please identify this weed

Hello,

I live in mid-Missouri. I have had this weed on one side of my front lawn since I moved in a couple of years back, and used to just pull them out once every couple of weeks. Finally I got tired, and decided to pull it out with the roots. I dug up around one of the sprouts a bit, and "the roots" are over an inch thick and cross my lawn in several directions. They almost look like they come from a tree, except there's no like tree anywhere nearby. Here are some photos:

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'd like to find out what plant it is, and how to best get rid of it.

Thanks, Paul

Reply to
Pawel Slusarz
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Got any Liquidambar styraciflua in the area?

Reply to
Eggs Zachtly

Not that I know of, but it's possible, even though the plant's official range ends 300 miles south of here.

I have noticed that "aromatic foliage" is a quality of this plant. I forgot to mention, but my "weed" emits a pleasant lime-like aroma when I destroy the sprouts. I also see "chlorosis" mentioned as one of the potential diseases - some of the sprouts (5% or so) end up dying from it before I can get to them.

Reply to
Pawel Slusarz

Sweet of Eggs to identify that 'weed' for you. If you're sure there are no /trees/ with leaves like that nearby (even next door), scratching the roots and applying RoundUp to the scratches might take care of them. A caveat- a friend at Sam Rayburn wanted to kill a sassafras tree that kept coming up next to his house and did the above. He also killed 4 more nearby. Their roots, like sweet gum, are(were) interconnected.

Reply to
xPosTech

First 3 links at google...

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you have them in St. Louis, I should have them here in Columbia, so I'll start scouting the neighborhood tomorrow.

No, stems are not hollow. I just pulled one of the mature ones you see on the picture. I did not notice before, but the bigger leaves do not give off any smell, only the new ones - light green in color and under

1" in size.
Reply to
Pawel Slusarz

Really? Where'd you get your range information? A lookup of L. styraciflua at plants.usda.gov [1] shows it's range as including ALL of the states from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, to the eastern seaboard (with the exception of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire), and California. I'm near StL, and they're all over the freakin place, here. I'm hardly 300 miles from mid-Missouri (I *am* in mid-Missouri). ;)

I'm not saying that's what it is, but the first look at the leaves appear so. There are other trees whos leaves resemble that of the Sweetgum. Have you checked the tree lines around that area, for any suspects?

That would be a new one on me, then. Are the stems hollow?

You could put all green plants in that category. Chlorosis can be caused by several things (poor drainage, pH, nutrient deficiencies, etc). It's simply a yellowing of tissue, due to a lack of (or diminished production of) chlorophyll.

Reply to
Eggs Zachtly

Really? Where'd you get your range information? A lookup of L. styraciflua at plants.usda.gov [1] shows it's range as including ALL of the states from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, to the eastern seaboard (with the exception of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire), and California. I'm near StL, and they're all over the freakin place, here. I'm hardly 300 miles from mid-Missouri (I *am* in mid-Missouri). ;)

I'm not saying that's what it is, but the first look at the leaves appear so. There are other trees whos leaves resemble that of the Sweetgum. Have you checked the tree lines around that area, for any suspects?

That would be a new one on me, then. Are the stems hollow?

You could put all green plants in that category. Chlorosis can be caused by several things (poor drainage, pH, nutrient deficiencies, etc). It's simply a yellowing of tissue, due to a lack of (or diminished production of) chlorophyll.

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Reply to
Eggs Zachtly

Instead of worrying what it is, I'd just apply 7% Roundup, using a sponge and a glove. If 2 apps of that don't work, then I'd use one of the stronger brush type herbicides.

Reply to
trader4

If it's Sweetgum seedlings, I'd just mow over them and say f*ck it. They won't survive. ;)

Reply to
Eggs Zachtly

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