Epicormic buds lie dormant beneath the bark, their growth suppressed by hormones from active shoots higher up the plant.
[2] Epicormic buds and shoots occur in many woody species, but are absent from many others, such as most conifers.
[4] As one of their responses to frequent bushfires which would destroy most other plants, many Eucalypt trees found widely throughout Australia have extensive epicormic buds which sprout following a fire, allowing the vegetative regeneration of branches from their trunks.
[5] Jarrah trees, found in the south-west of Western Australia, have epicormic buds which are activated after a bushfire or other extreme conditions.
[citation needed] The Mediterranean Quercus suber (cork oak) resprouts from epicormic buds after fire.