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katisu_gw

i have no idea what this is...

katisu
9 years ago

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

Comments (11)

  • pitimpinai
    9 years ago

    Is there an apple tree nearby?

    P.S. It would have been helpful if you had indicated the location of the plants.

  • katisu
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sorry, I thought I had added my zone. Is that what you meant? Or its physical location? It is in the front yard under a large tree (not fruit-bearing), growing abundantly in the shade.

    There are two fruit-bearing trees in the backyard, but not any in the front yard. I think one is an apple tree. They're very small apples, if so. I think the other is a plum tree.

  • pitimpinai
    9 years ago

    They look like my apple suckers. SInce there is no apple tree nearby, could there have been an apple tree there before, I wonder?

    Yeah, a planting zone to your login name would help, unless the plants were found somewhere else. Thanks.

  • katisu
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    We're in zone 5. I don't know if there was once an apple tree there or not, since we just bought the house. I tend to doubt there was an apple tree in that spot, since it would not receive any sunlight. But I do know from the previous owner, that there once was (years ago) a second apple tree somewhere. But my best guess would be backyard for that, too.

  • katisu
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I Googled apple suckers, and they look like that's probably it. If so, are they weeds?

  • missingtheobvious
    9 years ago

    Are they weeds? Well, if the apple-tree-that's-no-longer-there was growing in that part of the yard, most likely they would be growing from the rootstock of a grafted apple. If so, the fruit would not be something you'd want.

    And in case they're seedlings rather than suckers: apples don't grow true from seed, but seedlings will bear fruit somewhat similar to the parent(s). So seedlings would be more likely than suckers to bear decent fruit. But you'd be much better off buying a sapling of an apple variety you enjoy, and planting it where it will get a good bit of sun.

  • katisu
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Great, thanks everyone!

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    Pretty certainly apple suckers imo. Pear as an outside possibility. If you look at the base you can see they've been cut back before and resprouted.

  • Iris GW
    9 years ago

    Just a comment on location - zone is not always enough, if you post again, please indicate something like city/state (if in US) in your initial description. Some zones span a lot of area and what might be planted in one is not necessarily what might be in another even in the same zone.

    If you still have the original plant then spraying suckers will harm the original. Clip the suckers to the ground instead. If you no longer want this, then spraying is fine. That is just a general statement to you and anyone else that might read this.

  • katisu
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm in Indianapolis, IN, and guess what!? I lied! (There wasn't anything growing in the tree a few weeks ago when I did a bunch of yard work.) The tree above does appear to be fruit-bearing, but I have no idea what it'll be. Maybe plums?

    Certainly explains suckers.

  • ibilous
    9 years ago

    Prunus mahaleb, aka mahaleb cherry, aka St Lucie cherry???