I found a good picture of the cigar tree at
http://www.garden-picture.com/fotose...gr/imggr8.html
No, that's not the same tree I had in my yard in Austin.



Tex John wrote in message
...
Looks like something a neighbor called a cigar tree or cigarette tree
(someone also called it a mulberry). A qiuck google wasn't very productive
tho.

Terribly invasive...neighbor planted one then five years later and two
yards
away, half my yard would only grow these things. No grass -- they took up
all the water. And they grew so fast, keeping them mowed meant having all
these dried half-pencils poking out of the soil to stab your feet.

Like a Chinese Tallow or Arizona Ash or Golden Bamboo -- why would you
inflict them upon your neighbors?

[anonymous]
in Houston
aka The Noxious Weed Police who was reading an article just today about
how
Florida imported Australian aphids and some other bug to try to fight off
the now-invasive problem they have with Melaleuca trees.


"Jean Staffen" wrote in message
news:LJNVd.4615$3z.2714@okepread03...
Yes, I lived in Austin when I had the trees on my lot. I now live in
Georgetown and I've not seen any of those trees anywhere else but on my
lot.
Weird. But if I could find some I'd plant one in my new front yard.




Rusty Mase wrote in message
...
On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 11:01:38 -0600, "Jean Staffen"
wrote:

Close, but the bark on the trees in my yard were different. The
design
and
coloration of the bark on mine looked like a giraffe's coat. And
there
was
no fruit or clumps produced by any of them. They were volunteers,
grew
fast
(from sprouts to 10' trees in three years), took no care, produced
shade
and
were green. On a rented lot in a trailer park, that was good enough
for
me.
Just always wondered what the heck they were!

There are several imported mulberries, Paper, Fruitless, etc.. I
suspect it is one of those but if you are happy with it - then that's
the important element.

Sasafras can also have "mitten-shaped" leaves but it is not a fast
growing tree. Are you in Austin?

Rusty Mase