Plum trees (Prunus spp.) produce a number of water sprouts and suckers from the tree. These undesirable parts should not remain on the tree for long. Understanding what they are, where they are and how to remove them will make your plum tree healthier. Plums grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4a to 9b.
Look at a tree and it is easy to distinguish the water sprouts from the regular growth. Water sprouts grow straight up from the canopy branches and trunk. They have a thin, scraggly appearance. A heavy hand when pruning may increase the number of water sprouts on the tree. When pruning plum trees in the dormant season, only remove 20 percent of the growth from the previous year.
Why Remove Water Sprouts
Water sprouts do not produce plums. Their rapid growth also blocks out light from the center of the canopy. Despite being non-productive, water sprouts will still use the tree's resources. All of these are reasons to get rid of water sprouts from your plum tree.
How and When to Prune
The best time to prune a plum tree is when it is dormant, in the winter. Removing water sprouts and other suckers from the tree should be the first step you do, along with cutting out dead or diseased branches. Cut the water sprouts down to the branch collar.
Other Suckers on Plums
Plums, depending on the rootstock, are prone to producing suckers. Suckers resemble water sprouts, but they grow from the base of the trunk instead of higher up in the tree. Suckers are just as damaging to the tree as water sprouts and you should remove them as soon as they appear. Do not wait for annual pruning to cut out plum suckers or they will continue to draw from the tree's resources.
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Gardening FAQs
- University of California, The California Backyard Orchard: Pruning and Training
- University of California, The California Backyard Orchard: Plum and Prune (Japanese: Prunus salicina; European: Prunus domestica)
- University of California Cooperative Extension Tulare/Kings Counties: Last Call For Pruning Deciduous Fruit Trees
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