stuff growing in my Euynomus bush

I know I spelled that wrong but maybe you can figure it out. I have a soft needle like plant growing up thru my shrub that keeps choking it out. It is pretty and functional in its on setting I'm sure but not up thru my bush. I don't want to dig up the bush and replant as I have done that twice. My question is how do I get rid of this new invasion without harming my shrub. It is also being takin over by ants and am fighting constantly trying to remedy both invasions.

It would help if you could post a picture of your mystery plant--if people can see it and recognize what it is that might be helpful in figuring out how to get rid of it. If it's something that needs to be hit with herbicide, you can take a paintbrush and carefully apply Roundup to the weed--that way you'll avoid getting it on your shrub.

For the ants--ants don't typically harm plants, but many times when they are crawling all over a plant it's because the plant has aphids or scale. Those insects release honeydew which the ants love. I know there is a common pest called Euonymus scale so I would definitely check your plant to see if you have those.

Scale is the most common scourge of euonymous. It's simple to detect. Look at the undersides of the leaves. If they're covered with light colored specks that don't move or crawl around, that's scale. If you see them, trying flicking a few off with your fingernail to make sure they are ON the leaf surface but not a part of it. The most practical thing to do for scale is to replace euonymous with a shrub that's more pest-resistant, such as one of the many varieties of holly. The most useful pesticides for scale have been taken off the market. You can check with an independent nursery specialist (not a salesperson at a big box store) and ask what they have that is effective for scale. It's very difficult to treat because the spray has to be applied on the underside of the leaves. A person would need to be a contortionist. ec is right, the ants aren't interested in your plant. They're interested in something living on your plant. That alone indicates an insect or other pest problem.

I am not sure if you have fire ants in NC, but we do here in LA. They will make nests in the rootball of plants and small trees and eventually kill the plant if not controlled. They get into containers and also in the ground....evil biting critters. They may be after a pest that is living on your shrub, and that may be what attracted them to it. So first determine what ant, and if fire ants, treat with Amdro fire ant control. Then you can address the rest of your problems.

dp72, I did see white specks on the underside of some of the leaves and could flick them off. The bush looks healthy as long as I keep pulling the strange weed that is very soft almost like a fern but with soft needles. This weed also is sticky and leaves a residue on fingers when smashed. I think that is what the ants are after.Don't think they are fire ants as seems like those are red and these are black but do bite when they get on you.They do gather at the root ball and not up on the bush tho.Will have to research and see. Ecrane the paint brush idea is a first and just may do the trick. I was afraid to use it in sprayer. moonhowl I will let you know about what kind of ant it is when I figure it out, thanks for the tip. I really like this forem. I am learning lots in a short time and who knows someday I'll be able to give constructive advice just like all of you. Thanks a bunch. Oh this weed gets a pretty yellow seedy bloom at certain time of year, early summer I think. Will try to send pics later when I can figure out how to do it lol

Flowers, your weed may be Dog Fennel Eupatorium capillifolium http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54505/

Swallowtail butterfly larva love it.

nope, not it but thought it was until I saw the picture, mine is individual stems that grow around 2 ft tall with soft needles sort of like on my blue spruce only very soft to touch. Will research weeds and see if pictures show it. Its got me bumfuzzled

For your weed, is it maybe Euphorbia cyparissias? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2005/

On the ants--if they're just on the ground and not crawling all over the stems, etc then they're probably not farming aphids/scale, if that was the case then they'd be crawling all over the plant too. I have Argentine ants here and they live down in the soil in the garden and some of my containers and they don't hurt the plants any, but there are some ants that can do damage so you might call your county extension office and find out what kind of ants are common in your area (or if you can, catch a few in a jar and take them in for them to look at).

Hot Dang ecrane you hit it on the head. This is exactly what is is Cypress Spurge, now is it good or bad? I think bad growing in my shrub. I guess it is just a pretty weed. http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/ephcy.htm moon will like to see this as he has been trying to figure it out too. I think my ants are argentine also, they stay at ground level and are probably only there because of the milky stuff in the spurge.

Good call Ecrane. Thanks for the link Flowers.

Fire ants will burrow down around a plants roots to build up a hill. They expose feeder roots and break down the soil and build up over the crown of the plant smothering it....not to mention making nests under the mulch, invisible to the dummy who puts their hand on top....and their bite has Formic acid in it.....hence Fire ant.

My DHJim is the official ant patrol person, but everybody knows where the Amdro is and how much to use. Also, windex original formula helps neutralize the ant's bite. We discovered that when the kids were little....one of them was always finding a bed Jim missed.

yep while trying to pull out the spurge from the shrub they got all over my hand and arm and biteing me,good to know about the windex. still think they are Argentine--gone to hunt pics will let ya know

never knew there was so many different kinds of ants. An ants an ant. I did learn that you can mix 1/4 tsp. boric acid with 3 tblsp.of water and 1 tsp. of sugar heat it and pour it on ant hills to kill them. If ya don't want to kill them sprinkle baby powder on their home and they will move