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Red Robin tree problem - Advise please

annacp54annacp54 Posts: 5
in Problem solving
Our red robin tree is over 10 years old and is in a large pot as we have a court yard garden.  Its been fine over the years until the past year where it has started to grow / sprout branches from the bottom rather than the tree area?  Do I prune / cut these off to maintain the tree shape?  The tree isn't looking as healthy as it used to yet these lower branches do look in better health... help/tips welcome

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Is it grafted? If it is, and if the healthy growth is coming from below the graft, you need to take it off because it will be stronger and will take all the energy and out-compete the top part.
    If there's a graft, the graft point will look kind of knobbly. It could be at the base of the plant or at the top of the trunk if you have a standard (straight stem with a bushy crown, lollipop tree shape) rather than a multistemmed tree or bush.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • annacp54annacp54 Posts: 5
    Thanks for your reply, what you say makes sense as it seems the top of the tree is struggling and these 'new' branches at the bottom of the trunk are really healthy... will have a look to see if its grafted though we bought it already as a tree for over £100 so would that mean its grafted?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    If it was bought as a standard, it might have been. Eg on this site https://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/photinia-fraseri-red-robin-p486 I think the 3rd one in the table is top-grafted - the trunk is the rootstock and the crown is the variety.
    Is there any difference in the leaf shape and colour on the growth from the bottom part, eg the new young leaves not red like you'd expect for the Red Robin variety?
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Just to say 4 years ago I allowed my fiancé to prune our red robin he basically chopped it back to one branch but it came back stronger than ever and now looks really good. I think they are pretty tough! 
  • annacp54annacp54 Posts: 5
    @JennyJ yes it was like the third one, the leaves on the new growth do look the same as the rest of the tree, they are the usual red and then turning green, they look super healthy wereas the ones at the top not so much
  • annacp54annacp54 Posts: 5
    @debs64 thanks for this info, I think I'm going to have to be brave and cut a lot back, I hate pruning, unless its the dead stuff!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @annacp54 Just wondered if you have replaced the compost that it is growing in, after 10 years the roots may well fill the pot. If there is nothing for it to grow in it won't thrive. At the very least shrubs grown in these unnatural conditions should be top dressed annually.
    As far as pruning goes this can be the best way of improving and even saving a shrub in a pot. You could also consider root pruning it.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Same foliage all over tends to point towards not grafted, unless it's the compact variety "Little Red Robin" grafted on to a trunk of the normal, tall red robin. I don't know whether they do that but it seems plausible to get a crown that stays reasonably compact on top of a tall trunk.  I've got a Little Red Robin bush which is only about 18 inches across and the same height after three years so when they say compact, they mean it (I don't have ideal conditions though, and it was bought small and inexpensive).
    Grafted or not I would prune off what's stopping it being the tree shape and hopefully it should redirect its energy to where you want it. Repotting or topdressing will help to reinvigorate it.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • annacp54annacp54 Posts: 5
    Thanks everyone, we did repot it last year into a bigger pot... Will prune off the growth at the bottom of the trunk though I will hate to because I hate cutting off lovely new growth!!
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