The growths you describe are suckers, which are new stems produced from the root system or base of the main stem (trunk). Suckers often grow at a much more rapid pace than the growing tips of the ...
Neil Sperry gives answers on kumquats, crape myrtle aphids/scale, shade lawn fixes with mondograss, dahlias vs. zinnias, and Asian jasmine.
The spread of oak wilt in Central Texas is alarming, particularly for Red Oaks vulnerable to this fungal disease.