Sumac Tree Removal

Dave Humby

I've got several Sumac trees both on our property and also on the verge / road side of our boundary that we've now decided need to go. I've been reading up on the challenges of getting rid of them and then proliferation of suckers they send out.

I plan to 'attack' the new growth suckers as and when they appear with glyphosphate. They will be on a barren bank on our side and the grass verge on the outside of the property so I'm not overly concerned with the collateral damage that may occur. I've already taken the tops (foliage and branches) off of several of them with the main trunk remaining. I'm assuming this action will prompt the suckers. I have a couple of questions;

Firstly, I'd like to apply stump killer but I understand this should be done in the dormant winter months when the sap is not rising (these are also highly sap / resinous trees). So I'm thinking to reduce the main trunks that are currently c10-12' to around 3ft then in the winter to reduce these to the final height - pretty much flush to ground level - then apply stump killer to this freshly exposed part of the trunk. Is that a go-er? Would applying the stump killer now be a waste of time and / or counter-productive?

Secondly does any have any other useful tips for eradication?

thanks!

Alina W

I'm not sure that glyphosate will kill the suckers - I think you will need SBK for those, because the roots are long.

Dave Humby

Ok thanks Alina. I'll do some further reading in that case as I had been led to believe that glyphosate would do the trick.

does anyone have any advice on my question regarding how to handle the trunks and ultimately stumps of the mature trees?

thanks 

Dave Humby

Thanks Verdun. I'll go with that.