Sucker
/SUK-er/🌲 Arboriculture● Basic
Also known as: root sucker, basal shoot
A vigorous shoot growing from the root system, root crown, or below the graft union of a tree. On grafted plants, suckers from the rootstock produce growth different from the desired scion variety and should be removed. Root suckers can also spread trees like aspens, sumacs, and cherries into unwanted areas.
Etymology
Old English sucan (to suck), referring to drawing nutrients from roots
Example
“Remove suckers growing from below the graft union on your apple tree — they are rootstock, not the grafted variety.”