PLEASE Help Me ID This Monster Tree

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It's in the mulberry family, I'm fairly certain. I'm not sure whats growing like a vine up your tree but I'd just pull it out. I've seen pics of red mulberry trees with the white hairs just like in your pic. Sorry. I know that's not what you wanted to hear. Maybe someone will be able to help you.

Many times when branches are on or close to the ground trees can get out of control in a few years, limbs rooting, and seedlings pop up everywhere. I just raise the crown slightly so I can get in and clear all the crap out trying to make a home under and in the tree. If you don't do this you can have mutiple trees competing with original tree. I just finished a project doing this vry thing to a mature Magnolia tree, limbs on ground rooted and were growing small trees from limbs that over the years rooted into the ground.... plus girdling roots....etc. People tend to let this happen because they like thier privacy, big mistake.

Farawaytree

Hi macawsj,
Welcome to Tree World.
I cant help you with an ID here, as I am not familiar with the tree.
I do know things grow very rapidly in Sub-tropical/tropical climes.
Once a tree starts suckering it can be quite a job to contain it.
You may need to take the tree out if it is a nuisance!!
But you will also have to dig down into the soil to get all the suckering.
Be careful of any underground cables, pipes, etc????
If you can get a hold of a good hand saw and ladder, you might be able to take it down in sections by yourself. Get a friend to help you if you are not confident with that on your own. You can dig up the suckering as you go.
Hope that helps.
Farawaytree.

macawsj

Yes, you all are right. It is some kind of nuisance mulberry. I looked at the other mulberries I have that do bear fruit and the bark markings are extremely similar. Leaves are somewhat similar, but the good mulberries have smaller leaves. This horrible tree is sending out suckers everywhere under the ground. I have seen evidence of it by pulling on the young ones. I do want the whole tree gone, so I guess I'll give it a go. The vine growing is all over all of the trees in this area. It's a big problem in the Tampa area and it's nearly impossible to kill, so we just cut it out of our bushes that we value. Thanks to the owner of this site for giving laymen a place to go for help.

The Tree Whisperer

Sorry I am not familiar with this tree (I am in Australia), the best way to kill the tree is with a systemic herbicide, I would imagine that a Glyphosate product would be readily available (in australia this is known most commonly as Round- up) a mix of 1part chemical to 1.5 parts water will kill the mother plant and should (if done right) translocate and kill the suckering young growth.
DO NOT prune or cut the mother tree, or the suckers before applying a herbicide as this will in fact stimulate more growth of suckers and excacerbate your issue.

make small cuts (can be done with tomahawk or hand saw) around the trees trunk in a staggered (up down) pattern _ -_, making sure they overlap I start with 3 one down one up one down then apply herbicide to these cuts just enough to wet surface doesnt have to be a heap. DO NOT CUT ALL THE CUTS THEN APPLY then make cuts 2 (up down) at a time until you reach right around the trunk. then sit back and watch your problem die. Remeber once the tree is noticably dead have it removed before it starts to decay as it cant be climbed once it is in a decaying state and this will add to your difficulties and costs

The Tree Whisperer

OK here I am again! a couple of questions in regards to Identifying you tree,
I believe it may be a Sassafras most likely Sassafras albidum. This is a north american species (common) grows to 50 ft (15m)can be multi trunked andwill develop suckers if allowed. and has 2-3 lobed leaves with minute hairs on the underside and new stems (SOUND FAMILIAR).
teh trick to it being a sassafras is that they are deciduous (although perhaps less so in sub tropical environment) and their leaves color well (again not so much in a subtropical environment), so let me know if you think it is close. be careful when poisoning as the inner bark is known for toxicity (I am not sure how bad this is though), you should be using rubber gloves with chemicals anyway.

the other thing is that all of the mulberries have fruit of varying sizes that range from red to purple/black and are all edible, Sassafras is not and its fruits are not really a significant feature.

Hope these posts help

remember all trees can tell us whats wrong with them, it just takes the right person to listen!!!!

Eden Keeper

Definitely paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent.

bsearcey

Paper mulberry. ARforester. Pubescent twigs. The Morus's do not have that characteristic. The leaf should be densely pubescent underneath as well.


Look at the bundle traces. Pull a leaf off and where it was attached to the leaf (leaf scar) inside count the # of dots visible. Should be 5 mostly. 4 across top and one on bottom center.

Brent Ferris

Doesn't quite look like a mulberry, but more a mulberry than most other trees, Dig out the stump and roots out to the young trees, and with luck that should end the tree growth.,

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Bowani Siam

I agree, looks like Paper Mulberry - Broussonetia papyrifera

Broussonetia papyrifera, Morus papyrifera, Paper Mulberry - TopTropicals.com, rare plants for home and garden