Marianne's Response

Satsuma Tree

I lost my satsuma tree to frost this past winter. I had a fruit tree knowledgable expert tell me it was still alive & I should fertilize it. She told me the dead leaves would fall off and new ones would appear. After a time the leaves did fall off but no new ones formed. Then the bark started turning dark. A tree trimer told me it was dead and cut it off at the ground. Now something has grown from the roots. It looks like a citrus tree and has really long stickers on the stems. It has gotten quite tall quickly. I thought satsumas were grafted trees and therefore I don’t know what I have. No blooms have appeared yet.

Posted by Barbara Reynolds on August 28, 2021

Marianne's Response

I suspect the new growth is from the root graft and the tree that forms will not be like the variety you lost. If you want to be adventurous let this volunteer grow for another season or two and see what happens. If you really want the same variety as before then dig out the old roots and trunk and replant. This time a mulch on top of the roots in the winter may help the tree to survive cold weather. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti

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