Oak tree with many new sprouts - Ask Extension
Last July our oak tree incurred injury - I was advised to seal it due to the timing of the wound. The tree seemed to fair well into the fall and wint...
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Oak tree with many new sprouts #868253
Asked May 13, 2024, 4:22 PM EDT
Last July our oak tree incurred injury - I was advised to seal it due to the timing of the wound. The tree seemed to fair well into the fall and winter. Recently, I've noticed a rather large amount of new sprouts on the tree trunk, beginning at the base of the tree all the way up to the where the "normal" branches start. I'm wondering if I should prune the new growth or leave it alone?
Huron County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello,
This type of sprout is called an epicormic sprout and is a stress response of the tree. These are not in ideal locations on the tree to want to leave in place, however this is NOT the time of year to prune an oak tree. This is the high-risk period for oak wilt, and you want to avoid making any wounds on an oak tree for any reason. Wait until the dormant season (winter) to remove these sprouts. (See the attachment to read more about oak wilt: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/smart-gardening-to-prevent-oak-wilt).
You may want to address the stress the tree is undergoing, however. I would start by carefully removing some sod and dirt from a 2-foot radius around the tree. (Avoid damaging the upper roots!) It looks as if the tree is planted too deeply or has had dirt added around the base which is covering the root system too deeply. Ideally, you should see a widening of the tree trunk (called the root flare) at ground level. This is not visible in the photo. See the following article to understand this better: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/trees-planted-too-deeply/.
I hope this helps. Thank you for contacting Ask Extension.
Ruth
This type of sprout is called an epicormic sprout and is a stress response of the tree. These are not in ideal locations on the tree to want to leave in place, however this is NOT the time of year to prune an oak tree. This is the high-risk period for oak wilt, and you want to avoid making any wounds on an oak tree for any reason. Wait until the dormant season (winter) to remove these sprouts. (See the attachment to read more about oak wilt: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/smart-gardening-to-prevent-oak-wilt).
You may want to address the stress the tree is undergoing, however. I would start by carefully removing some sod and dirt from a 2-foot radius around the tree. (Avoid damaging the upper roots!) It looks as if the tree is planted too deeply or has had dirt added around the base which is covering the root system too deeply. Ideally, you should see a widening of the tree trunk (called the root flare) at ground level. This is not visible in the photo. See the following article to understand this better: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/trees-planted-too-deeply/.
I hope this helps. Thank you for contacting Ask Extension.
Ruth
