The electric cooperative I work for got an email from a selectman in a central NH town wanting us to take down an Ailanthus that was growing up into our wires. I had never heard of them being in NH so I went out and looked at it today. There's no doubt that it is a "Tree of Heaven", the tree of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".
It has been trimmed by us before. It's about 18" or more on the stump and has a big crack which is turning into a split. There are a few smaller ones growing underneath it (big surprise there, eh?).
The tree should have been removed long ago as it is way too close to the wires. But we had trouble with that landowner and my boss told the town official that we will not do anything there unless he has the permission of the landowner. Supposed Ailanthus is on an "invasive species list", which is something I didn't know that the state even had.
What do you folks think of the situation? Any experience in dealing with this species?
They grow all over Virginia. They are a pioneer species, which means they seed in quickly on disturbed areas - clearcuts, road cuts, abandoned farmland, house lots, road shoulders. They germinate quicker and grow faster than any native tree here, so they are certainly 'invasive'. No timber value, no wildlife value. They are hard to kill because of the prolific root and stump sprouting. Can only kill them with herbicides. Just cutting them down without applying herbicide to the stump only makes them mad. Lord knows how many seeds yours has spread over the decades.
But I'm not surprised the landowner wants to keep it, if he has little knowledge of trees as does the average person. He sees it as a nice big green tree. Species doesn't matter - to him it's pretty.
But if you can get rid of it, I'd suggest cutting it down, then painting the cambium area of the stump with concentrated RoundUp herbicide within 2 - 3 minutes of cutting. If you cut it down and leave the stump, or grind the stump away, or bulldoze it out, the roots left in the ground will still sprout. So use the herbicide first, to kill the root system. Might also have to come back and treat any sprouts that defy the first herbicide application. When you're sure the roots are dead (might take a year or so), then you can get the stump out of the ground if you want.
We don't do stump grinding unless we have both arms twisted up behind our backs and some big guy's knee on our necks :o :( We are only interested in keeping the power line safe and dependable. If the selectmen are that worried about it, they can keep an eye on things after we've done our part.
I thank you for your advice. It sounds like about the same advice that would be needed for getting rid of other things, like Lombardy Poplar. I had an old lady in that same town who wanted us to take down one of them for her. There were brown spots all over her lawn where she had been spraying those little volunteer soldiers with Roundup :D :D We took the tree down and I told her that she would probably have to continue her patrol with the Roundup for quite some time.
The only good ailanthus is a dead ailanthus.
Phorster,
Can you cut and apply roundup any time of year? or is it more effective certain times of the year?
You can inject a hardwood (broadleaf) with Arsenaltm and it'll kill the tree and anything that root grafted with it. It's harmless to animls and doesn't move through the environment.
I believe we are going to put Krenite on the fresh cut stump(s).
BJORN, apply anytime except when the sap is actively running in early spring.
FRAXINUS, is Krenite labeled for cut-surface or stump treatment? If so, it should work.
Yes. We use it all the time.
You think you got stumps ?
https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?board=Business;action=display;num=1075597034
:D
All the more reason to put the perzin to 'em afore they get outta hand. :D :D :D