Has anyone got anything good to say about this tree. It gets a very bad press on Wikepedia - '' invasive weed etc '' but the pictures look great. I have a few seedlings I have brought on, and wonder if they should be binned like a triffid!
Yes it a very nice tree in the right location. They can be grown and cut very hard back each winter in order to get very large leaves and long shoots. Main problem is the suckering of surface roots if its planted where the surrounding area is cultivated. I've see the shoots lift tarmac, so it needs planting in a sensible position. If left to grow as a tree it can get very large.
We bought one of these about 18ins tall from Woolies back in 1984/5 and when we sold the house in Bucks in 2002 where we planted it, it must have been 25 foot plus tall. Although it never flowered, it was a beautiful tree ... and we never had suckers from it.
Many thanks for all the helpful observations and comments. Even the seedlings look attractive so I will press ahead. I do have a friend with 30 acres so plenty of scope there for planting out!
I know nothing about them, but have read that trees and shrubs that spread by their roots can be contained as follows: Dig a square hole big enough to accomodate their roots, sink foor plastic covered boards so as to line the square hole but leaving the bottom uncovered, partially fill it back in, and plant tree/shrub in it. That's what I've read. I've never tried it though.
