PlantFiles: Ombu Tree
Phytolacca dioica x weberbaueri

This tree can be scary. I got a softwood cutting from a friend of mine- just stuck in moist potting soil, and had a miniature tree a few weeks later. The leaves on it are gorgeous- deep green with bright red-pink veination. Before I plant it, he warned me, put it where you don't think it will hurt anything. Oops. He was right. This tree is the fastest growing thing in the yard- even faster than Eucalyptus or Palowania. Amazing. And destructive. IT makes roots that crawl right under the surface about 2' thick and up to 50' long. Beware concrete, because this will lift you right up! But wow, what a tree! It does get a bit toasted by frosty winds in the winter, but grows back instantly. And the leaves are so huge and green they add a great tropical look to the garden. And the shade it produces... in time I expect it might shade 1/2 the 1/2 acre garden. Maybe better cut it down now?

Well, turns out it's pretty hard to get rid of, too... grows back if you leave any root in the ground. Cut it to a stump and it will happily grow back... you need to pour concentrated Round up in drilled holes into the Xylum layers to kill this thing.

It is closely related to the common Pokeweed of the east US (don't have those out here in California) and is similarly toxic. Native to Argentina supposedly this tree was planted around homesteads since it could be seen from miles away, way above all the surrounding vegetation. And because it was toxic, cattle, deer or rabbits wouldn't touch it.