Hello Crew, A simple question to properly educate this ole treedude who is wanting to know.
What is a stem or sucker growth called which is growing off the root system a yard or more from the base of my large wateroak? If I do not trim them off, they keep growing as a samll tree would, but growing off the top of the root as it disappears under the soil.
I'd venture this is caused from a small cut on the root or possibly due to some stress????I've only known the tree for 5 years. Thanks to all of you who I read and learn from, I appreciate all of you.

I would say:
above ground - epicormic
above ground fruit tree - water shoot
below ground - adventitious root
new tree growing from root - root sucker
growth emanating from base of tree - basal sucker.
All being adventitious.
More likely to get adventitious growth from damaged areas, also depends on the species, some trees sucker more readily than others. Is the water oak getting enough water?

Kit, most grassi for your input.
Since coming to know the words "epicormic" and "adventitious"; I was led to believe or came to a conclusion that above ground and on the tree trunk was epicormic. Adventitious in biology is related or belonging to a structure that develops in an unusual place.Not inherent but added extrinsically. Meaning; associated by chance but not an integral part of.
That gave me a headache...
Anyway, am I correct in saying this ground growth is adventitious or should I find another term???
Do you have Quercus nigra in your neck of the world? Fast growing, short lived but a great shade tree.
Thanks again for the input and your time on this talking typewriter, I appreciate the sharing of knowledge. David www.oktreedude.com

Check the ISA online dictionary for definitions of trade-related terms:
ISA Online Glossary of Terms

You are correct that these shoots are considered as adventitious, meaning they arise from latent buds that usually remain dormant in the tissue, but develop under certain conditionis, usually a hormonal response due to stress. This is the tree's way of perpetuating itself.

There are a lot of common terms for the root shoots, as Kit pointed out. I would say that none of them are absolutely wrong; some purists might disagree. If the tree is generally healthy, cutting those sprouts should not harm it, but others will probably take their place quickly. Some trees, especially those that grow quickly and have short life spans, are more prone to sprouts than longer-lived trees. Applying a sprout inhibitor around the cut at the time of pruning may help suppress new sprouts.

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Russ Carlson
Bear, DE USA

Epicormic is a great word and universally accepted as above-ground adventitious growth. It depends on who you are talking to as to how to describe what you have on your oak. Could be: "adventitious growth emanating from the root system, that has above-ground, woody-perennial morphology, likely caused by physiological stress or localised damage". Or you could say: "that grew from the root coz u hit it wiv a mower"
We don't have Q. nigra here, that I am aware of, would probably do ok here. Q. palustris is quite abundant. There is somewhere in the region of 120 native trees and shrubs here, almost all (I think) growing nowhere else in the world. Along with heaps of trees that are weeds, because they do so well and drown out a lot of the slower growing natives. I mentioned water as I have seen Lombardy poplar - Populus nigra 'Italica' here and in UK, produce numerous root suckers when they are drought stressed, poplar of course liking a drink or two.
Sprout inhibitor sounds interesting, I have not come across it. UK and NZ law is quite strict on certain chemical use. Try changing the rooting environment, like changing grass for mulch, etc. Good Luck, (if not the mower sure does suppress them).