Maytenus, Mayten Tree 'Green Showers'

When we moved into our house, this tree was the only shade tree in the backyard. At that point we thought it was nice. We quickly learn...Read Moreed that the tree is very messy and has begun to send suckers ALL over our backyard. We even find them growing through the cracks in our concrete patio. There's no way to get them all - several shoots per tiny piece of root. I fear having to remove the tree and then see what happens as it fights for it's life through the suckers.

We have a 20-year-old mayten, and love it. It does, however, have a habit of sending out runner roots which then send up shoots up to 25 ...Read Morefeet from the tree (perhaps farther, but my knowledge of it ends at the fence of our small back yard). One even erupted from a planter box, having found its way in through the drainage holes in the bottom.

5 years ago, we planted a small Mayten tree in my yard, on the raccoon trail, in memory of my youngest son. today i went outside looking...Read More for my new orphan kitty, and when i looked at Mike's Mayten tree, two feet away from it, was a baby one growing. don't know how, it didn't make any seeds, and my other son has one of the same batch, and has no little ones growing, nor suckers from theirs. it will be for my little grandaughter, today we had her 2nd Birthday party, and it was when i got home that i found the baby Mayten. ;)