Alex, Thank you for contacting the Durham Extension office. You did a great job taking pictures of your situation. However, even though the pictures are awesome, a site evaluation/inspection by an arborist would be best to get to the root of your problem. A FREE OF CHARGE visit from the NC FOREST SERVICE should yield advice which would be more specific than what I can see from your pictures. All the rangers in their office are arborists and if asked they will visit the trees on your property and give you advice. They should be able to tell if the roots are coming from the Silver maple. They do not do any work to fix a problem, but they will give you great advice on what you can do to fix the problem. Please contact the NC FOREST SERVICE at: Office Phone:<personal data hidden>

email: <personal data hidden>

Fx:<personal data hidden>

Address: 201 East Main Street, 5th floor (Physical address)
Durham County Rangers. 

(Mailing address) 201 East Main Street, Suite 550

Durham, NC 27701 

Blessings, and have a great day

Mike 

Durham County Master Gardener Volunteer

Wisteria
Cut the wisteria base with a small hand saw or tree branch saw as low as possible. Depending upon the age of the wisteria plant, the base could be a few inches in diameter or larger. Dig soil away from the base of the wisteria to a depth of approximately 6 inches.Drill vertical holes in the remaining base of the wisteria root with a 1/8-inch drill bit. Make numerous holes about 1 inch deep and approximately 1/4 inch apart.

Paint liquid herbicide, such as Roundup, on the root base, working the solution into the holes. By painting on instead of spraying or pouring, only the wisteria roots will perish and the solution will not affect the surrounding soil and vegetation.

Treat additional shoots, larger than 1-inch in diameter, in the same manner. Nip smaller shoots and any new shoots below ground level as soon as they appear. As the herbicide works its way down into the roots, the plant will eventually die.

Common Pokeweed Control
Manual removal for common pokeweed control requires the gardener to dig deeply and get out the entire taproot. Pulling is not successful as it leaves behind roots that will regenerate. If you do nothing else, remove the fruits from the plant before they spread. The plant can produce up to 48,000 seeds, which remain viable in soil for 40 years. Birds seem unbothered by the berry toxicity and enjoy the fruit, planting seeds wherever they are excreted. It is usually necessary to use chemicals to control pokeweed as the taproot is fleshy and extends deep into the soil. Chemicals to control pokeweed work best when the plant is young. Apply glyphosate directly to the leaves of the plant to kill it. This acts through the vascular system and while it takes a while to see results, eventually the chemical reaches the roots. Other chemicals to control pokeweed are dicamba and 2,4 D. Use spot applications on plants as they occur in your garden.

Smilax

Smilax makes a thick, hardened root in which it stores water and nutrients. Hand pulling Cat-brier usually only breaks off the top-growth which the root quickly replaces. Dig and destroy these root storage organs and you will destroy the plant. This is never easy and is often impractical or impossible. Cutting new growth a few inches above the soil and painting the remaining stub with an herbicide labeled for that purpose is the most common control method.

Unfortunately, persistence is also required, there is no quick fix. This plant has long, large underground root systems to tubers that can be as big as a potato. Getting to that with herbicide is very difficult. However, speaking from experience, we moved onto a property that had been farmland with large oaks that were infested with the briers. Over a period of years, just digging them out and cutting them off may be required

Answered by Ken, Durham County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

A choice is to bring in some of the roots and see if they can be identified.  The office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.  Master Gardeners do not visit private property - so I think the best way is to bring in some of the roots.

Please call if you wish to talk with someone.

Pana Jones

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Thanks

I will be looking forward to meeting you.