Vigorous, unwanted growth often appears suddenly on trees and shrubs, frustrating gardeners. This unexpected vegetation usually signals an underlying issue or a natural response to stress within the plant. Managing this rapid growth is a fundamental part of horticulture required to maintain the plant’s intended form, health, and productivity. Effective intervention ensures the plant’s energy is directed toward desired fruits, flowers, and structural branches.
Defining Plant Suckers and Water Sprouts
Plant suckers and water sprouts are both forms of adventitious growth, meaning they arise from dormant or latent buds that are not part of the normal branching pattern. The key distinction between the two is their point of origin on the plant.
The graft union is the swollen area where a desirable top portion (scion) was joined to a separate rootstock. Suckers emerge from the root system or the base of the trunk, specifically from below this graft union on grafted plants. Since suckers arise from the rootstock, they carry the genetic material of that often-undesirable base plant. Visually, suckers often appear some distance from the main trunk or cluster densely at the plant’s base, exhibiting a different leaf shape or color than the main tree.
Water sprouts, conversely, are shoots that originate from latent buds located higher up on the trunk or existing branches. They are characterized by their unusually vigorous, vertical growth habit, often shooting straight up into the canopy. Unlike suckers, water sprouts are genetically identical to the main canopy since they grow from the scion wood, but their rapid, straight-up growth pattern makes them easily distinguishable from normal branching.
The Detrimental Impact on Plant Health and Aesthetics
Allowing suckers and water sprouts to remain on a plant negatively affects its overall vigor and productivity. This unwanted growth acts as an energy sink, diverting photosynthetic carbohydrates and nutrients away from the desired flowers, fruit, and structural branches. The competition for resources can result in reduced fruit set, smaller fruit size, and weakened growth in the intended canopy.
On grafted plants, rootstock suckers pose a particular threat because they can lead to a phenomenon known as reversion. If suckers are left to grow, the vigorous rootstock variety can out-compete and eventually overwhelm the less-vigorous scion, taking over the entire plant. This reversion means the plant will produce the inferior fruit or flowers of the rootstock, negating the purpose of the initial grafting.
Water sprouts degrade the plant’s aesthetic appeal and structural integrity by disrupting its natural shape and creating dense, crowded areas within the canopy. This dense growth reduces air circulation and sunlight penetration, which can increase humidity and create an environment favorable for fungal diseases. Furthermore, water sprouts are often weakly attached to the parent branch, making them prone to breaking off during storms or heavy winds.
Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Removal
The most effective approach to managing these unwanted growths is to remove them promptly upon discovery, ideally when they are still small. Addressing them immediately prevents them from diverting energy for an extended period. The technique for removal differs significantly between suckers and water sprouts to ensure proper healing and minimize regrowth.
Cutting suckers at ground level is counterproductive, as this often stimulates the rootstock to produce multiple new shoots. Instead, the goal is to remove the growth as close to its point of origin on the root or trunk as possible. This may require carefully digging away soil to expose the connection point. Tearing or pulling the sucker off the root collar, rather than making a clean cut, removes the dormant buds at the base and significantly reduces the likelihood of immediate regrowth.
For water sprouts growing from the branches or trunk, use sharp, clean bypass pruners to make a smooth cut. The cut should be made flush with the surface of the parent branch or trunk, taking care not to leave a stub or damage the bark collar. Removing them flush discourages the development of new latent buds at the cut site and promotes proper healing. If a tree is heavily stressed and covered in water sprouts, it may be beneficial to thin them out strategically rather than removing them all at once, as this new growth can briefly help the tree rebuild energy reserves.
Preventative maintenance practices can reduce the incidence of both suckers and water sprouts over time. Since these growths are often a response to plant stress, maintaining tree health is achieved through proper watering and avoiding root damage from mowers or tillers. Careful pruning that avoids excessive removal of the canopy at one time will also reduce the stress response that triggers vigorous water sprout growth.