Knowledgebase
Suckers on oak out of control! #750712
Asked May 18, 2021, 5:51 PM EDT
cutting off the "sucker" small branches on the sides going up tree; they were just some thin branches with leaves. After 2 years, the suckers have regrown backare HUGE and look like little bushes...maybe 30 of them. I'm afraid they are going to suck nutrients from the big tree. If they get cut again, I think they will just regrow with a vengeance.
1. Should I cut them again?
2. Just leave them alone?
3. Fertilize the base of the oak to add extra nutrients?
Please advise, and thank you for your time and help!
Chester County Pennsylvania
Expert Response
Hi Jamie!
“Suckers” or “water sprouts” are epicormic sprouts that emerge from dormant buds along the trunk and branches of a tree. The sprouts may appear for a variety of reasons, mostly on parts of a tree that are newly exposed to sunlight but in urban areas are often a symptom of stress in a tree. Trees that have suffered storm related damage or that have been overly pruned and thinned will grow epicormic sprouts to compensate for the loss of leaf surface. Your oak is growing the sprouts as a stress response to being pruned.
Whenever epicormic sprouts are removed, it triggers more of them to grow as the tree will need more photosynthetic tissue to compensate for the wounding, thus defeating the purpose of removing them in the first place. The best practice is to remove a small percentage of the weaker ones that are growing in undesirable places such as by major branch unions or over a structure, and allowing the rest to develop and self regulate. Some sprouts will become more dominant, shading out others and eventually turning into tissue that will resemble a branch.
I recommend having a certified arborist assess the health of the tree and to make recommendations for care moving forward. To find a certified and insured arborist in your area, visit the International Society of Arboriculture's website:
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2021 4:41 PM
To: jamie Foote <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Suckers on oak out of control! (#0020643)
Hi Jamie!
I used the Trees Are Good.org web site and searched for a list of certified arborists in Pennsylvania. I noted that there are several in Chester County which is adjacent to Delaware County where you live. Here's the link again for you to search:
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
I also noticed that Bartlett Tree Experts is one of the certified arborist companies in Chester County. I have used Bartlett for many years and they are top notch. They should be willing to send out an arborist to look over your situation and give you a free estimate. In fact, most certified arborists offer free estimates.
I hope this information helps you!
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2021 5:48 PM
To: jamie Foote <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Suckers on oak out of control! (#0020643)
Thank you for using Ask Extension!
