I think they are ugly but my daughter-in-law wants them

I have a tree and a shrub that I don't care for, but my daughter-in-law wants to know what they are. Can anyone help me? I'll post the tree first then the next post will be the shrub.

Sumac, I think, but I am just guessing. Turns red in a fall and is very pretty.

Yep, from the pic I can't tell perfectly, but it appears to be Sambuca racemosa, the Red Elderberry.

Edited because of posting when my brain is hibernating.

This message was edited Jun 9, 2008 10:54 PM

Are the leaves kind of big for sumac? Maybe elderberry? Although elderberry probably would be blooming by now.

This is a Elderberry, has a Peugeot smell to some. I hate the smell, but love the tree. Bloom time is over.

This message was edited Jun 9, 2008 8:40 PM

Has to be a Sumac

ummmm I think that this may be it. It does have the common name of chinese sumac. I'll see what daves has on it. then go to google.

Ailanthus altissima

That might explain the difference - not a rhus (sumac), but something that looks like a sumac.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/campus/vermont/3/2/2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/campus/vermont/3/2/2.html&h=278&w=300&sz=37&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=VV3vlA81sIgEdM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drhus%2Btyphina%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

they certainly look a lot alike!

this is a link to a usda info sheet. in Oregon it's on some list to eradic because it's showing "alien" or some strange verbage like that. go figure. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=AIAL

here's a pic

I mistyped some stuff up there. It's on the "alien" plant list and is showing the potential to become invasive.

Glad to help.

Sumac will have some fuzzy type hairs on the stem that runs between the leaves...even on smooth sumac, Ailanthus doesn't (a few hairs maybe, but nothing fuzz like). I can't tell from the picture in question if their is fuzzy stuff or not. Such technical terms.

Thank you all, no fuzz. 1 neighbor had one and cut it down, she said thats when it showed up in my yard. I noticed it's now in another neighbors yard. Invasive seems to be true.
Vicki

Vicki ~ We had this INCREDIBLY invasive species at our home in Arizona. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING kills it. It spreads several ways, down there it was particularly prone to suckering. We tried everything, pulling, hacking, Roundup, even a Terratorch, but if even a tiny piece of root was left in the ground it would grow. It was very difficult to pull because the ground was so dry there. It is a very rapid grower, chokes out many natives, and deformed several brick and stone walls. It's HORRIBLE. Please advise your daughter to stay as far away from this plant as possible.

Dang. outtamygourd. Your dealings with it a far worse than anything that i've dealt with. That sounds horrible. But, I'm glad to have someone else here who has seen it other than myself!

I have one of these in my yard right in a fence. I thought it was pretty too and it does grow fast! (sigh) guess I'll be hacking it out of the ground and trying to destroy it after what outta said.

Here is some info that I found very interesting from:
http://public.carnet.hr/ccacaa/CCA-PDF/cca2002/v75-n1/CCA_75_2002_189-197_Mastelic.pdf

Tree of heaven also known as ailanthus is a fast-growing deciduous tree which is native to Asia. It was introduced into Europe (1751) and the United States (1784) by a Philadelphian gardener and into western states by Chinese immigrants who used it for medicinal purposes. Due to its rapid growth and prolific seed productions, it quickly escaped cultivation. The tree also produces toxins in its root, bark, and leaves. These toxins inhibit the growth of other plants. The isolated quassinoids ailanthone and chaparrinone are so effective that they are currently being studied as a possible source of a natural herbicide. These factors make the tree of heaven a very aggressive and invasive plant able to displace native trees and herb species. Extracts of this plant have anti-insect activity and anti-tuberculosis activity.

I wonder if I strip the leaves off and release their juices into a bottle of water, if I could make a weed killer? I'm going to try it.

Jacquie - This looks a little like elderberry to me. You're sure it's not that, right? I have tons of elderberry and have been trying to figure out how these two differ (I certainly don't want any of this).

Well, one thing that might help distinguish the two. Elderberry usually has 5-9 leaflets on the branch, sometimes 10. Ailanthus usually has anywhere from 9 or 10 on up to 20 on an older tree.

Good to know redchic; I'll check just to make sure . . .

OK. Sounds good to me!

This is a true native elderberry in full bloom, and the flowers stink.meaning P U. But love the foliage.

Looks familiar. I have many of them myself!!