most trees dont die.. simply from cutting them down.. did you use a stump killer ...

if not ... snip it of.. and apply an undiluted stump killer to the cut ... and keep doing that until the roots die ... doing it by spray may or may not kill the root mass ...

i also dont understand.. why you said you moved it ....???? ... did you mean remove it ...???

ken

It is invasive, as it was not planted under the deck. I don't know if it was planted or just grew there, but it grows under the deck and in the flower bed, but need an ID on the tree. By invasive it was cut down and grew under the deck and it spreads by runners which take over the entire garden if you would allow them to do so.

They are just root shoots from the original tree that was removed and as explained, that does not constitute an 'invasive' status, which has a very specific definition. A great many different types of trees will produce root shoots from the underground root system after cutting off all the top growth and the root system of most trees typically spreads much wider than many expect.

If you just intend to remove, an ID is not really required. Just treat any shoots that pop up by cutting them off and painting the cut ends with RoundUp or other brush killer herbicide. That's exactly what you would do if the identification was known.

I have been doing that for the past three years. I would like to ID the tree to better figure out what to do about it. I have used brush be gone and poison ivy killer round up on it. I am not saying the tree is officially invasive, but it is invasive to me under my current conditions. I should have been a photo of it before it was cut down, but I did not think to do that.

And really, if that exact same sprout has reoccured many times (and not other sprouts), you're doing it wrong (wrong application, wrong time of year, rain washed off, etc).

What is the best time of year?

Poor Macy.....you still don't have an ID. I wish I could help, but don't recognize it. Please share your location.

I do, I have two house profiles, I am trying to combine them, but so far, it has not worked out. I am in Northern California.

As a general rule, when the plant is actively growing is the right time, that's when absorption is highest. The herbicide should be applied when it will not be washed off for at least three days.

The leaf seems (in photo) be be glossy and/or waxy, that often means that foliar treatment will not work and you must cut the stem and apply tree killer directly into the cut stem (that may be hard with something so small).

Alternatively, if you just keep mowing or cutting it, in a year or two it will run out of energy (as long as you don't let any part of it alone). That would mean weekly or so removal of all green parts.

Any chance it's not returning from root stock, but new seedlings either from squirrel planted nuts (fruits) or seed stock left by the original tree? Could explain why you keep getting returns after the herbicide treatments. In our area, pecan seedlings will get that size in the first year after squirrels have carefully planted them around the edges of our our walls and hardscaping. Some seeds left by the original tree (or planted by something) can remain viable in the soil for decades depending upon the plant and conditions. Should be able to tell if it's a new plant or sucker by digging one up.

Good point Bostedo...that would make it all make sense too.

It is growing from a very huge root, in that place, and I can't dig out the root, the ground is very hard clay, and some of the roots may be under the deck also, which I can't access.

That does definitely sound like root shoots of a mature tree then.

Have you tried digging it out with a field mattock? I got myself one and have dug out numerous large tree roots/trunks. I don't think they can come back from that.