Thug in Blackberry Row

[greenthumbomaha]

This huge plant is taking over the blackberry patch, if that is even possible. Anyone know what thug it is?

- Lisa

[clkeiper]

elderberry plants. this is the same growth I have on mine right now. do you have any close by? usually it looks like that when you rip pne out of the ground, they pop up from the roots like that.

[Labradors2]

Sorry you consider them thugs greenthumb..... I am desperately trying to get lots of them growing in my wilderness area, and that was what I thought they were at first as I have lots of little volunteers although they look a bit different because mine aren't so advanced.

It looks as if I will have lots of nurturing and you will have lots of pulling - unless you have a great area for a beautiful Elderberry bush or two (hundred) {LOL}.

Linda

[bower]

It looks a lot like Valerian too. They shoot up quick like that as well. Leaf is a bit more serrate than the elder, but that can vary quite a bit on your seed source. I've had Valerian 12 ft tall in my garden.

My elderberry is the woody stem type but I've seen pictures of green stem types like that. Must be great soil there!

But nothing is that big just coming from seed, so I'm guessing the patch has a history with said thug.

[PhilaGardener]

Maybe invading from the other side of that fence?

[MissS]

It looks like it could be Sumac to me which spreads by underground runners. If it is, it will have a milky sap in its vein when you break a leaf or a stem.

[greenthumbomaha]

Thank you for your responses. I wish it was elderberry. I had elderberry at my country place but it got cut down with a large tree by the utility company. Since it was native I hope it will come back somewhere.



Back to the 'burbs where this plant is. I'm afraid you are correct Patti and it is Sumac. My ankles and lower legs have been itching for the past week. I planted a bare root peach tree smack in the middle of this area. This property is less than a quarter acre and these plants are growing all along that fence where blackberries and grapes have had the run for 20 years. It used to be in shade but now it gets more sun thanks to a tree being removed last year.



The grandkids from the other side next door like to come over and wander around looking at the food growing, and over the fence is a manicured yard with a swingset for a 6 year old! This is basically an emergency if I find milky sap! I read it travels by rhyzomes. Yipes!



- Lisa

[PhilaGardener]

Get a whole bunch of plastic shopping bags (I have reuseables for normal shopping, but there is usually a recycling bin at the store where you can grab a bunch that have already been used once!) invert them over the shoots and pull. That's how I protect myself from poison ivy. Of course, wear gloves, long sleeves, etc. too! Good luck!

[Worth1]

When I first saw the thing I thought it was sumac.
I had no idea the things spread by runners.

[clkeiper]

ohhhh, ya, sumac travels via rhizome. if that is what you have even if you hate hate hate despise etc ... round up... get some anyway and spot spray it. just kill it dead! ir does look exactly like the growth on my elderberries right now though. My sumac had a slightly fuzzy new growth stem. hopefully I have none left out in the chicken yard... I do see elderberries though which I am very glad for.

[Labradors2]

Oh no! I LOVE sumac, but it has to be on a large property and far away from anything else! Years ago, we planted some at the far end of our wooded property to enjoy the fall colours from our window. It steadily crept towards the house and, even when the grass didn't need to be mowed, the sumac did! It grows SO fast!

Hope you can eradicate it, and so sorry that you are allergic. It sounds as if you have POISON Sumac!!!! Yikes!

Linda

[MissS]

If you are allergic to it, I would choose to use the round up too so that you do not come in contact with any of the sap. After spraying it, let it fully dry up dead before trying to cut and remove it (wait months). I would also check to see if it has creeped under the fence into the neighbors yard. If it has then ask permission to remove it or perhaps they will cut it off with a lawn mower.

[Worth1]

So many sumac's and some look a lot alike.
I have no idea which one grows here,
According to the map poison sumac doesn't grow here but I cant rely on a map.
Worth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_sumac

[carolyn137]

We had both Sumac and elderberries on our farm where I grew up

There was a huge stone pile of rocks that turned up after the ground froze and thawed in the Spring, and I think the Shakers who owned our property at one time, were the first ones to start that pile in the mid-1800's.

What was there when I first saw it were Sumac bushes that turned brilliant red and orange in the Fall.

http://www.tomatoville.com/newreply....ote=1&p=700628

We were always told to never go near those bushes, and we didn't and the following link will tell you why.

https://www.google.com/search?q=suma...&bih=815&dpr=1

Along the back of one barn there were elderberry bushes, the flowers were very fragrant,the bees were working them all the time.Mom would make elderberry Jam and jelly, but we kids would use them to make ink,yes,I said ink.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Elde...&bih=815&dpr=1

http://www.tomatoville.com/newreply....ote=1&p=700628

Pick off clusters of elderberries, take them to a large stone, pound them with another stone until the juices ran, dip finger in the juice and paint your face and arms, and no,it wasn't easy to get off.

One of the links above also talks about the development of Elderberry cultivars,ones that were bred and named some of them.Back in the day we just had the wild elderberries,that no doubt a low flying bird dropped,ahem,some initial seeds.

We also kind of inherited from the Shakers orchards of peaches and pears and apples, all kinds,some so rare that a man from a nursery came each year to take scions for cultivation.

Also had several of what were called Italian prune plums,lucious and sweet, very tall trees actually, and then rhubarb and blackcaps and red raspberries galore as well as white,red,pink and black currants..

Carolyn,who almost forgot the mulberries.

[Worth1]

Homemade elderberry wine rules.
I remember drinking it as a child with my meal but only two big glasses.

Worth