Flowering Plum Died After Sucker Pruning: Regrow from Base

Plum Tree Died After Removing Vertical Suckers: Basal Sprouts Offer Hope

Aggressive sucker removal may have shocked the tree. But 1-ft basal sprouts can be trained.

Action Plan

1. Scrape bark on main branches. Green = alive (prune dead). Brown = dead.
2. Let basal sprouts grow this year.
3. Next spring: select tallest/straightest as new leader; remove others.
4. Accept multi-trunk form if several kept.

If Unsatisfied Next Year

Replace with another red-leaf tree (not maple): purpleleaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'), or smokebush (Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple').