How to remove a rose sucker – spot it before it steals the show

Suckers are about as sucky as they sound: the unwanted shoots will quite literally drain the life out of your roses. That’s why it’s so important that you know how to remove rose suckers.

There are plenty of things you should do with roses in March to encourage the growth of healthy, abundant blooms, but many gardeners (including myself!) overlook rose suckers. They’re a hidden threat, for sure – but once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll be able to get rid of them before they zap the energy from your plant.

Here’s how to spot rose suckers and remove them correctly before they start to affect this year’s flowers.

Article continues below

When I first learned how to grow roses, I had no idea that suckers existed. At least, I didn’t realise the impact that they could have on the plants.

In a nutshell, rose suckers are vigorous shoots that form at the very base of the plant. They’re a problem on plants that have been grafted onto rootstocks, and it’s below the graft union that you’ll find emerging suckers.

‘Suckers in their simplest form can ‘suck’ up all the goodness being taken up through the roots before it reaches your variety, and that is why they are to be removed,’ explains Liam Beddall, head rosarian at David Austin Roses.

So, how do you spot a rose sucker?

‘Suckers will come from below the bud union, knuckle or knobbly bit from where all the green stems are produced,’ says Liam. ‘They are a very pale green colour, will have a serrated leaf edge, needle-like thorns and do not have signs of redness in the colouring like new growth does.’

You might find that there aren’t any suckers on your rose plant – I had a look for them yesterday, and mine (Rose ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’, from Crocus, which produces the most beautiful perfumey fragrance) was in the clear. Liam told me that they’re actually less common with the rootstocks used today.

If you do spot a shoot that matches Liam’s description, though, it’s best to remove it as soon as you can.

Technique is actually really important when it comes to learning how to remove rose suckers.

‘They can be pulled and removed from the point of origin,’ says Liam. ‘Do not cut them at soil level and leave any remaining, as if you leave anything behind, it can encourage more.’

There’s also the old rule of counting leaflets to identify a rose sucker, but Liam says it’s best to avoid this as a reference.

‘Do not rely on the old adage of counting seven leaflets and identifying it as a sucker, as a rose can have 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (etc.) leaflets to a leaf. Use the above identifiers instead, or ask an expert.’

Rose essentials

So, now you know how to spot and remove rose suckers before they steal the show. It’s one of the most underrated ways of keeping your roses flowering well.