What Causes A White Pine To Sprout Limbs?

[lxskllr]

This might be an unknowable question. On my office job I was scouting maples to remove, and a fly in the ointment was a decent maple that was growing next to a pine that had sprouted a couple nice lower branches in what I think was later development. It was certainly a choice by the tree, but a little higher on the stem would have been more convenient for me, and given it more light. These trees seem disinclined to grow new limbs, but I'll see one here and there, usually higher up.

What prompts growth of limbs in these trees, and is there a way it could be encouraged?

 

[SeanKroll]

Dormant groth huds stimulate by light and growth hormone changes, such as heavy pruning or a broken leader.

 

[lxskllr]

Hmm... Well, heavy pruning is out. What makes the limbs I mentioned unusual to me, is the growth lower on the stem. They probably predate the maple, but it was still shady and sheltered. Higher up would have given the tree a better return on the investment.

 

[SeanKroll]

It grew limbs higher up, too.

Pick up a dollar. Keep going to your day job.

 

[Altissimus]

To me , in any species it seems Sunlight triggers the Plant Auxins (pure opinion based on my pruning and trimming experiences)

 

[SeanKroll]

What i understand, unless mistaken, is that anyplace there is or was a branch, there are dormant buds at the node.




Sometimes, doug-fir with root-disease will puff out emergency growth along the trunk and primary limbs



Incomplete pruning (stubs) will often result in regrowth.

 

[BeerGeek]

IMO, they are the devil incarnate, and will just continue to sprout and get bigger and nastier until tree folk remove them or mother nature forces them over.

 

[lxskllr]

I tend to agree with you. Not one of my choices to plant, but these were here as part of a grove, and have 'forest' charateristics. Since they were here longer, I'm favoring them to keep and nurture, especially compared to Norway maple.