Many homeowners may rejoice when they see new sprouts from the trunk of a declining or dead tree. To the average person sprouts look like a sign that the tree is recovering and becoming healthy again; however, the opposite is actually true.
When trees are stressed or sick, they will try to grow new branches and leaves wherever they still can which tends to be from the trunk of the tree. Trees do this in order to try and gain nutrients from photosynthesis which their mostly / fully dead canopy cannot provide. This is a trees last ditch attempt to save itself. So contrary to popular belief these sprouts of new growth usually signal that the tree is in the last stages of decline and should be removed from the property.
