Should I consider it a sucker branch?

[Clicio]

Well, I have one small Calliandra that had a fungal issue during this summer. My fault of course, I guess it was overwatered.
Fact is it lost all its leaves (it's been two months) and I think most upper branches have died. Then two lower buds sprouted (Calliandras are good on old wood) and the tree reacted with new growth.
Situation today is: the only green is on those new branches, and there's another bud starting to swell, also low down on the trunk.
Should I leave those new branches to grow (do they help thickening the trunk?), or should I prune then when I see signs of growth on the old branches (if it happens at all)?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

If you have stressed roots, you really want to give the tree time to recover and grow new roots before you do anything else. I see a lot of small buds popping all over the tree. Let it grow freely until it looks like a bush - which means the roots will have probably filled the pot. Don't forget that to a great extent the buds and foliage growth/development is what generates the auxin which triggers root growth. If you keep trimming your branches, you are removing the source of the hormones for root development.

Also - avoid fertilizing a tree that has weak roots.

 

[sorce]

That "self girdling" article from Canada was my convincer, and from the looks of that...
"Almost hidden well enough" root...I would be concerned about it. Maybe not for this problem....but as a "bonsai problem"...
I encourage you to burn this thing!

No....but maybe airlayer it later!

From the looks of the affects of that other thick branch up there, and the relative equal thickness of the trunk, you can kinda gather that branch won't thicken the trunk much.

But it does seem like the only growth that might happen.....

Only question is if you cut em off....
Will it help the tree decide to keep the top?

Eeeeeee....good luck!

Sorce

 

[Clicio]

@Bonsai Nut thanks!
I was just thinking about doing nothing and wait. Sounds like a good plan.
As for the fertilizer, no liquid whatsoever; and I took the Biogold off two months ago. But will the osmocote still do any harm?

@sorce thanks!
Let's live with the suckers for a month or two; maybe the tree decides that to keep the upper branches is needed, we never know.

 

[GrimLore]

If you have stressed roots, you really want to give the tree time to recover and grow new roots before you do anything else. I see a lot of small buds popping all over the tree. Let it grow freely until it looks like a bush - which means the roots will have probably filled the pot. Don't forget that to a great extent the buds and foliage growth/development is what generates the auxin which triggers root growth. If you keep trimming your branches, you are removing the source of the hormones for root development.

Also - avoid fertilizing a tree that has weak roots.

@Bonsai Nut thanks!
I was just thinking about doing nothing and wait. Sounds like a good plan.
As for the fertilizer, no liquid whatsoever; and I took the Biogold off two months ago. But will the osmocote still do any harm?

@sorce thanks!
Let's live with the suckers for a month or two; maybe the tree decides that to keep the upper branches is needed, we never know.

@Bonsai Nut thanks!
I was just thinking about doing nothing and wait. Sounds like a good plan.
As for the fertilizer, no liquid whatsoever; and I took the Biogold off two months ago. But will the osmocote still do any harm?

@sorce thanks!
Let's live with the suckers for a month or two; maybe the tree decides that to keep the upper branches is needed, we never know.

After reading all here including your location I suspect that plant has been and since recovered from fungal issues due to water/humidity being a bit to high for it.

Honest the osmocote and or/anything else you mix into a non-organic mix will not slowly break down and have any use... any of the beads need to be of very good and fresh quality AND have the ability to break down slowly over time with moisture. Simply stated in a warm climate mixed into non organic Substrate they are of little to no use...

If you are worried about the lower "branches" chop them in your spring and seal them promoting more upper growth. It is a sub tropical plant and will respond properly. It does not need an equal amount of root reduction to do so.

Just a side note -

If you need to keep this type of plant it will do far better overall understanding the way they grow in nature -

1) They do not need or grow well in full sun - they are under canopy plants, two hours of direct sun a day is all they want.
2) Even under canopy they have good air circulation... If not they have fungal problems and die.
3) They also need very little fertilization, here they get 1/4 of a Maple for example.
4) Most all die because of to much TLC - treat it like a weed, small amount of sun and low nutrients, just water drawing air across the roots...
5) You can and should repot them when the roots are growing in such a fashion the plant is lifting out of the pot, subs like these and Bougainvillea do not need soil, room, or anything else except water and air - this will start an argument if I care to answer but it is the truth - no matter where you live.
6) So, less direct sun, less fertilizer, good air movement, a regular water schedule, makes it work

Grimmy

 

[Clicio]

After reading all here including your location I suspect that plant has been and since recovered from fungal issues due to water/humidity being a bit to high for it.

Honest the osmocote and or/anything else you mix into a non-organic mix will not slowly break down and have any use... any of the beads need to be of very good and fresh quality AND have the ability to break down slowly over time with moisture. Simply stated in a warm climate mixed into non organic Substrate they are of little to no use...

If you are worried about the lower "branches" chop them in your spring and seal them promoting more upper growth. It is a sub tropical plant and will respond properly. It does not need an equal amount of root reduction to do so.

Just a side note -

If you need to keep this type of plant it will do far better overall understanding the way they grow in nature -

1) They do not need or grow well in full sun - they are under canopy plants, two hours of direct sun a day is all they want.
2) Even under canopy they have good air circulation... If not they have fungal problems and die.
3) They also need very little fertilization, here they get 1/4 of a Maple for example.
4) Most all die because of to much TLC - treat it like a weed, small amount of sun and low nutrients, just water drawing air across the roots...
5) You can and should repot them when the roots are growing in such a fashion the plant is lifting out of the pot, subs like these and Bougainvillea do not need soil, room, or anything else except water and air - this will start an argument if I care to answer but it is the truth - no matter where you live.
6) So, less direct sun, less fertilizer, good air movement, a regular water schedule, makes it work

Grimmy

Hey @GrimLore very precious information; thanks a lot!
Calliandras and Azaleas grow all over São Paulo, and thrive here on the parks and sidewalks. Low maintenance it seems!

 

[Clicio]

Honest the osmocote and or/anything else you mix into a non-organic mix will not slowly break down and have any use... any of the beads need to be of very good and fresh quality AND have the ability to break down slowly over time with moisture. Simply stated in a warm climate mixed into non organic Substrate they are of little to no use...

@GrimLore this us news for me. You see, there are many nurseries around and most of specialized in tropicals. Almost all of them use Osmocote or Basecote, even in inorganic soil mixes, even if it's warm here. And you say these slowrelease fertilizers are no use, why is that so?
As a side note, I am talking about the real products, not makeshift fakes.

If you need to keep this type of plant it will do far better overall understanding the way they grow in nature -

Well, I don't need to keep tropicals, but I want to, and it seems it's a wise choice since I live in a very tropical country. JWP would be a stupid choice, I guess. But like I have said, they grow everywhere around us, in private and public parks and including wild in the Northeast of Brazil (Calliandra Spinosa).
Attached two examples of Calliandras; first one is not mine, but it it a white Spinosa; the second one is mine and bloomed last week.
Thanks for the nice conversation!

Calliandra Spinosa

Calliandra Selloi (this one is mine).

 

[JudyB]

Beautiful!

 

[GrimLore]

You see, there are many nurseries around and most of specialized in tropicals. Almost all of them use Osmocote or Basecote, even in inorganic soil mixes, even if it's warm here. And you say these slowrelease fertilizers are no use, why is that so?
As a side note, I am talking about the real products, not makeshift fakes.

Growers have automated watering systems with temperature and humidity controls... MOST are growing in organic substrate and the beads or slow release are of benefit. Thinking into it a bit that is a short term solution for them as they need to move/sell stock.

By all means certainly have Sub Tropicals, I would if we had your climate have many more.

Also consider the Nursery stock is in mostly organic for better growing results. The inorganic is better suited for plants in finishing stages where the trunk and roots are developed not needing a lot of growth...

It gets confusing but it depends on your goals and plants. Not hard just different.

Grimmy