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Managing Rootstock Suckers on a Grafted Japanese Maple

Your laceleaf Japanese maple is sprouting different leaves from the base—classic rootstock sucker growth. If allowed to grow, the vigorous rootstock will overtake the grafted cultivar.

Action Required

Prune off all sucker growth at the base.
Ensure the graft union (knob) remains above soil level.
Monitor regularly and remove new suckers promptly.

Hard pruning the sucker won’t create a harmonious duo; it only delays the inevitable. The grafted laceleaf depends on the rootstock for roots, not for a second canopy.

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