I have a standard double flowering plum that constantly sprouts along the standard. I was told to cut these sprouts off to keep the standard look. Only concern would be if the standard was not the actual shrub trained into a tree but a graft.

Thanks, hmm maybe I'll go check if they're still there. :)

Oh and I know it's not a graft because the standard shows the flaky bark. Which is kind of cool but I just don't love the shape of a standard in a landscape.

It will most likely start to sprout all along the trunk the following spring - just leave them to it and over time it will become a bush again.

northspruce, I think that the Centre Glow Ninebark will look STUNNING when it's all grown up! Just keep it as it is.. :-)

I went back and picked out the best one that had a reasonably short trunk. Got it home and realized there was kind of a bare patch in the middle of my lily bed, so I planted it there. It actually looks really nice how it is! But if it grows some side shoots that would be fine too. :)

You can also cut the main stem off when you see new sprouts.

Now, northspruce, how about some pics!? :-)

Definitely more pics!

I have a Centre Glow that's coming along slowly, probably because it's in a shadier area. The Coppertina is really nice and full now!

marcia, I would love to see how your Centre Glow compares with your Coppertina. I have a Coppertina - it is lovely but it seems to be rather slow going! Perhaps it's just one year since I planted it so I need to be more patient... LOL

Okay, here is the ninebark, I picked one with a pretty short trunk:

I'll show you the really bad areas that I cleaned up for the tour.

Beside front door before:

And after:

Around the corner there was sort of a flower bed which I hadn't weeded for two years and it was full of grass:

And I cleaned it up and put in a couple of new evergreens, as well as two junipers that were already there. You can't really see them. One's still in a pot. :S

Looks great, Gil! Good luck!

Looks oh so lovely!!!! Happy touring!