- Author: Sterling Smith
I was enjoying a beverage in my backyard when I noticed something different about my Washington Navel Orange tree. Some of the foliage was inconsistent with the appearance of the remaining crown of the tree. Further investigation showed that the root stock had pushed a 10+ foot sucker from the base of the tree. Below the graft joint of the scion, Washington Navel Orange Semi-Dwarf, to the sour Orange rootstock. I had removed a similar sized sucker last spring. Normally Citrus suckers can be determined by their foliage and bark appearing to be different than the scion, oh and the 2+ inch thorns…ouch. The tree could have re-directed resources from sucker growth to fruit development.
Other grafted trees can also develop suckers. Japanese maple rootstalks for example, I have is a ‘Bloodgood' variety that has a rootstalk with green leaves. The resulting contrast provides a striking interest.
Normally it is considered to be ‘good practice' to remove sucker growth from the rootstock to re-direct resources to the scion.