Share
Hi,
Can climbing rose have root suckers?
Hi @Nabila,
Yes, climbing roses can produce root suckers, but this mainly applies to grafted roses rather than ones grown on their own roots.
If your climbing rose is grafted, any shoot that grows from below the graft union is a sucker. These often look different to the rest of the plant. They are commonly more vigorous, a deeper reddish colour when young, and sometimes have slightly different leaf shape or thorn pattern. The fact that you are seeing a thicker, reddish shoot coming from very low down is a strong sign it could be a sucker.
Have a close look near the base of the plant. You should be able to see a graft line or a noticeable change or scar on the main stem. If that red shoot is emerging from below that point or straight out of the soil, then it is definitely a sucker and should be removed. The best way is to trace it back to where it originates and cut it off as close to the root as possible.
If the rose was grown on its own roots, which is less common for climbing roses, then new shoots from the base are usually fine and part of the plant itself.
Removing suckers early is important because they can quickly take over and weaken the grafted variety you actually want to grow.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
