what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

I was always taught that a sucker is a shoot coming from the rootstock.
Just because you have a shoot coming from the base of a plant, that isn't
grafted, and shoot is coming from above ground level, well that would be a
shoot wouldn't it?
Just trying to clarify it in a discussion I had with someone.
They claim that a shoot coming from the base of a maple (not grafted), is a
sucker and it means the tree must be diseased.
Any comments?
Also, link to a website explaining this would be great.
Cheers
Andrew

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

"Andrew G" wrote in message
...
I was always taught that a sucker is a shoot coming from the rootstock.
Just because you have a shoot coming from the base of a plant, that isn't
grafted, and shoot is coming from above ground level, well that would be a
shoot wouldn't it?
Just trying to clarify it in a discussion I had with someone.
They claim that a shoot coming from the base of a maple (not grafted), is
a
sucker and it means the tree must be diseased.
Any comments?
Also, link to a website explaining this would be great.
Cheers
Andrew

To me, a sucker is any shoot that is not wanted on the developing
seedling/tree. So your example of a shoot from the base would be a sucker,
because we only want one stem. Similarly on the grafted portion, we only
want one leader shoot to develop.

In the avocado nursery industry we find that avocadoes regularly send up
numerous shoots from the seed. All exept the strongest are considered
suckers, and cut off. Similarly on the graft, there will be numerous shoots
develop. Only one is wanted, so once there is a reasonable amount of growth
on the graft, we go through and remove all shoots except one.

I know nothing about maple seedlings, but would be extremely surprised to
learn that additonal shoots emerging from the rootstock is a sign of
disease.

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

In article , Andrew G
wrote:

I was always taught that a sucker is a shoot coming from the rootstock.
Just because you have a shoot coming from the base of a plant, that isn't
grafted, and shoot is coming from above ground level, well that would be a
shoot wouldn't it?
Just trying to clarify it in a discussion I had with someone.
They claim that a shoot coming from the base of a maple (not grafted), is a
sucker and it means the tree must be diseased.

My understanding is that a sucker is a shoot coming from any point at
or below the graft. Although damage to the donor plant will tend to
encourage suckers (some will send up suckers from the roots if the main
trunk is cut down, causing a real problem if you are trying to remove a
tree) I have not heard that they signify disease in themselves.

They will draw sustenance from the rootstock more efficiently than the
grafted material and so will eventually come to dominate the plant if
allowed to remain. Luckily, they are usually quite easy to spot. Again,
it is my understanding that it is better to Œrub¹ them off rather than
prune them, to remove all trace and discourage regrowth (but I am
prepared to be corrected!)

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

g'day andrew,

dunno mate but my interpretation would generally be, that any growth
that comes from ground or above ground is a shoot, and in the case of
a grafted tree if the shoot where below the graft it is an unwanted
shoot, sucker growth to me is what occurs from the root ball or roots
as in some plants when you disturb the roots you get sucker growths,
or eg.,. in bananas the new growth are suckers they grow from the root
ball, now of course that may not hold true for all plants.

just how i see it.

let us know the outcome if there is a difinitive answer.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

"len gardener" wrote in message
...
g'day andrew,

dunno mate but my interpretation would generally be, that any growth
that comes from ground or above ground is a shoot, and in the case of
a grafted tree if the shoot where below the graft it is an unwanted
shoot, sucker growth to me is what occurs from the root ball or roots
as in some plants when you disturb the roots you get sucker growths,
or eg.,. in bananas the new growth are suckers they grow from the root
ball, now of course that may not hold true for all plants.

just how i see it.

No no, len and Christopher, I agree with you both.
Basically a tree/plant etc that is not grafted and has a "shoot" coming from
above soil level, is a shoot. If it comes from roots, it's a sucker.
If the tree is grafted, any shoot below the graft is a sucker.
And I have never heard of it being a sign of disease, just a thing that
happens, and yeah, it's best to snap them off, rather than prune them.
I don't know scratching head. Guess people get taught differently, and
hopefully I will find something on it.
I mean I haven't said it yet, but in the discussion with this person and
using their description of a sucker, then a multi stemmed plant, such as a
Gardenia, would comprise of suckers?


let us know the outcome if there is a difinitive answer.

Will do, thanks everyone
len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the
environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before
you send.

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

g'day andrew,

yes i did omit to say that with grafts any shoots that appear below
the graft are better sort of rubbed off or pulled off. also don't
rekon any of these growth signify disease.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

In article ,
"Andrew G" wrote:

They claim that a shoot coming from the base of a maple (not grafted), is a
sucker and it means the tree must be diseased.
Any comments?

Not necessarily diseased -- possibly damaged by a mower, whipper-snipper or
something else.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Life is like a cigarette -- smoke it to the butt." -- Harvie Krumpet

what is a sucker (plant question)?
 

A sucker is someone that buys a plant for $1 and 10 years later pays $1200
to have it removed!

Youch


"Andrew G" wrote in message
...
I was always taught that a sucker is a shoot coming from the rootstock.
Just because you have a shoot coming from the base of a plant, that isn't
grafted, and shoot is coming from above ground level, well that would be a
shoot wouldn't it?
Just trying to clarify it in a discussion I had with someone.
They claim that a shoot coming from the base of a maple (not grafted), is
a
sucker and it means the tree must be diseased.
Any comments?
Also, link to a website explaining this would be great.
Cheers
Andrew