No, there is no ’need’. The plant doesn’t care either way. It depends on how you want it to look. Suckering is the nature of the plant so if you have the space I’d leave it be. But if you want a different aesthetic keep cutting them off ..... for ever.

I have a Gray Dogwood that suckers a lot. I gave it just about it's own corner but it quickly tried to outgrow that. I enjoy the shrub and it is vigorous in an area a lot would not grow, so as much as I didn't want a suckering shrub, I'm happy with the shrub. I got into this accidentlally, when I didn't know better or realize the shrub suckered before I put it in. Dumb, I know, but now I always check before I buy anything.

The suckers on this shrub are really not that bad to keep up with. They are pretty easy to pull out with a small amount of effort to loosen them with a shovel. I just have to keep on top of it. I have a small property. Surprisingly it hasn't spread into the lawn, which I'm grateful for.

I don't know how easy/hard to get out those suckers are, but if you get it cleaned up to the way you want it and consistently check for new suckers every spring or fall, you can manage it.

Mine does the same thing -- I just snip them all off. Then they slowly come back -- do it again in about a year.

same theory ...

whats your goal ... and how do you accomplish it ...

if you have 5 acres.. you 'need' to do nothing.. as noted.. it has its own spot ...

you have 10 square feet out back.. you might want to tame this thing or even get rid of it .... unless thats all you want out back ....

again.. you do things for a reason ... not because the calendar says its time to go buy lopping shears.. and now you want to lop everything you own.. lol ...

ken

these are a border along the street. when planted there was a blue spruce just west of them so they were in more shade than they are now but they are still shaded because they under the canopy of a large magnolia tree. i fine with them as they are but the wife is not & wants them cut back. i'm trying to convince her that this is not the tome to prune them. they reseeding & spreading. again, fine with me.

Rober, Maybe your wife has a reason she is not keen on the spreading and reseeding, has she said? And whatever it is, maybe there is a compromise you both can discover. Happy wife, happy life. And whatever the reverse of that is. [g]

Win - win is always my strategy where possible and sensible.