What is the awful tree/bush please? (forum)

sternus1 starts with ...
Chinese elm. Invasive and hard to kill, you need to poison it. Declared weed.

Time: 4th December 2014 7:10pm

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About the Author sternus1
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Cat Catrell says...
This tree/bush was small when I moved in to my home but it grew very quickly (faster than most), put out lots of other shoots several metres from where it grows. I can not kill it. I have cut it back, put tin cans over it to inhibit growth and hopefully kill it. I have poured Roundup undiluted on the thing and still it lives.

It's leaves are rough to the touch. It resembles a hibiscus leaf but produces NO flowers. I got stuck into it again about 4 days ago and cut it right back (I have never seen a plant grow so fast). It has left my forearms very itchy and I have washed/shower/scrubbed and used allergy cream and tablets to no avail. I have had a bad allergic reaction to it. I think it hates me.

I have also seen this plant in other yards that are un-kept and highly doubt anyone would plant it. I'm thinking it's a tree weed of some sort as it gets well over 4 metres and puts out many shoots if left unchecked. It's a wild thing that just grows totally out of control.

My next step is to have it cut down and burn out the tree root. Anyone have any idea what it might be? Sorry I didn't take photo BEFORE I cut it. I live in Canberra. I welcome any suggestions on how to kill it.
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Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 4th December 2014 10:49pm

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About the Author Cat Catrell
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Cat Catrell says...
Someone on CSIRO said it's some kind of stinging nettle. I don't know but I am still very itchy nearly 5 days later. Could it be in the family of Dendrocnide excelsa or Dendrocnide photinophylla?

Time: 5th December 2014 4:26am

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About the Author Cat Catrell
Canberra
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Cat Catrell says...
The thing I've got hasn't got nice smooth shiny leaves like an elm. Could mine be a nettle of some sort?
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Picture: 1

Time: 5th December 2014 4:30am

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Original Post was last edited: 5th December 2014 4:30am
About the Author Cat Catrell
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Cat Catrell says...
Thank you for your answer. I really appreciate it. My housemate didn't want to kill it (thinking it was some sort of tree) but I knew it wasn't. I figured it must be a weed. Albeit a big one. The rotten thing had a complete container of Roundup undiluted poured on it and it is still alive. This plant needs to be eradicated. I worked in the area of noxious weeds in Hawaii years ago but I had never seen this plant before. Funny enough, I thought it would be a Chinese something. I believe hibiscus originated in China and that's what it looks like but no where near as nice.

Someone on the CSIRO page said it could be a nettle and I am very itchy from it still. I don't know but when I google Chinese elm images, mine does look different. I welcome any suggestions on how to kill it.

Time: 5th December 2014 4:34am

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Original Post was last edited: 5th December 2014 4:32am
About the Author Cat Catrell
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The poster formerly known as... says...
try exposing cambium by cutting off patches of bark, then painting neat roundup on the exposed cambium. You can also ringbark low down and paint roundup onto the exposed cambium where you've ringbarked.

Time: 5th December 2014 9:36am

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Keperra
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sternus1 says...
I'll add that you have do it fast, within a timeframe of about 20 seconds, otherwise it won't work.

Time: 5th December 2014 9:47am

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About the Author sternus1
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