The mulberry tree (Morus spp.) is often sought after for its fast growth and edible fruit, but its vigorous nature and extensive root system make it notoriously difficult to eliminate once established. This species is highly resilient and known to aggressively regrow from the stump or root fragments, requiring specialized, systematic removal methods to ensure it does not return. The plant’s ability to quickly produce new shoots and suckers from its roots is a survival mechanism that must be thoroughly defeated to achieve permanent eradication. A successful strategy involves physically removing the above-ground biomass and then immediately applying a treatment to kill the remaining root structure.
Initial Preparation and Tree Felling
The first step in permanent removal is safely felling the main trunk to create an accessible stump for treatment. Before beginning, ensure you are wearing appropriate personal protective gear, including a hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, and ear protection, especially when using a chainsaw. Removing the tree above ground eliminates the biomass, but the root system remains the primary target.
Cut the trunk as low to the ground as possible, aiming for a level, smooth surface on the remaining stump. This flat surface is necessary for the precise application of chemical or non-chemical treatments. A level cut ensures the systemic product can be uniformly applied to the active layers of wood just beneath the bark. Leaving an uneven stump will complicate subsequent steps and reduce treatment effectiveness.
Targeted Chemical Eradication of the Stump
Applying a systemic herbicide directly to the freshly cut stump is the most effective method for killing the extensive mulberry root system. Systemic herbicides like glyphosate or triclopyr are absorbed by the plant tissue and carried down into the roots, ensuring the entire organism is killed. Application must occur immediately after the tree is cut, ideally within 5 to 15 minutes, before the plant begins to seal off the wound.
The most effective treatment area is the cambium layer, the ring of living tissue just beneath the bark and sapwood. This area transports nutrients and water, making it the pathway for the herbicide to travel to the roots. For larger stumps, only the outer few inches of the sapwood and the cambium ring need treatment, as the inner heartwood is dead and will not absorb the chemical.
For trees too large to fell immediately, the “hack-and-squirt” method applies herbicide while the tree is standing. This involves using a hatchet to make downward-angled cuts, or “frills,” around the trunk’s circumference, ensuring the cut penetrates the cambium layer. Herbicide is immediately squirted into these cuts, allowing the tree to translocate the chemical to the roots before physical removal. Cuts should be evenly spaced around the trunk diameter to ensure complete coverage.
Non-Chemical Methods for Tree Elimination
Non-chemical methods offer an alternative for those avoiding synthetic herbicides, though they require a longer time commitment. One method is girdling, which involves removing a complete band of bark and the underlying cambium layer around the trunk’s circumference. This severs the phloem tissue, preventing carbohydrates from reaching the roots and effectively starving the underground system.
The girdled band should be six to eight inches wide and must penetrate down to the wood to prevent the tree from healing over. Girdling is most effective after the tree has fully leafed out in late spring, when it has expended maximum stored energy reserves. However, this method can take several years for a mature mulberry tree to die completely, and it may still encourage vigorous root sprouting below the girdle.
Another non-chemical approach is smothering, which prevents photosynthesis and oxygen exchange in the remaining stump. This involves covering the freshly cut stump with heavy plastic sheeting or a tarp, anchored securely to the ground to block all light. The absence of light and air will eventually deplete the root system’s energy stores. This technique is slower than chemical application but is a viable option for a gradual, herbicide-free kill.
Addressing Persistent Root Sprouting
Even after the main stump is treated, the extensive root system is likely to produce new shoots, or “suckers,” far from the original trunk. This regrowth is the tree’s attempt to survive using remaining energy reserves stored in the roots. Successful eradication depends on persistently managing these sprouts until the root system is fully depleted.
The most effective approach for managing suckers is continuous physical removal as soon as they appear, cutting them off close to the root source. This forces the root system to repeatedly draw upon its finite energy reserves, eventually starving the roots. If a chemical approach is preferred, a spot treatment of a non-selective herbicide can be carefully applied directly to the sprout’s foliage. Caution is necessary, as systemic herbicide applied to suckers can sometimes be absorbed by nearby desirable plants if root systems are intertwined.