Vocal Voices

We called round to have a look at Luke's prospective home today and the front is completely overgrown. The council say they will cut it all back the first time, but after that it's up to Luke, which means us. The front is covered in a lots of, what I now know is Staghorn Sumac. There are shoots coming through everywhere and some of the bigger ones are huge.

I have googled but most sites seem to be American. I believe it is pronounced Schumac tree.

Anyone know anything about them and about how hard it is going to be to keep it under control?

This is it if it helps

I had a neighbour who had one of those and it went into the most beautiful red in the winter. She never pruned it and it got a bit leggy but I it didn't take over her front garden so if Luke's was trimmed every spring you could probably keep it under control.

I would quite happily have one Molly, but there are so many I am not sure which is the main one. There are just shoots appearing everywhere

I am not sure this will work, but if it does you can see it both in the bed outside his bungalow and in the bed opposite where the road sign is. You can longer get down the path nor see the road sign

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.25966 ... !2e0?hl=en

Try searching under 'Rhus' as well?
Most answers just say not to plant it near a lawn (as the suckers will appear anywhere near), but to cut it down as much as you want each spring and cut suckers down to ground level.

I'd do more than cut back, if there are lots, dig out what you can, which will mean far fewer suckers/runners to deal with.
Pretty, but you really only want one or two

It will have to be cut down before Spring, or he won't get in the door

Thanks Di

Shell as Molly says - these plants have the most amazing red foilage in the autumn; I've got one in my front garden along the foot path. But I do make sure that whenever I see a sucker I snap it off so it doesn't grow. As Di says - digging up the runners will be more effective especially if you've got lots but with my single plants it's easy enough to keep track of the individual runners that come up

If you want to keep some of it then simply remove all the bits you don't want leaving just one or two (or more if you want) strong stems - and you can remove the rest now. Then come spring cut back those two stems to as low as you want them. I have left mine quite tall but have removed the leaves at the bottom to give it more of a small tree effect.