Water Sprouts on Trees

[jvs]

What makes a tree develop water sprouts?


Wet conditions?


Just normal growth?


The tree has nothing better to do?


I have a Star Magnolia and it seems like every year I'm out there pruning off 8 to 12 what I call water sprouts from the middle of the tree.  I am about to do it again.
I also see them sometimes on apple trees in the neighborhood.



I know that there are about 3 or 4 times a year that drainage might be a problem around the tree but it really doesn't last long each time.

[wyb]

I've read that water sprouts can be a result of over pruning, or pruning when the tree isn't dormant.  Some sort of attempt at compensating for the loss of limb?
 
Matt

[keith44]

Please describe what you are calling a water sprout.  Are you talking about a new growth from the area where the trunk turns into root?  We call those suckers and they seem to be part of the tree life cycle.  If higher up the trunk I have no idea.

[jvs]

What I am calling a water sprout is probably what you call a sucker.  They usually grow off of a horizontal branch, but they are just one straight stick, usually thin and about 2 feet long by the time I get to them.  Like a sucker that grows out of the ground, but from a branch.

[Graybeard]

Dunno why but some trees/bushes are more prone than others.

River Birches and blueberry bushes are the two I have here that do it all the time. Can't think of anything else here that does it.

[keith44]

Yup sounds like the same thing to me.  I have seen some trees and bushes really suffer from these, and others are not affected, and still others never develop them.


Just one of those things I guess.

[jvs]

I must not have pruned those water sprouts from the Magnolia last year because when I went out today to do it there were dozens of them of all lengths.


It's done now though. 


I also found out that Gooseberry Plants also develop a sort of water sprout and sucker.  I checked it after Bill mentioned he gets them on his Blueberrys.  Sure enough, they were there on the Gooseberrys.   


Looks like I have Suckers on the Red Currant and Elderberry bushs I have also.


Such excitement for February.