weed?

koumi

Hi, I've had this red maple growing in a large oak barrel for about ten years, its fine and healthy and while it gets a bit grassy and weedy around the base this new green leaf shoot appeared last year and I'm not sure if it's just a regular weed so before I pull it, can someone identify it? The stem is a bit woody and the shape looks like a maple leaf itself, although not the same as the one I have growing. There are a lot of trees in the area so is it possible one may have germinated in the pot?
tia

_Brian

Yes it's from the Acer family as well.
But it's a common sycamore, damn things grow everywhere.

Take it out before it gets too deeply rooted.

koumi

_Brian wrote: »

Yes it's from the Acer family as well.
But it's a common sycamore, damn things grow everywhere.

Take it out before it gets too deeply rooted.

any point in re potting it and seeing if I can find a new home for it? seems a shame to pull a tree

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

koumi wrote: »

any point in re potting it and seeing if I can find a new home for it? seems a shame to pull a tree

Absolutely. Grow it on and plant is somewhere in the open with loads of space.

looksee

If there is a sycamore tree near your garden you can find yourself weeding out baby sycamores like dandelions and thistles.

magicbastarder

yep, i find myself yanking sycamore, elder, ash and even birch seedlings like they were brambles.

koumi

there's a whole parkland with wooded area across the way so I'm guessing there must be one or two over there. A lot of those trees have protective orders on them so I just figured it was something that maybe should be preserved. I've done a little research now and see how prolific they can be but I'd still feel bad about pulling it out, it kind of looks happy there growing alongside a well loved plant and don't want it to feel neglected! Part of me wants to see it grow but I'll see if I can't rehome it somewhere where there is plenty of room and it where it might be appreciated.

magicbastarder

if the sycamores in the park have protective orders on them, it's due to their size or antiquity, rather than any value being placed on the species itself. it'll take over and smother your acer.

koumi

magicbastarder wrote: »

if the sycamores in the park have protective orders on them, it's due to their size or antiquity, rather than any value being placed on the species itself. it'll take over and smother your acer.

I'll definitely take it out of the pot, I'll see how it gets on on its own. *it's like separating Siamese twins.

Day Lewin

Sycamore is a "tree weed" - spreads easily, seeds everywhere: the big leaves like dinner-plates cast a heavy shade, and collect aphids and midges underneath them. The wood is brittle, so the tree is dangerous to climb and not much good as firewood.
Also, it is not a native and can be intrusive in forests where its aggressive growth and deep shade inhibit germination of native plants and tree seedlings.
Pull it up, discard it: seriously. We don't need more sycamores. If you like trees, plant an oak, hazel, holly, ash, or elm.

magicbastarder

Day Lewin wrote: »

The wood is brittle, so the tree is dangerous to climb and not much good as firewood.

in defence of the wood, it's nice wood to turn.

koumi

Day Lewin wrote: »

Sycamore is a "tree weed" - spreads easily, seeds everywhere: the big leaves like dinner-plates cast a heavy shade, and collect aphids and midges underneath them. The wood is brittle, so the tree is dangerous to climb and not much good as firewood.
Also, it is not a native and can be intrusive in forests where its aggressive growth and deep shade inhibit germination of native plants and tree seedlings.
Pull it up, discard it: seriously. We don't need more sycamores. If you like trees, plant an oak, hazel, holly, ash, or elm.

I have a mountain ash and a silver birch, along with the acer in the pot, three trees (:)) that suit the size of my plot so definitely wouldn't have room for anything bigger. I'll take it out tomorrow (they are all trees I planted and I feel very protective of them)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Take it out, plant it up and, in a few years, plant it in the nearby wood. Around here mature sycamores are as rare as when's teeth, while Ash are the 'weed trees'.

koumi

Miguel Chubby Cheek wrote: »

Take it out, plant it up and, in a few years, plant it in the nearby wood. Around here mature sycamores are as rare as when's teeth, while Ash are the 'weed trees'.

I was thinking to go over and sneak it in ha. It's a private estate and there's a grove of boundary trees behind a great wall standing about ten meters from my front door. Those trees are there since the estate was laid so a little over two hundred years. I know they are all maintained though as they have estate keepers and I've spoken with the people who manage the trees before so if I see them in the meantime I'll ask do they want their sapling back

(i also had the thought of using it as a replacement tree for one on the street outside which was damaged in a storm a couple of years ago, it might be too big though so I'll just wait and see what the greenkeepers say. I won't be keeping it because it would be too big but I'll definitely take it out of the pot for now)

looksee

No, don't plant it in the street, it will be a liability, and I suspect that young sycamores get ruthlessly removed from the park area too.

koumi

I'm finding it difficult to kill a tree. I'm going out to remove it now and I'm just going to sit with it for a bit. Thanks for all the advice.

koumi

It's done, I hope the tree gods won't be angry. Couldn't save it because it was so embedded I had to hack away at the stem to get it out without breaking the barrel. In the mulch bin now so hopefully will be useful in some other form sometime down the line.

Day Lewin

Miguel Chubby Cheek wrote: »

Take it out, plant it up and, in a few years, plant it in the nearby wood. Around here mature sycamores are as rare as when's teeth, while Ash are the 'weed trees'.

Curious now, which part of Ireland that could be?
No offense meant, but like, roughly which end of which province?

Sycamores are common as dirt around Dublin; and when they establish in a hedge, they make a big bald patch. Happens a lot.
Also, growing in drainage gullies. And if you park your car under one, it gets covered in sticky gunge. Bit of a pest.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Day Lewin wrote: »

Curious now, which part of Ireland that could be?
No offense meant, but like, roughly which end of which province?

Sycamores are common as dirt around Dublin; and when they establish in a hedge, they make a big bald patch. Happens a lot.
Also, growing in drainage gullies. And if you park your car under one, it gets covered in sticky gunge. Bit of a pest.

North Leinster where, as I said, mature sycamores are rare. An odd one pops up in a hedgerow but gets clipped pretty quickly with hedge cutting.

CaraK

magicbastarder wrote: »

yep, i find myself yanking sycamore, elder, ash and even birch seedlings like they were brambles.

Can you post a picture of the birch seedling when you get a chance

KhyrieLiam

Maybe you have a perfect place for it to grow. If its still small, you can transfer it in a pot then plant it to the soil when the roots are fully grown and if its big enough in the pot. Find a perfect spot in your place which is an open space where its free to grow.