Expert: Marc Chapelle, RLA - 6/28/2006

Question
I live in Indianapolis, In.  We have a Bradford Pear tree in our front yard and love it.  But the last couple of years we have noticed that springing up from under the tree are lots of new saplings.  Consequently we can't plant any flowers in the little bed we've made under it because the roots are protruding.  How do we stop this from happening, or can we?  It is very unsightly.

Answer
Suckers usually come up from the grafted stock, and in older trees may indicate that the tree is in declining health.

Yes, it is unsightly, but there is a cure.  There are two methods - one is to trim these "suckers" manually, and the other is to apply a sprout inhibitor. I recommend BOTH methods for year-to-year reduction of this problem.  Once it starts, it can be controlled, but will have to be done for the life of the tree.

Planting under the tree, even with the presence of roots, shouldn't be a problem.  If the tree is big enough, a few snipped roots or the ocassional annual shouldn't cause problems.  Just don't add soil to the base of the tree, and adding an extra level of soil to "cover" the suckering roots may actually cause the tree to decline in health.

Here is some discussion of the two methods, and other issues relating to your Pear tree:

http://www.tfrec.wsu.edu/Horticulture/other.html

Marc