Those are suckers from the trunk of the tree, they have no roots and can not be started as new trees. I got so tired of pruning them off I let them grow into a hedge around the tree and then only had to trim the hedge yearly. Al

They can be (and often are) grown as new trees! Google 'redwood cuttings' for instructions.

Hmmm, it seems that this is one of two almost duplicate posts. Here's a link to the other, for those interested:

Here is a link that might be useful: Duplicate Post - Dummies Guide to Redwood Cuttings

brandon7-

it is not a duplicate post. the other post is asking about redwood cuttings.

this post was made to ask specifically about the shoots that are found on the base of some redwoods........

Well the answer to one is pretty much the answer to the other. A cutting taken from a root sucker is still a cutting. To be more more specific, these suckers can be thought of as terminal cuttings.

Terminal cuttings?

I'm gonna have to work on a better definition, but roughly, a terminal cutting (actually, a terminal-stem cutting) is a cutting taken from the top of a tree's leader or major upward-growing branch. A lateral-stem cutting would be one taken from an outward-growing branch. These different types of cuttings often result in different forms of growth.

The academic people have been interested in redwood cuttings since my student days in the '60s. I'm guessing that Googling with site:.edu among the search terms could overwhelm us.

I have a redwood in my back yard that was causing some problems for my neighbours sewer line. it's was probably about 40 years old and had been topped many times to keep the neighbour's view open. We chopped all of the branches off of it so all that is left is a tall stump, but I'm wondering if the roots with those suckers will keep growing and spreading the root system.

Will they regenerate the tree from those suckers or is the tree completely done if only a stump is left?

Thanks.

Swift 01 I would not be surprised to see new growth break out ot the standing trunk. When the original native redwood is cut it is nornal to have a ring of new trees grow from the roots of the old tree. When a redwood is blown over and is on the ground, within a couple of years many new shoots can be found growing from the top side of the fallen tree. Al

Thanks, Calistoga.... I'd like to kill the roots so there is no chance of them growing again. Any suggestions on that short of digging them up? It was a rather large tree and would take an excavator to dig up what's left.

Thanks.

Usually with rooting powder it says to use an old piece of growth but I don't really see the harm in trying. Except for all the warnings on the label.