A vigorous, vertical stem that sprouts from the root system or lower trunk of a tree or shrub. In grafted fruit trees, suckers emerge from the rootstock below the graft union, meaning they will not produce the desired fruit and will drain energy from the main canopy. Growers must prune them off flush with the trunk to maintain plant health.
Heard on the job
Take the loppers down row four and cut back all the suckers on those apple trees.
Also heard as
- water sprout
- basal shoot
Related terms
Rootstock
The lower underground portion of a grafted plant that provides the root system.
Graft
A piece of living plant tissue attached to another plant to grow together as one.
Prune
The selective removal of branches, buds or roots from a plant.
Loppers
Heavy-duty pruning shears with long handles operated with both hands.