What is growing from my tree?

[Meruem]

Hoping the pics attach ok. So this tree is in my garden. In behind it in the dark these bright green plants have been growing from the actual trunk of the tree. A few inches up from the ground. Tried a pic of that but it is really dark so not sure it's visible. But they are definitely growing from the tree. Tried to Google but without knowing what I'm looking for exactly I didn't get any answers. Does anyone know?

That looks like an elder tree and it's putting out suckers/ branches. Be nice to it or the fairies will get you !

It looks like new wood grow to me but I can only just identify dandelions so don't take my word for it

Growth !

I am always nice to trees I love having a tree in my garden, lots of nice shade!

Is it an elder tree? White flowers followed by dark clusters of berries? Is so then it looks like is is sending out suckers. If they arent coming from the tree but nearby it might be bamboo sending out shoots from nearby

Ha, cross post in the time it took me to type

Second photo looks like ivy

Yes there's ivy everywhere! Constantly getting rid of it! If the tree is ok then that's fine. I was just curious as I've been here years and it's never happened before.

You don't want ivy in or around the tree as it'll strangle it. Just hack it back and try to remove those shoots.

I do try and keep on top of the ivy, but I’m in a Victorian terrace and it comes from all the other gardens too. Most of the roots aren’t actually in my garden. It just trails through!

@mybrainhertz Ivy doesn’t strangle trees, and it provides food for birds (berries and insects). We get birds nesting in it at the bottom of our garden too.

I was on a volunteer work party at a wildlife trust and they were stopping people who wanted to cut ivy down from trees. They said it has little effect on the trees and is very beneficial for wildlife.

My first thought was that it looked like Japanese Knotweed...

@SquirrelCrimbleCrumble it's not knotweed - the leaves of knotweed are a bit more heartshaped. I know from bitter experience!

I don't even know what type of tree it is but a few people have said elder so I'll go with that. I may have to just wait and see what happens with the green shoots.

Yes you have an elder tree and they do do that - sprout new stems from low down - especially if some growth has been cut back higher up,or possibly because the top is shaded by ivy.

Lovely jungly garden you've got there, by the way. Bet there's a bird's nest or two lurking in the thicket!

Not sure, but you have a flamingo.

I thought swan.

It’s a flamingo

Yes I prefer a slightly more jungle type garden than just neat square grass. Also not a big fan of heat/sun so I like something natural to provide shade.

The new growth makes sense as, without my permission, NDN went into my garden (due to the way they’re set out he can access it) and tried to lop off some branches but he actually just partially snapped them and left them drooping down. My other neighbour saw and told me and I could see the damage he’d done.

Excellent, the tree is fighting back then!

Yes that's elder. Lot's of it here and made some cordial today - best harvest for the last ten years.