Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
2 ratings

Monday - July 21, 2008

From: Granite, MD
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Getting rid of invasive, non-native Ailanthus altissimma, Tree of Heaven
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We live in Granite, MD and are trying to get rid of an invasive "tree of heaven". Based on a recommendation from a website dedicated to eradicating invasive plants,my husband cut down the tree which had a 3 inch trunk, drilled a hole in the stump and filled the hole with fertilizer. I think I erred by using a timed released fertilizer. The tree is throwing off sprouts from the roots. Is there something else we can do to get rid of it? Unfortunately it is located in the midst of an established flower bed. I appreciate any suggestions.

ANSWER:

We couldn't agree with you more. That tree needs to go, and all the little treelets with it. The Plant Conservation Alliance Least Wanted site on this tree has excellent instructions on getting this tree out of your life, if you ever can. We're not sure where the recommendation to put fertilizer in a hole in the plant came from, we hadn't heard that one before. As you have apparently learned, it doesn't work. However, you would have had the sprouts from the roots no matter what you did, and if the tree is female, you will have sprouts from seeds for years. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center neither recommends for nor against herbicides, but the suggestions made in this article seem to be very apropos and well thought out. The gist of their advice is to treat an open cut with the suggested herbicide and do it quickly, within 10 or 15 minutes of making the cut. Apparently, the more cuts you make in the tree with applications of herbicide, the more effective it will be. Of course, you will have to be extremely careful, since it is in an established bed with desirable plants. Particularly note the cautions on letting the herbicide drip down from the cut into the dirt. It would appear that you can even cut down into the roots and inject some herbicide. The roots and their ability to survive will be your worst problem. And, despite all your efforts, be prepared to continue to hand remove sprouts for a long time, either from the roots or from seedlings. Of course, there's a lesson here. The best way to get rid of a pest is to never let it get its roots in the door.
 

More Non-Natives Questions

Plants looking similar to Camellia sinensis in Venezuela
June 30, 2008 - Is there another plant that looks similar to the tea plant? I need to do a photoshoot of a tea plantation, but canīt really get to one, so I was wondering if there were other plants that at least look...
view the full question and answer

Mexican species Orbexilum melanocarpum.
January 04, 2013 - This is not a question; just a note to supplement a previous MSP post answering a query about a source for Orbexilum. The "mountain pea" that the original questioner was asking about is the e...
view the full question and answer

Non-native Ruellia brittonia in Raleigh NC
August 23, 2009 - I have discovered Mexican Petunias this year. I LOVE THEM! Beautiful plant. However, they are so tall and after a rain are leaning badly. Should I tie them back? Will they get stronger as they ma...
view the full question and answer

Pride of Barbados seed for Ft. Worth TX
February 07, 2013 - When can you plant the Pride of Barbados plant seeds and how to go about it in Fort Worth Texas?
view the full question and answer

Problems with azaleas
April 22, 2008 - Last summer I planted 10 evergreen Azaleas "Hino Crimson" I sprinkled a little rhody fertilizer in their holes before planting and gave them plenty of water all summer. They are all doing fine excep...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.