Volunteer tree that's sprouted up very quickly in a hard to reach place. I cut it back once to what I thought was a stump, but it sprouted new leaves and continued growing. It has thorns. At first I assumed it was a callery pear, but I'm not sure the leaves are right for that?

locust of some sort would be my guess. A weed tree IMO and I'd get rid of it. They can have very large nasty thorns. I don't know for sure though, so don't wack it out until someone else chimes in.

thanks, Frillylily!

According to my Peterson Field Guide, the only thorny plants with compound leaves (both opposite and alternate) are locusts, as well as a couple of aralias, zanthoxylums and Poncirus trifoliata, the latter having trifoliate leaves so not that. Looks more like a locust to me. I went out and took these two pictures to compare, this is 'Shademaster' honeylocust (the "civilized" honeylocusts like this don't have the thorns):





This one is a Gleditsia, but there are several other locusts (Robinia) and I haven't looked all of those up to see if they're similar. I don't think it's a black locust (R. pseudo-acacia) because the leaves would be more rounded.

I should also add that these trees get very large (huge) and have a very invasive root system. They sometimes spread by suckers and also seed. Maybe depends on the type.

Thanks so much Sue and Frilly! sounds like I should try again to take it down.

Cut it as low as possible...then promptly pour either Roundup (concentrate) or brush killer on the fresh cut so it gets absorbed into the root.

Thanks, Carol!