Hey all. Quick question about citrus grafts. I bought a Meiwa kumquat online last year, and rather than continuing to grow from the graft, it sprouted two new branches that are growing faster. They are clearly above the graft line, but not by much. I’ve head a few delicious fruit from the main graft, but the side branches haven’t flowered yet. The leaves on the original graft branch and they new side branches look indistinguishable. The only difference is that the original graft developed bark, while the side branches remain green at similar thickness.
Question: Can I be 100% sure that these side branches are indeed the same as the scion, and not the rootstock somehow growing past the graft junction? Should I leave the side branches be and continue to allow them to sap energy from the original central leader?
They definitely look like they’re branching above the graft union so you should be fine. I’d probably leave them since they look well positioned and citrus grow well as small bushes. But of you prefer a more upright shape you could also remove them.
Do you know/can you find out what the rootstock is? I’d guess they didn’t develop bark at the same thickness because the plant is better established and they grew faster?
I’ve had this happen for a number of grafted citrus and in some cases the shoots have been vigorous like yours and in some cases they have been tiny and eventually died out. I Didn’t worry to much about it for both those kinds of situations … I have a Kishu Mandarin in a pot (awaiting its final home in the ground) and one of its tiny branches way down on the trunk near the union even fruited this year and I enjoyed that fruit
Yes, it is 100% scion wood, not rootstock. I would leave it alone. Sometimes the newer shoots from the scion wood like you have will grow faster than the original branch leaves and there is nothing wrong with it. If you cut the two side branches it may not grow as fast. Best thing is to let them all grow, then in 6 months, give priority to letting the strongest branch become your main/atypical branch so it can continue to grow fast and vigorous. At that time, if you want to cut some of the branches, then let the strongest/most vigorous branch become the main trunk of the tree and cut off the weaker looking branch if you are trying to get the tree to grow upright and not bushy.
