If the Ailanthus altissima tree is in your yard, you definitely want to get rid of that. Just google the name and the word "invasive" and you'll see why.

First off, thanks for all the information and advice everyone. I didn't expect so many responses so quickly. Flora: You're absolutely right. Beauty is subjective. Personally my taste is more minimal and I'm a big fan of "Southwest" style landscaping. That is one of the main reasons I saw this tree as an "obstacle" rather than a useful element. I'm renovating the house right now and to tell you the truth, landscaping of any sort is the last thing on my list of priorities. Maybe I'll grow to appreciate the tree, maybe I won't, but I definitely won't make a rash decision and have someone get gung-ho with a chainsaw and a crane. Horster: Thanks for lending your expertise. The general consensus seems to be a type of Mulberry. Ken: I think my comment on the bumps comes from my lack of knowledge about trees in general which is why I posted here in the first place :) I needed some real opinions about what I have and its value in landscaping. Yes, they are power lines. It's not uncommon to have a power "post" in your backyard in some of these older Los Angeles neighborhoods. Bad City planning at its finest. Again my tree ignorance shines....pollen sacs it is :) I don't plan on destroying the tree anytime soon. You mentioned a structural analysis...Are you referring to the tree or the tree in relation to the house?

That is not Bloodgood :-) And there are upwards of 800 or more registered cultivars of Japanse maples available so narrowing down a specific cultivar is difficult at best. It could just as easily be the straight species Acer palmatum, which is extremely variable in size and appearance and as frequently planted as Boodgood, if not more so.

Whereas elsewhere umbrella magnolia floral odor has been described as "wet goat". As a youth I used to bring flowers into the house that I thought were fragrant, pretty much most of the time prompting my mother to complain about the stink.