• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Carol J. Michel

Award winner author of gardening humor books

  • About
    • Contact
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Shop
    • Gardening Humor
    • Children’s Books
    • New – The Halloween Hare
  • Social
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • The Gardenangelists Podcast
  • Gardening Humor
  • Children’s
  • All Books

May Dreams Gardens

Tree-weeds

December 17, 2008 By Carol Michel 20 Comments

Do you know what you call tree seedlings that come up all over the garden?

Tree-weeds.

Yes, they are weeds. But there are some gardeners who get all “funny” about pulling tree seedlings as weeds, especially if the ‘seedling’ gets big enough that it won’t pull out easily and it’s a nice tree like a redbud, Cercis canadensis.

They convince themselves that maybe where that tree seedling sprouted would be the perfect place for another tree. And wouldn’t it be fun to have a tree in the garden that grew right there from a tiny seed?

Or maybe they try to transplant those tree seedlings to someplace else in the garden, merely because Mother Nature has provided them with a free tree.

Either way, enough of that kind of thinking and pretty soon, it’s not a garden anymore. It’s a mess.

There are, of course, some tree seedlings, like mulberries and cottonwoods, that every gardener recognizes as weeds, no matter how big and tree-like those seedlings get.

I pull out a lot of mulberry and cottonwood seedlings in my garden. The seeds come a long way to get here because there are no mature trees nearby. But I still pull the seedlings out when I find them. I show no mercy. I don’t blink. I don’t hestitate.

The mulberry seeds, Morus sp., usually hitch a ride to my garden in the gut of a bird. The bird eats the mulberry seed, flies to my garden and then poos a few droppings with the seed still intact in them somewhere where I don’t want a mulberry tree to grow. Those droppings, by the way, stain whatever they land on purple. Then wherever that dropping landed, that freshly scarified mulberry seed sprouts and grows, taking root in even the tiniest bit of dirt.

Somehow, the mulberry leaves tend to blend in to their surroundings until the little tree seedling is a big tree seedling and I’ve got to get a shovel or pick axe to dig it out. When I’m feeling lazy, I sometimes just cut those mulberry tree weeds down to the ground, but they always re-sprout. Always. There are some that I cut down weekly throughout the summer.

The cottonwoods, Populus deltoides, are just as weedy as mulberries. Those seeds ride in on the wind from who knows where, wrapped up in their fluffy cotton-y covering, fall gently to the ground, and then germinate. I have no idea where the nearest cottonwood tree is, but I bet on any given day I can find a cottonwood tree seedling somewhere in my garden.

I’m in a battle with these tree seedlings and what’s at stake is the very survival of my garden as a garden and not a wild space. They want to take over, and I won’t let them. I pull the little ones, dig out those that won’t pull out easily, and keep cutting back those that thought they were going to make it.

It’s my garden, my design (such as it is) and I’m only going to let the trees grow where I plant them!

(Why am I writing about these tree-weeds now? I was reminded of them when I saw all the seed pods hanging from the redbud tree, which I included in my Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day post for this month. Thank you to everyone who posted about their blooms on the 15th. I’m still working my way down the Mr. Linky list to visit and see what everyone has, or doesn’t have, blooming. Eventually I hope to read all the bloom day posts!)

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: seeds, trees

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    December 17, 2008 at 7:25 am

    Oh man, I have pulled up so many maple and crabapple and other seedlings, I am ruthless!

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says

    December 17, 2008 at 9:13 am

    We show no mercy to tree seedlings – for us it is Ash, silver birch and holly. They would take over if they could.
    K

    Reply
  3. Les says

    December 17, 2008 at 10:26 am

    I feel funny pulling up tree seedlings, but only funny for not pulling them up sooner. We get Loblolly Pine, Red Maple, and various Oaks coming up like crabgrass.

    Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    December 17, 2008 at 12:55 pm

    Here it is white pine seedlings and oak. I say ‘My garden, my rules’ so I am in your camp on this one. Tree weeding is just a part of life in the garden!

    Reply
  5. Dave says

    December 17, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    I’m one of those who would transplant the wayward redbud. I think it depends on the type of tree and if you have a place for it. I potted up a tulip poplar tree that I didn’t have a place for in the hopes that I can find it a home. No sense letting a good tree go to waste!

    Reply
  6. Anonymous says

    December 17, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    They can be a nightmare to keep after in the garden. Maple, Pecan, & Mimosa are common tree weeds I have to keep in check.

    Reply
  7. LINDA from Each Little World says

    December 17, 2008 at 4:44 pm

    I think tree weeds are much worse than “common” weeds. Just thinking about the ones I didn’t get pulled at the end of the season and now will take twice as much work, ugh. Though this is a good reminder for me to put this on my list of first jobs this spring — should I get around to making such a list!

    Reply
  8. Nancy says

    December 17, 2008 at 8:19 pm

    For me, it’s Arizona Ash and various kinds of oak (there are about 6 different kinds in the neighborhood..no kidding!). So, I ruthlessly go, pulling up forests of seedlings.

    Paul Bunyan’s got nuttin’ on me!

    Reply
  9. Lisa at Greenbow says

    December 18, 2008 at 3:55 am

    I try to keep ahead of these seedlings and get them pulled before my Dearly Beloved sees them. He is of the mind that they would be wonderful in our garden someplace. He even tries to give them to our friends, offering to plant them for them etc. UGH…

    Reply
  10. OldRoses says

    December 18, 2008 at 6:57 am

    One of my neighbors has a Norway maple. Nuff said!!

    Reply
  11. Ann D. Travers says

    December 18, 2008 at 11:28 am

    Here sugar maples are the worst offender followed by oak and an occasional cedar. Well-stated post Carol. I read all my thoughts on the subject in your words.

    Reply
  12. Sherry at the Zoo says

    December 18, 2008 at 5:47 pm

    Prince Charmaing won’t allow me to pull any tree weeds. None. Zero. Zilch. That’s why we now have a tulip tree growing right up by the porch.

    Reply
  13. Kat Wolfdancer says

    December 18, 2008 at 6:00 pm

    *LOLOL* I am one of those who had to TRAIN myself not to grieve over the wee little "free plants" .. Like the cluster of wild cherries which had grown(OVERgrown) along the front of my pond, obscuring all but a mere smattering of view of the pond from the house…. As I looked closely, there were eleven six foot trees. PERISH THE THOUGHT! Out came the pocket saw. And Now There are .. (still) four. One will say Good Bye come Spring, methinks.. SADNESS! But neccessary if I wish to see anything..

    Must be the Frugal Scots in me. "FREE"? we must not waste it!

    >^,,^<

    Reply
  14. Sweet Home and Garden Carolina says

    December 18, 2008 at 10:09 pm

    I’ve always called them weed trees, Carol. You didn’t mention the most prolific one in my garden: Ailanthus altissima, or tree of heaven. That the mulberries, black locust, and Hibiscus syricus keep me busy.

    One of my neighbors would never pull up a weed tree which is why her back yard is a mess.

    You’ve got the right idea about being in charge. It’s your garden and you get to decide which trees grow in it. I like that.

    Reply
  15. Mr. McGregor's Daughter says

    December 19, 2008 at 3:20 am

    Every spring I spend hours pulling Boxelder seedlings. However, I'm glad I recognized & didn't pull the volunteer Cornus alternifolia seedlings that showed up years ago. They are delightful, but I still have to pull out their seedlings when they show up in a bad place for them. If I had acreage, I'd let them form a naturalistic little grove.

    Reply
  16. Barbarapc says

    December 19, 2008 at 3:45 am

    Canada’s first national anthem was the “Maple Leaf Forever”. In my garden it’s the maple tree all over the place. Any plant in the wrong place might as well be a weed. I say, “Be Gone! and Good Riddance”.

    Reply
  17. acorn says

    December 19, 2008 at 2:59 pm

    My weed tress are primarily Styrax, sasafrass, oak and catalpa.They are worse than most other weeds as their roots go down very deep, very fast. AARGH!

    Reply
  18. Wayne Stratz says

    December 19, 2008 at 7:46 pm

    I have Sugar Maples that love to grow in my flower garden at work, and a dreaded Norway Maple in my neighbors yard.

    Reply
  19. Diane says

    December 19, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    I study trees for a living so it’s especially hard for me to pull up a weed tree. Luckily, there aren’t any basswoods close enough to weedify my yard so I don’t have to do violence to my study species!

    We get Ailanthus by the literal handful (and they smell bad when pulled, an added bonus), silver maple, elm, mulberry, ash, and the occasional horse-chestnut that usually grows two feet tall before I notice it. Stupid squirrels. I once found a seedling black locust that I’m sure was in its first year; it had gone to fruit already. Now that’s a successful weed.

    Reply
  20. Gail says

    December 20, 2008 at 2:30 pm

    Carol, The wooded wayback in my yard is the poster child for successful invasives and weed trees! In the culltivated garden areas hackberry, junipers and oaks pop up everywhere! Hackberries are the hardest to wrench out, even when less then 6 inches tall! Gail

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Updates from Carol Michel

* indicates required
Email Preferences

Categories

  • Blog (3,053)
  • Internal (2)

Blog Tags

annuals Blogging books bulbs dr. hortfreud embrace fairies fall family flowers fruits garden bloggers bloom day garden bloggers book club garden design gardeners gardening gardening geek gardens hoes holidays hortense hoelove houseplants humor indoor gardening insects lawn letters to gardening friends perennials rabbits reviews Secrets seeds shrubs spring tools trees vegetable garden vegetable gardening vegetables weather weeding weeds when a gardener wildflower wednesday winter

The Gardenangelists Podcast with Dee Nash

Gardenangelists Podcast

Footer

Gardenangelists Podcast with Dee Nash

Gardenangelists Podcast

Connect

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • maydreams icon

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Books
  • May Dreams Gardens
  • Podcast

Updates from Carol Michel

* indicates required
Email Preferences

Newsletter Archive

Copyright © 2023 · CarolJMichel.com · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

Book purchase links are affiliate links and Carol earns a small commission if you make a purchase.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT