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randyid

Ginkgo suckering

RandyID
10 years ago

Greetings all,
I live in Meridian, ID (a suburb of Boise.) Three years ago we planted a ginkgo tree ("Autumn Gold".) The first two years the tree grew leaves but didn't grow any noticeable branch growths or new branches. It was starting to concern me, even though I was told ginkgoes grow slowly here.This (third) year it took off like crazy - it shot out branches everywhere, typically 6-12" long. The tree is approx. 12' high and 2" diam. at chest height.
What surprises me is that this year the tree sent up several suckers - two of which have grown at least 4 ft in height already. The tallest one grows in visible height changes every few days, it seems. I have seen many ginkgoes before, in many different states. We had one also when we lived in Iowa (where it sometimes grew 18" per year.) I have never seen one with suckers. Is this indicating a problem with the tree?
Thanks,
Randy

Comments (8)

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    Probably coming from the rootstock, although my straight species Ginkgo suckers and presumably IT isn't grafted!

    Ginkgos are usually slow to get started - three years isn't much in the life of this tree, which is very long-lived.

    Sara

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    10 years ago

    I would remove the suckers ASAP if I was planning on keeping the original cultivar (scion). The fact that it's suckering is probably indicative of something going on (possibly root damage at some point, possibly grafting compatibility issues, possibly something else). If the scion is now leafing out well and there are no signs of problems there, I wouldn't worry too much about the suckers, other than to remove them at my earliest convenience. Letting them grow will make removing them later much more difficult, encourage re-suckering once the original suckers are removed, and increase the possibility of graft failure. Given the fact that the scion seems to be growing rapidly now, careful attention to present and future suckers should reduce the potential for problems.

  • salicaceae
    10 years ago

    The species suckers normally in its native range (or naturalized) in China. Many old trees there have many stems that originated that way. Of course, if it is a cultivar, Brandon is right that you need to remove these. Otherwise, you might want a multi stemmed ginkgo?

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    Thanks Salicaceae - that is interesting. I have about a dozen cultivars, none of which have ever suckered and this species tree (which has been in for about 15 years) suckers every year, although not horrifically. I always wondered about that.

    Sara

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    10 years ago

    Ginkgos sucker "normally" when stressed or after an injury. Dormant buds (basal chichi) are triggered in response to such a catalyst in order to protect the tree's existence.

  • Sequoiadendron4
    10 years ago

    I also have an Autumn Gold Gingko and it too suckers. The second year it was in the ground it grew leaves but had no stem growth. When the suckers come out I just yank them out of the ground. Mine also grows new branches on the trunk below the first branch, which is about shoulder height. The tree is really healthy and the soil hasn't been touched since it was planted so I doubt there are any damage issues.

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    Mine hasn't had any damage, either. It's in terrible soil (adobe clay) but has good color, leaves are normal sized, etc. Only complaint I might make is that it is perhaps a bit slower than it should be, but since they're slow maybe that's not even correct. It just suckers gently every year. It has a stand of crabapples nearby and they sucker about 100x more than it does.

  • hortster
    10 years ago

    If it is indeed grafted, the scion is grafted to a seedling which may be male or female - and although many, many years will go by before it might produce female blooms a multi-stemmed ginkgo could become a multi-stink ginkgo!

    hortster