I had a Bradford Pear removed and stump ground out. I have about 5 suckers growing, now about 4 feet tall. If I cut all of them back to the ground, but keep one, what will I get? Can it be trimmed for shape and will it live? Thanks.
Extension
Message
From:
Richard Hentschel
Extension Educator, Horticulture
DuPage/Kane/Kendall Unit hentsche@illinois.edu
Your Bradford pear was likely budded on another species or another kind of pear rootstock. Any suckers growing from below the bud union are not likely to become another Bradford pear and certainly not any suckers from a remaining root. It would be great experiment to allow one to grow to find out if you want. The remaining sucker would continue to grow and could be pruned.