--- title: "Will a Stump Grow Back? Sprouts, Suckers and Bush Ash" description: "Will a stump grow back? Some trees sprout from stumps and roots. See what Ohio State, Purdue, Iowa State and Penn State Extension say about stopping sprouts." url: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/will-a-stump-grow-back publisher: Cincinnati Stump Grinding phone: +1-513-587-6772 quote: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact --- # Will a tree stump grow back after it is cut or ground? It can. Iowa State Extension says some stumps resprout after a tree is cut, and Purdue says roots can act as energy storage for sprouts. Ohio State describes dead ash stumps that regrew as multi-stemmed bush ash. Cut sprouts early and follow the product label for any herbicide. GuideUpdated October 26, 20264 min read ## Some stumps resprout Iowa State Extension says some stumps resprout after the tree is cut down. Not every species does. ## Roots store energy Purdue says sprouts may form after grinding because the roots act as energy storage for the tree. ## Local example: bush ash Ohio State describes regrowth from dead ash stumps in southwest Ohio as multi-stemmed bush ash. ## Cut early and follow the label Extension pages say to cut sprouts and, if you use herbicide, to follow the product label. ## Will a stump grow back? It can, and it depends on the tree. Iowa State Extension says “some stumps will resprout after the tree is cut down.” Illinois Extension says “if a live tree is cut down, often it will resprout from the stump or the surrounding root system.” That is sprouting, which is new growth from living tissue left behind. The sources we opened do not give a list of which species resprout and which do not. If you know your tree species, ask your county extension office. ## Does grinding stop regrowth? Grinding removes the stump, but it does not treat what is left. Purdue Extension, in a question about planting grass over a ground stump, says: “Also, sprouts may be generated due to the roots acting as energy storage for the tree.” Purdue’s advice for those sprouts is “simply treat them with typical lawn herbicide as needed at the label recommended rates.” Iowa State Extension says a grinder chews away “the stump and any large lateral roots, typically down 8 to 12 inches.” Roots outside that zone stay in the ground. Whether sprouts show up depends on the tree. See [Do roots die after stump grinding?](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/do-roots-die-after-stump-grinding). ## What are stump sprouts and suckers? A [stump sprout](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-sprout) grows from the stump or from near its base. A [sucker](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/sucker) grows from a root, farther from the stump. [Resprouting](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/resprouting) covers both. Iowa State describes cutting sprouts and repeating until they stop emerging. Term Where it grows What it tells you Stump sprout From the stump or its base The stump tissue is alive Sucker From a root, away from the stump A root is alive Bush ash Multi-stemmed regrowth from ash stumps Local to southwest Ohio after emerald ash borer ## Do ash stumps in Cincinnati grow back? Yes, and the Ohio State University Extension BYGL newsletter explains why. Emerald ash borer was confirmed in Hamilton County in 2007. The page says “EAB only kills the above-ground portion of their ash hosts. This meant new growth could and did resprout from the base.” The same page says “ash regeneration became evident in southwest Ohio as early as 2008 with regrowth from the basal portions of dead trees and stumps forming multi-stemmed ‘bush ash.’” The new stems were attacked “as soon as the new stems reached a sufficient girth to support EAB larvae.” For homeowners this means a dead ash stump in the Cincinnati area can send up shoots for years. Read the pillar [Ash trees, emerald ash borer and stumps](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/ash-trees-emerald-ash-borer-stumps) and the glossary entries for [bush ash](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/bush-ash), [emerald ash borer](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/emerald-ash-borer) and [ash tree](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/ash-tree). See also [Dead ash tree stump](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/dead-ash-tree-stump). ## How do you stop a stump from sprouting? Extension sources describe herbicide on a freshly cut stump and repeat cutting of sprouts. These are the steps as the sources state them. Follow the product label on every step. 1. **Apply herbicide right after cutting.** Iowa State says “applying herbicides to the stump right after cutting can help reduce resprouting,” using products with the active ingredients glyphosate, triclopyr or imazapyr. Illinois says to treat the outer sapwood while the cut is fresh with a systemic herbicide containing glyphosate or triclopyr. 2. **Apply it to the living layer.** Iowa State says herbicides “only need to be applied to the living cambium tissue, which is in a ring just below the bark,” and to clean off any sawdust or soil first. 3. **Avoid spring.** Penn State says cut-stump treatments “should not be applied in spring when upward sap flow renders them ineffective.” It says treatments in late summer and fall are preferred. 4. **Cut sprouts and retreat.** Iowa State says “if sprouts appear after the herbicide application, cut the sprouts and reapply the herbicide,” and to repeat until sprouts stop. A ground-out stump has no fresh cut. Iowa State says herbicide poured on a stump well after the tree’s removal “will only leach into the soil and potentially damage nearby plants.” That is why Purdue’s advice for sprouts on a ground stump is to treat the sprouts. Read [Does stump killer work?](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/does-stump-killer-work) for more. ## Is there a tree where herbicide on the stump does not work? Yes. Penn State Extension’s cut-stump video names tree of heaven. It says “cut stump treatments control the stump, but not the roots, and the tree will resprout prolifically” for that species, and suggests basal bark or hack-and-squirt methods instead. The video says treatments “may reduce root systems substantially, but not entirely,” and says to retreat as needed. For honeysuckle, see [Honeysuckle stumps and roots](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/honeysuckle-stumps-and-roots). ## What if I just want it gone? Stump removal options differ in how much root they take with them. See [Stump grinding vs stump removal](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/stump-grinding-vs-stump-removal) and the pillar [Tree roots, stumps and regrowth](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/tree-roots-stumps-regrowth). For species questions, see [Pine, oak and maple stump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/pine-oak-maple-stump-grinding). ## Next step To have a stump ground out, see the [stump grinding service](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/services/stump-grinding). Call (513) 587-6772 or [send photos for a free estimate](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact). ## Frequently asked questions ### Will a tree stump grow back after cutting? Some will. Iowa State Extension says some stumps resprout after the tree is cut down. Illinois Extension says a freshly cut live tree often resprouts from the stump or the surrounding root system. Species matters, and the sources do not give a full list. ### Will a stump grow back after stump grinding? It can. Purdue Extension says sprouts may form after grinding because the roots act as energy storage for the tree. Purdue advises treating sprouts with typical lawn herbicide as needed at the label recommended rates. ### Can a stump grow back into a tree? The sources describe sprouts and multi-stemmed regrowth, not single trees. Ohio State says dead ash stumps in southwest Ohio produced multi-stemmed bush ash. Those new stems were attacked by emerald ash borer once they were large enough. ### How do I stop sprouts from a stump? Iowa State says herbicide applied right after cutting can reduce resprouting, and that if sprouts appear you cut them and reapply the herbicide until sprouts stop. Follow the product label. Penn State says spring treatments are ineffective because of sap flow. ### What is the difference between a sprout and a sucker? A sprout grows from the stump or its base. A sucker grows from a root, away from the stump. The glossary defines both. Either one means living tissue is still there. ## Terms on this page - [Emerald ash borer](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/emerald-ash-borer) - [Stump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-grinding) - [Lateral roots](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/lateral-roots) - [Stump removal](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-removal) - [Stump killer](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-killer) - [Stump sprout](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-sprout) - [Honeysuckle](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/honeysuckle) - [Resprouting](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/resprouting) - [Ash tree](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/ash-tree) - [Bush ash](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/bush-ash) ## Sources 1. [Iowa State Extension: How to Remove Tree Stumps](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-remove-tree-stumps) 2. [Purdue Extension: Question: Can I Plant Grass Over Newly Removed Stump](https://extension.purdue.edu/news/2021/06/Question-Can-I-Plant-Grass-Over-Newly-Removed-Stump.html) 3. [Ohio State University BYGL: Is Emerald Ash Borer on the Rebound in Ohio?](https://bygl.osu.edu/node/2166) 4. [Penn State Extension: Cut Stump Herbicide Treatment](https://extension.psu.edu/cut-stump-herbicide-treatment) 5. [Illinois Extension: What to do with that tree stump? A guide to tree stump removal](https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2025-07-18-what-do-tree-stump-guide-tree-stump-removal) Written by Cincinnati Stump Grinding and checked against the sources above on October 26, 2026. City rules and product guidance change, so check the linked page before you act. ## Keep reading - [What happens to tree roots after stump grinding, and will the stump grow back?Stump grinding removes the stump and large lateral roots, typically down 8 to 12 inches, according to Iowa State Extension. Smaller roots stay in the ground and rot over several years. Some trees send up sprouts from those roots. Termites and mushrooms around a stump are signs of decay, not of grinding.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/tree-roots-stumps-regrowth) - [Pine, oak and maple stump grinding: what changes by tree speciesThe grinding steps are the same for pine, oak and maple. A rental-equipment article says stump size and wood hardness change the time. Species matters more for regrowth: Penn State Extension says all angiosperms can stump sprout, while most conifers have a weaker ability or none.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/pine-oak-maple-stump-grinding) - [Honeysuckle stumps and roots: why they grow back and how to stop themCutting bush honeysuckle at the base makes it sprout more stems, because the roots stay alive. Ohio State Extension says an effective plan kills both the stems and the roots. Common options are a herbicide on the cut stump, following the product label, or a University of Cincinnati botanist's black plastic cover.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/honeysuckle-stumps-and-roots) - [Emerald ash borer in Ohio, and what it means for the ash stump in your yardEmerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees. Ohio State University Extension says it was confirmed in Hamilton County in 2007. EAB kills only the above-ground part of an ash, so a dead ash stump can send up new shoots, called bush ash. Those shoots can be attacked again.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/ash-trees-emerald-ash-borer-stumps) - [What to do with a dead ash tree stumpA dead ash tree stump can send up new shoots because emerald ash borer kills only the above-ground part of the tree. Ohio State University Extension calls the multi-stemmed regrowth bush ash. The new stems can be attacked again. Your options are to leave the stump, ask about shoots, or have it ground.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/dead-ash-tree-stump) - [Do tree roots die after stump grinding?Grinding removes the stump and large lateral roots, typically down 8 to 12 inches, per Iowa State Extension. The roots left behind break down over several years, per Purdue Extension. No extension page we found says all roots die, and some trees send up sprouts from roots that stay alive.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/do-roots-die-after-stump-grinding)