Halime, I don't have an answer for you but thought I would suggest posting this on the Trees Forum. It's pretty active and you might get a response.

Can't you cut it down??

There is something called Vine-X. Google it. So whack it off, paint the wounds, and this should kill the roots without killing anything else. It's not a spray. I am going to use it for some plants that are in my way too! I think roundup needs the leaves to drink it. But Vine-X goes on the cut parts.

Good luck!!

I've had invasive honey suckle before and we cut it down and round-upped the stumps. We had to do some sectons twice. Might work depending on the size of the tree.

Our original poster said that they cannot afford to have someone cut the tree down at this time. She's looking for something to kill the plant so that it will stop producing leaves and berries.

Halime, once you've killed the tree with an herbicide, it will become something of a hazard, over time. So start saving now, as you will eventually have to have it taken down at some point.

Halime, your husbands idea should be effective. haven't done it myself but have heard from many people that it works. another very simple way to kill it would be to cut the vascular cambium all the way around the tree. the vascular cambium is the layer that produces new growth. it is located between the bark and the interior wood. if you cut that continuously all the way around the tree will die. it is pretty easy to do. people sometimes kill young trees by cutting to this layer with weed wackers. if it is an older, bigger tree. just chip into it with a hatchet just past the bark. again it must be continuous all the way around. like others mentioned you will need to take it down eventually. as it rots it will become a hazard.

I am interested in doing some woodwork with chinaberry trees. Do you still have them?

Girdle it - cut shallowly into the vascular system all round the trunk.

Get out your reciprocating saw and cut it down, bit by bit. Then go out around the perimeter and cut all the anchor roots that held it in the ground. It will dig up easily.