# Gardeners, Botanists, What are the names of these weeds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509 "2005-08-04T01:53:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/1 "2005-08-04T01:53:56Z")
For the record, I live in New York. In my front yard, there are two different types of weed. One of them is a tall, skinny type of weed, that grows up and straight out (its main stalk and branches pretty much form a 90 degree angle), like this: ```auto branch --> ---|__ stalk-->|_ | ``` Its leaves start out small and red, then grow outwards to a sort of elongated teardrop shape and turn green. It grows horrendously quickly, and smells disgusting once broken. The second weed is another type of tree. This weed’s stalk is more wooden than the aforementioned weed’s, and is more difficult to break. Its leaves also start out smaller and red, growing to about… the size of my hand. The leaves are reminiscent of that of a maple tree. And most importantly, how do I get rid of them, and why do they keep coming back? Does the second weed have any relation to a maple? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/2 "2005-08-04T02:09:27Z")
The first sounds like a young Ailanthus tree (it appears as a shurb when young but grows into treelike shape later). A highly invasive species that can grow in almost any soil (including through cracks in concrete), they are basically impossible to eradicate. In addition to its hardy vigorous nature and its abilty to spread by air, water, and underground, the Ailanthus is also an “alleopath” – it emits toxins that kill competitors. Charming, really. Constant vigilance can keep them under control. Rip them out by the roots as young as possible. Eternal vigilance is the price of owning a patch of dirt in NYC. Ailanthus is also known as “Tree of Heaven” and is the eponymous tree of the famous YA novdel “A tree Grows in Brooklyn” IANAbotanist, but I am a graduate of the Prospect Park Alliance’s Volunteer Urban Forestry program. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/3 "2005-08-04T02:21:16Z")
Also, it’s possible that the maple-looking thing is Normay Maple. It’s a very invasive species of Maple that are popular as street trees due to their indestructibility (although the city stipulates that they can’t be located on streets within a certain distance of a major park). Do the leaves look anything like [these](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_Maple) or [these](http://project.bio.iastate.edu/trees/campustrees/AcerPlatan/AcerPlat_leaves.html)? The young leaves are reddish as you described. Eradicate them with extreme prejudice, same as Ailanthus. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/4 "2005-08-04T02:22:50Z")
Preview is my friend! NORWAY Maple. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/5 "2005-08-04T02:59:12Z")
Ahh, Bastard Child _Ailanthus Altissima_ is the one! Picture: [http://www.tneppc.org/images/Exotics%20Photos/Ailanthus%20altissima%20P5060017%20(RKC).jpg](http://www.tneppc.org/images/Exotics%20Photos/Ailanthus%20altissima%20P5060017%20(RKC).jpg) Now the maple looking one… hm. I’ll have to look more closely outisde tomorrow morning. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/6 "2005-08-04T03:39:05Z")
Glad to be of service. For a really detailed discussion of what the heck to do with the things, check out this link: [http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/ailaalt.html](http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/ailaalt.html) (my favorite part is where they suggest a flame thrower) Just a reminder – if you pull up Ailanthus, do not use it for mulch or compost. The leaves are toxic to many other plants. ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/7 "2005-08-04T13:38:17Z")
Hmm…I was going to guess the first one as a [Sumac](http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/r/rhutyp/rhutyp1.html). They are very comfortable in an urban environment and seem to love window wells and driveways edges. They seem to look similar to the Ailanthus Altissima. Do your weeds have a furry stalk? ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/8 "2005-08-04T13:48:28Z")
Sorry, I see I missed the description for the Ailanthus Altissima… > [@](#): > > general acrid odor to plant (male flowers, leaves, twigs) Carry on…nothing to see here… ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-botanists-what-are-the-names-of-these-weeds/315509/9 "2005-08-05T19:22:53Z")
Well!?