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Purple Leaf Plum Tree suckers

15 years ago

I need suggestions on how to get rid of the purple leaf plum tree's suckers. Last year, I ripped them out as much as I could and then put 6 inches of mulch over top and that kept them out of sight for the season. This year, they are everywhere poking through the mulch and I am frustrated enough to start thinking of using round-up on them even though it might kill the tree.

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Comments (7)

bullthistle
15 years ago
Do not use Roundup. Just keep on pruning them back as deep as possible.
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wisconsitom
15 years ago
Dannie

You're not going to win this battle. While sold as individual plants, in nature,these things form thickets.

FWIW, you CAN somewhat tip things in your favor by cutting the suckers in mid-growing season. Woody plants have a somewhat lesser ability to resprout at that point in the year, but they'll come roaring back next spring.

+oM
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I have a purple plum and love it. It is the anchor of my garden area. I planted it about eight years ago as a seedling, haven't given it any special care at all (just the occasional pruning) and it is about 20 ft tall and 20 wide canopy. The only problem it has is that it doesn't really bloom much in spring, but otherwise it's been a wonderful tree. I should add, though, that I have it in what may be a special situation. My garden is located in the side yard, squeezed between the house and two retaining walls, which in effect creates an enclosed courtyard area about 10 ft by 20 ft. I garden intensively in this small area -- lots of plants and lots of water -- and let the rest of the yard go. The result is that the plum tree gets quite a bit of water, shelter, and mulching. Not sure if that's your situation or not, but I've found planting perenials beneath the plum tree to be a great way to get them through the summers.
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i would call it a bug... and considering all the leaves will be falling off in a month or two.. i would ignore such ... those leaves.. even as they are.. are functioning on the plant.. but for you taking them off ... plagues of bugs come and go over the years... you need not presume ever one that comes along.. must be slaughtered ... as a newb.. my biggest suggestion is to ignore such ... a given plague.. can even completely defoliate a tree.. and the tree will releaf and move on with life ... learning what it is ... is knowledge. and knowledge is power .. but please... unless you see that the tree is dying ... dont go bat carp crazy spraying all kinds of things onto it ... for a transitory problem ... full fall cleanup never hurts.. to make sure you dont encourage it into next season ... ken
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dannie
Original Author
15 years ago
They sure have come roaring back. I am seriously thinking of planting a different type of tree in its spot. The tree is planted in a 12 foot deep flower bed and having hundreds of suckers to deal with is just ridiculous. Bullthistle, what will happen if I use round-up? By the way, I am not one to go wild with chemicals. I have too many pets to even think about poisoning the environment.
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jean001
15 years ago
You asked: "what will happen if I use round-up? "

Roundup kills plants by moving into the roots.

So, when you spray/paint the sucker growth, the active ingredient moves into the tree's roots.
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wisconsitom
15 years ago
Also, please note, there is a difference between that which is toxic, and that which is poisonsous. Roundup and its' generic equivalents should be considered very mildly toxic to mammals. It is hard to even get an adverse reaction in lab tests. If a product is poisonous, it is deadly upon contact.

Getting rid of the prunus seems like probably the best bet here. I once planted two Canada red cherries. Had I known then what I know now, regarding the profuse root suckering, I'd not have done so. Of course now, aside from this suckering, they're two real nice little trees.

+oM
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swellcat
10 years ago
Ironically, I have the opposite challenge: a semi-desperate quest to propagate an heroic purple plum before it is completely dead. No luck, so far, in germinating pits or in rooting cuttings.

The fruit comprises the prettiest and tastiest plums I've experienced in half a century; foliage is lovely, and the tree plows on through the searing, arid climate. Borers love it to death, too, though, and I gather that fruit trees can be rather short-lived, anyway.

Maybe the edge-of-the-desert conditions in north Texas suppress "suckers" here: I've never seen a single one in a decade-and-a-half or so.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
swellcat... you question has absolutely nothing to do with the post you put it in...

do a new post int he fruit forum.. and ask for the names of people who graft fruit trees...

it might cost you a bit... but it is simply done..

i used to have a link for such.. but it must have been on the old computer ... you send them cuttings.. they graft and return them

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
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