Mock Orange Has Developed A Very Large Offshoot Branch

Question

I have a mock orange which I think might be about 6 yrs old. It is still planted in the same pot and blooms like crazy every year. This year it had the most blooms I have ever seen. The odd thing is, it has developed a very large offshoot. The plant itself is about 4 feet tall, the offshoot is almost 7 feet tall and the leaves are almost 3 times as big. I can tell it is coming from the lower stalk and has the same leaves. Does anyone know why this is happening. We are planning on repotting this fall as it isn’t holding water so much so expect it is pretty root bound. Would appreciate any help you can give. Thank you Grace Rietel

Answer 1

This is, likely, grafted to a different rootstock variety. Usually, growth from the root will indicate stress from the top of the plant. If left alone, these shoots will take over, killing the top graft, which is the preferred specimen.

I would remove all instances of growth like this, and go ahead and get it into a more comfortable container.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/mock-orange