Is My Lemon Tree Dead?

Question

I got this tree a year and a half ago, last spring it was full of leaves and produced a lovely big lemon. since last fall its been down to sticks, but recently new leaves have started to grow at the base, is it just teasing me and will soon be green again? thanks a lot

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Answer 1

Most likely that was a grafted lemon tree (I see a bulb in the trunk above the new leaves). Scratch off some trunk or stem bark above the graft. If it is green, there is hope for survival. If it is white, the upper part is dead. The graft rootstalk may grow but the resulting tree would be inferior to what was grafted on top.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/lemons/suckers-on-lemon-trees.htm