Question
Hi. We have a seedless mulberry tree in our garden which needs extensive trimming twice a year. It is a real pain in the neck, although it provides nice shade and it hides the electric wires overhead. We want to cut it down to ground level. If we do that, how would we prevent it from growing up new branches? We are in the L.A. area, and it measures (girth) about 40-50 inches around. TY.

Answer
The Fruitless Mulberry (Morus alba) is a variant of its fruiting cousins, which can make a horrible mess with fruits, leaves, seeds, etc.  

I have an older fruitless one in my backyard, and the kids love to climb it!  It is an EXTREMELY tough tree for urban settings, but as you have discovered, it takes more maintenance than most other trees.  Its roots are not particularly invasive, but they are shallow, and the tree is difficult to cultivate underneath because of that trait.  They do not 搒tump sprout?from the roots or trunk, even though new growth can occur on pretty thick limbs, the season after heavy trimming.  

If you are contemplating removing the tree, it isn抰 that much to grind it out with a stump-grinder...Kind of like a big rototiller for tree trunks.  Noisy; but cleans the stump right out.  Another option is to 揼rub?it out with a bobcat.   If you are limited on space or access, there are several 搒tump removal?chemical products available at Home Depot/Lowes, etc. that you can apply tot he ground-level stump.  I'd shave it as low to the ground as possible with the chainsaw, too.

If you replace it, to not interfere with the power lines may I suggest other low-growing trees such as the following:  http://www.jfschmidt.com/utilist.html   

Most of these will do just fine in Southern California.

Hope the information helps.


~Marc