Some of the biggest villians in our NYC Playground trees that are also weeds! It’s great to learn to recognize these early when they’re much easier to remove. These trees establish themselves quickly so left unchecked for a season or two, and you’re likely to have trouble digging out their roots.
Five Weed-Trees to look out forL
- Ailanthus (reddish stem)
- Honey Locust (has thorns, small oval leaves)
- White/red Mulberry (yellowish roots that spread out)
- Paper mulberry (same leaf shaoe as mulberry but a sandpaper texture)
- Empress or Princess Tree (purple flowers in the Spring)
These are some common tools for dealing with weed-trees:
- Loppers to cut back branches
- Tree pruner with an extension in case the branches have grown high through a fence
- Large D-handle shovel to dig out roots
- Pruning saw to cut back the trunk
- Garbage bags to dispose
- Gloves to protect your hands (Honey locust have thorns)
When in doubt, searching for identifying features of weeds on google can help you ID them. There are also great free apps now like LeafSnap that can help. You’re also always welcome to email or text us and we can try to help!
Playground Resources 