lime tree growth

Question

I have a lime tree that keeps growing from the bottom of the trunk. I keep cutting them off but am wondering if I can let one grow. Or should I let one grow? What should I do?

Answer 1

The shoots around the bottom are suckers. They may be true to the tree or they may be from rootstock; it depends on how the tree was cultivated. If they are true to the tree, you can remove one from the tree (with some roots attached) and start the tree over again. If the suckers are of an inferior variety, you may not want the variety. But, if you would like to try, you can simply cut off all but one sucker and treat it as you would have the original tree.