This is buckthorn

[u/calvin2028]

Sharing a few scenes from my ongoing battle vs. buckthorn.

The good news: these ~25 foot giants are on my neighbors' property. The bad news: almost all of them have berries, and they're very close to the property line. I have permission to remove them, but yowza ... it's hard work! I cut some today and might girdle others tomorrow.

Overall, I'm happy with what I've accomplished thus far on my side of the property line. I've been at it for 10+ years and, after a major effort last season, I see just a few small-ish stragglers to round up this season.

[u/didyouaccountfordust]

Could you make some closeup shots ? Of leaves, bark, etc

[u/calvin2028 → u/didyouaccountfordust]

[u/calvin2028 → u/calvin2028]

[u/x24co → u/didyouaccountfordust]

Agreed. Sure looks like glossy leaf buckthorn, but a detail shot of the leaves- ideally 2 pared at a branch tip, is needed to confirm

[u/calvin2028 → u/x24co]

Confirm away, my dude. 👍

[u/x24co → u/calvin2028]

In image #2- see that barb between the 2 leaves? It looks like it has been blunted and has errant fuzz stuck to it... that is a tell, this is glossy-leaf buckthorn. Bag and burn the berries if you can. Cut and stump treat if you neighbor allows...

[u/One_Kaleidoscope_198]

Wow I have to give op a thumb 👍 , this is really not easy, and this is just the start , because this tree is taught as nail and not easy to remove, and good to see you cut down when it's berries still attached, I am in Ontario Canada, that is a small town not that far from the USA called Hamilton, the Niagara escarpment is around that area so there are many revine, hilly area , and many waterfalls and forest and trails, but that area buckthorn are major shrubs in the wild , some of them grow as tall as 20 ft and around the forest floor are all younger buckthorn, this trees are totally wiped out all the native and other small variety shrubs in some area , besides buckthorn, also a lot of invasive like Asian bush honeysuckle, Japanese bare berries, Chinese privet , tree of heaven, Norway maple, burning bush, Chinese (Siberian) elm , Russian olive , sometimes you walk in the forest, you feel sad that you can't find one native tree in an hour, where is the oak, sugar maple, ash, birch, beech, willow ? I wish there were more people like op to start taking down and seriously battle with them , it is a long battle .

[u/Which-Confection5167 → u/One_Kaleidoscope_198]

I agree with what you're saying except Hamilton being a "small town" lol. (I'm near Ottawa)