Marianne's Response
Dwarf lemon tree with thorns
I have a dwarf lemon tree on my balcony. I is doing ok, but the last few weeks shoots of another plant have been shooting up from the lower trunk. This plant has small roundish leaves in a pattern of three to a stem and very long thorns. It is also very fast growing. What is this?
Posted by Susan Hart on August 28, 2018
Marianne's Response
Sounds like there is a hostile takeover going on with the lemon tree. Dwarf trees like your lemon are often grafted onto a root stalk and sometimes the original plant that provided the root system is able to send up an errant shoot and this more vigorous plant will take over the dwarf lemon. Immediately cut it out. You may need to dig down into the soil to pull the shoot from the source where it sprouts. Keep removing if the sucker dares to come back. A mulch on top of the soil will help to keep suckers from emerging from root stalks. Be firm or the invader will take over your lemon tree. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
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