip. If thats not enough I'll happily add more for clarification purposes. Obviously I don't HAVE to know what type of tree/shrub in order to kill it ( I guess) but I'm naturally very inquisitive and I REALLY want to know. Oh, additionally it is growing slap in the middle of her mature bed of Peonies, which she would love to keep...naturally. Needless to say digging up the roots is now out of the question.
For the avoidance of doubt I live in Chicago Il
Hope someone can help..believe me you would make an old lady very happy

Regards

Arboreally Confused of Chicago The

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bsearcey

Mulberry species? Can be weedy.

Ssinian

Hi again
I figured the reason there seems to be no reaction to my query was probably lack of images. So I took a few more. Hope this helps

Sinn

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bsearcey

Mulberry. Just went outside and checked one. Same bark with lenticils. New years growth is not as green on the one I looked at, but looks similar.

Garry Brockley

When you cut off the stems at the floor spray them with Glyphosate this should sort it out. they have a very good way of running rhizome roots all over the area then sending out shoots from them.

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Jeff Darby

As this appears to be a weed species I would cut horizontaly around the trunk, but not completely, spacing in zig zag pattern and add roundup to for a week or so before I cut it to ground level then re apply round up again, in doing this, this way you are making the tree work against itself actively drawing the roundup into every part of this unwanted weed.

Hope this helps...

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Ssinian

You guys rock my world. Thank You.