Removing Tree Suckers and Water Sprouts

title: "Removing Tree Suckers and Water Sprouts"

—- title: "Removing Tree Suckers and Water Sprouts" slug: removing-tree-suckers hub: care category: Tree care description: "What tree suckers and water sprouts are, why they grow, and how to remove them correctly — including chemical suppression options for persistent rootstock suckers." date: 2026-06-10 updated: 2026-06-10 author: "Thomas A." reading_time: 7 —-

Two types of fast-growing, unwanted shoots appear on trees: suckers from the roots, and water sprouts from the trunk or scaffold branches. They're often confused but have different origins and different implications for tree health.

Getting rid of them correctly matters. Cutting them badly causes more regrowth, not less. And on grafted trees, ignoring suckers from below the graft union can eventually take over the tree entirely.

Table of Contents

1. Suckers vs. Water Sprouts: What's the Difference?
2. Why Trees Produce Suckers and Sprouts
3. How to Remove Suckers Correctly
4. How to Remove Water Sprouts
5. Grafted Trees: Why Suckers Are Especially Problematic
6. Chemical Suppression Options
7. Frequently Asked Questions

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Suckers vs. Water Sprouts: What's the Difference? {#suckers-vs-water-sprouts}

Missouri Botanical Garden distinguishes the two clearly: suckers are vigorous shoots from the base of the plant or from roots extending into the lawn; water sprouts are vertical shoots that develop from latent buds within the canopy.

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Why Trees Produce Suckers and Sprouts {#why-trees-produce-them}

Root suckers are most common in species that naturally spread by suckering: cottonwood, aspen, black locust, Russian olive, tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and some crabapples and cherries. They also appear after root damage from mowing, trenching, construction, or drought stress.

Per NC State Extension, root damage triggers a hormonal response that stimulates latent buds on the roots to produce shoots. This is why running a string trimmer repeatedly around a tree base, or cutting roots during nearby excavation, produces a sudden surge of suckers.

Water sprouts are triggered by stress. Penn State Extension identifies the most common triggers:

• Over-pruning (removing too much canopy in one season)
• Topping (which reliably produces massive water sprout regrowth)
• Storm damage that removes primary scaffold branches
• Disease or pest damage to the crown

In each case, the tree's response is to push rapid, vertical growth to replace photosynthetic capacity. Water sprouts are "emergency" growth — vigorous but structurally weak, with poor attachment angles.

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How to Remove Suckers Correctly {#removing-suckers}

The key principle: Cut suckers at the point where they originate from the root or stem, not above it. Cutting above the origin leaves the bud intact and produces multiple new shoots at the cut point. Per Clemson HGIC, cutting without removing the bud is what causes the "cut one, get five" phenomenon.

For small suckers (under 12 inches):

Pull, don't cut. When suckers are young and still flexible, pulling them sharply downward and away from the root or stem removes the basal bud along with the shoot. This suppresses regrowth far better than cutting with pruners.

1. Expose the base of the sucker by brushing away mulch or soil.
2. Grasp it as low as possible.
3. Pull down and outward with a sharp, firm motion.
4. The sucker and its basal bud should pull free from the root.

For larger suckers (over 12 inches):

These may have woody tissue that won't pull cleanly. Use bypass pruners or a Silky ZUBAT hand saw to cut as close to the origin point as possible. Expose the base of the sucker with a trowel, cut flush with the root or stem, and remove the cut stub.

University of Minnesota Extension notes that suckers at ground level on ornamental trees should be removed early in the growing season, before the season's energy is invested in their growth.

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How to Remove Water Sprouts {#removing-water-sprouts}

Remove water sprouts in late summer (August-September) in most climates. Removing them in spring or early summer allows immediate regrowth; late-summer removal means the tree has less time to push new growth before dormancy.

Per Penn State Extension, cut water sprouts flush with the parent branch, just outside the branch collar. Use Felco F-2 bypass pruners for small sprouts; loppers for larger ones.

Do not attempt to "train" water sprouts into permanent scaffold branches. Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, water sprouts form with included bark at their attachment point — the wood fibers run parallel rather than interlocking with the parent branch. This creates structurally weak attachment that fails under load. They are not candidates for incorporation into the permanent framework of the tree.

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Grafted Trees: Why Suckers Are Especially Problematic {#grafted-trees}

Most ornamental trees and many fruit trees are grafted — a scion (the desirable top variety) is grafted onto a rootstock (an understock chosen for disease resistance, dwarfing, or adaptation). The graft union is usually visible as a slight kink or scar a few inches above the soil line.

Any sucker originating below the graft union is growing from the rootstock genetics — not the variety you purchased. On a weeping cherry, rootstock suckers are upright and vigorous. On a dwarf apple, rootstock suckers may be full-size seedling growth. If these suckers are not removed, they will eventually outcompete the scion.

Missouri Botanical Garden recommends this diagnostic: trace the sucker's origin. If it comes from below the graft union, remove it at the root origin. Do not cut it above ground; dig down to the root and sever it there.

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Chemical Suppression Options {#chemical-suppression}

For trees with persistent, heavy suckering (black locust, tree of heaven, cottonwood), physical removal alone may be inadequate. NC State Extension describes two chemical options for homeowner use:

Sucker Stopper (NAA — naphthaleneacetic acid): A plant growth regulator that suppresses sucker growth. Applied as a spray or painted on cut stubs. Effective for 4 to 6 weeks per application. Available at garden centers.

Cut-stump treatment with herbicide: For aggressive suckering species like tree of heaven, cut the sucker to the ground and immediately paint the cut surface with undiluted glyphosate or triclopyr. The herbicide is translocated into the root system. Per Rutgers NJAES, timing is critical — apply herbicide to the freshly cut surface within 5 minutes before the sap dries.

Note: sucker Stopper and cut-stump treatments are not appropriate for grafted ornamental trees where you want to preserve the rootstock for the scion. These are tools for controlling invasive or naturalized trees.

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Frequently Asked Questions {#faq}

Why does my ornamental crabapple keep sending up suckers from the roots?

Most ornamental crabapples are grafted onto rootstocks that are more vigorous and naturally prone to suckering than the ornamental top. Per Penn State Extension, this is a permanent characteristic of the rootstock genetics. The only management is consistent removal — pull them when small every time they appear throughout the growing season.

Should I be concerned about a large water sprout growing on a mature tree?

A single water sprout on a healthy tree is not an emergency. A sudden eruption of dozens of water sprouts is a signal to investigate the tree's health. Per Clemson HGIC, sudden widespread water sprouting in the canopy can indicate root damage, topping damage, or systemic disease stress. If you can't identify a clear cause (recent over-pruning, storm damage), have a certified arborist assess the tree.

Can I leave suckers on if I want more trees of the same species?

Only if the tree is growing on its own roots (not grafted). Species that propagate true from root suckers — aspen, sumac, black locust — can be encouraged to sucker to create a grove. Allow the sucker to grow for one season, then sever the root connecting it to the parent. It will establish as its own plant. On grafted trees, never allow rootstock suckers to remain.

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Recommended gear: Best bypass pruners: Felco vs Corona vs ARS tested — our buyer's guide covering picks for every budget, ranked by Extension publication consensus and personal use.

Sources

1. Missouri Botanical Garden &mdash; <a href="https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/trees-shrubs-vines/pruning-suckers-and-water-sprouts.aspx">Pruning Suckers and Water Sprouts</a>.
2. NC State Extension &mdash; <a href="https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/trees/">Trees Plant Database</a>.
3. Penn State Extension &mdash; <a href="https://extension.psu.edu/pruning-ornamental-trees-and-shrubs">Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs</a>.
4. Clemson HGIC &mdash; <a href="https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/tree-suckers-and-water-sprouts/">Tree Suckers and Water Sprouts</a>.
5. Cornell Cooperative Extension &mdash; <a href="https://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/">Home Gardening</a>.
6. University of Minnesota Extension &mdash; <a href="https://extension.umn.edu/tree-care/pruning-trees">Pruning Trees</a>.
7. Rutgers NJAES &mdash; <a href="https://njaes.rutgers.edu/">New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station</a>.