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Overgrown Shrubs and Tree Suckers
in Rochester, MN
Silver maples, lilacs, and crabapples are planted in yards all over Rochester, and all three are heavy producers of suckers and sprouts. Suckers come up from roots that can run twenty feet from the trunk, which means they can show up in your lawn, along your foundation, or through a fence. Left alone for a few seasons, they turn into woody stems that are harder to remove.
Quick Answer
Tree suckers are fast-growing shoots that come up from the roots or base of a tree, and they are common on certain species in Rochester. Overgrown shrubs and suckers crowd foundations, block sightlines, and pull nutrients from the main tree. Cutting them off at the base and staying on top of them each season keeps the problem manageable. Ignoring them for more than a year makes the work much harder.
Telltale Signs
Warning Signs to Watch For
- Thin, fast-growing shoots are coming up from the ground near a tree's base
- Shoots are emerging from the lawn several feet away from any visible trunk
- A shrub has spread well beyond its original footprint and is touching the house
- The base of a tree is surrounded by a thick ring of small stems
- A hedge has become so dense that the interior branches are dead
- Suckers are coming up through a mulch bed or between foundation stones
Root Causes
What Causes Overgrown Shrubs and Tree Suckers?
Root Sprouting from Stressed Tree
Silver maple and cottonwood, two trees planted heavily in Rochester neighborhoods through the 1970s, respond to root damage or drought stress by sending up suckers from their shallow root systems. Rochester summers can swing between wet and dry quickly, and that stress cycle triggers heavy suckering in some years.
The Fix
Sucker Removal and Root Zone Mulching
Suckers are cut flush with the root or ground, not pulled, because pulling tears the root and stimulates two or three new shoots. A deep layer of mulch over the root zone reduces the stress that triggers suckering in the first place.
Years of Unchecked Shrub Growth
Lilac and viburnum shrubs planted in Rochester yards in the 1980s and 1990s can reach twelve feet tall and just as wide if they are never cut back. At that size they push against siding, shade out foundation plantings, and send their own suckers into the lawn. The longer they go without trimming, the more structural work is involved.
The Fix
Renovation Pruning or Hard Rejuvenation Cut
For overgrown shrubs that are still healthy, a hard cut back to about twelve inches from the ground forces new growth from the base and restores the original shape over two to three seasons. Some shrubs do not recover from this and are better removed.
Self-Diagnosis
Which Cause Applies to You?
Check the signs you're observing to narrow down the likely root cause before your inspection.
| What You're Seeing | Root Sprouting from Stressed Tree | Years of Unchecked Shrub Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Shoots are emerging from the lawn away from the trunk | ||
| A thick ring of stems surrounds the base of a silver maple | ||
| A shrub is pressing against the siding or a fence | ||
| Interior branches of a hedge are bare and dead | ||
| Suckers reappear within weeks of being pulled out |
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