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New shoots off of base of lemon tree. Are these lemon suckers?

Rebecca Schumaker

2 years ago

I have a potted Meyer lemon and lime tree that I purchased about 2 years ago. They both were doing well until last season when it appeared the base of both of them turned brown and potentially dead, but there are several new shoots coming out from the base of both. Do the shoots look like lemon suckers? And if so, are they basically a lost cause? Thank you!

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Comments (5)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years ago
Lots of thorns showing so these would be root stock shoots, not an actual lemon or lime. Virtually all named citrus are grafted plants, often on hardy orange or Poncirus trifoliata root stock, and those do not produce a decent, edible fruit.
poncirusguy6b452xx
2 years ago
Your tree is grafted to a trifoliate hybrid and those sucker need to be removed or they will kill the main tree.
your graft is in the white circle. Anything below that circle must be removed.
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I did transplant the tree in a bigger pot last year. Thats when the new shoot started. It may have been planted a little too deep. Thanks John.... I did cut the shoot off and just in a few days, the original tree has new growth. What took me so long to cut that off. I knew it wasn't right. Also on the pic, there are 4 other small shoots from the main tree with thorns.I just cut them off as well. I left about 3 inches. I think I should just cut them off all the way as well.
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The terminal bud on a citrus shoot, also called the dominate bud or apical bud, produces an auxin called Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) which is sent down the shoot inhibiting all growth of lower buds. You need to remove the terminal bud so that the tree can begin to produce side branching. Unfortunately, it is now September, getting late in the growing season. It would have been much better if the stem was cut last spring as it would have given the tree the entire summer to grow. Whatever, the tree is no good the way it is now. Cut the tree at 28 to 30 inches. The tree should show some side branching in a week or two. The days are now getting shorter, so much depends of the weather at this time of year. Good luck to this tree. - Silica
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Thanks Kelley! I'm still on the fence about how well my tree is doing but so far it doesn't look like there's any large infestations or obvious diseases. The only explanations would have to be root rot, lots of fungus gnat larvae, or not enough food for the tree. And I'm hoping it's not the root rot! With your mix, it might be due to the fact that each of those materials hold water very well. From all the research I've looked at online, vermiculite and perlite are usually recommended to be chosen for just one or the other in most soil mixes. Or a mix of both to equal 1 part. The only time I've seen a mix include both as separate parts was IVOrganics on YouTube but I didn't stay updated on how the tree fared. If your vermiculite was a larger, coarser type then it might be ok? I've read vermiculite tends to hold water very well due to absorption while perlite just gets wet on its surface. Is your lime also on that same mix? It probably is just the mix's drainage...I think an expert should give you a more informed opinion on your eureka. I've had my first lemon for only a month now. My advice would probably be to not listen to my advice lol
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Silica, Unfortunately I know exactly that, having dealt with the finest citrus research universities in half the world for more than 50 years. UCR sits among some of the finest citrus plantings in the world; but they don't even know what Sunkist is doing. Sometimes UCR is doing research for someone's PhD on something that Sunkist, or people like me have been doing for 10 years! The head of the UCR citrus collection once told a friend of mine (not knowing she was my friend), that, "She really did not have time to talk to "people like me"". On the contrast the Citrus Research Station of Texas A&M was not only willing, but eager to talk to me; because a large part of their performance review and salary is directly tied to their contacts with growers and processors. Same in West Australia; and to a lesser degree Univ. Florida, Gainesville.
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Rebecca Schumaker
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you!
Ken "Fruity Paws" (N-Va 7a)
2 years ago
The picture that Steve circled, that scion is still alive (as you can see a fruit bloom on that branch that is cut). The other picture, the scion definitely appears dead, it may even have been killed by the tape that was used to keep it on the support having cut into the bark as the scion grew. Any of the long shoots that are trifolate (three leave - like a club playing card), like is showing on the ground in the first picture and on the tree, need to be cut as Steve mentioned.

For the second tree pictured, if you don't have any leaves that are not trifolate, then you're not going to get any wanted fruit, unless you want to try grafting from your other plant.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
2 years ago
THANK YOU, Ken, for mentioning the tape! It makes me furious that the sellers don't attach directions for removing it once the consumer brings the plant home.

A tag should also inform buyers about root stock suckering and how to foster a healthy graft union.

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