ups..I guesss the picture is too small.Here is the bigger one.Thanks for your patience.
Hala.{{gwi:534924}}

It looks like a Dragon's Blood Sedum perhaps.
Hope this helps.
Brenda

Thank you Brenda, for your input.I will be happy growing that cultivar of Sedum.
Hala,

It kind looks like a seedling from a smoke bush.

Are there any in the area?

GTG

Hi, Green Thumb guy.
Smoke Bush? It would be lovely.I haven't see any in my neighborhood.I had 'Golden Spire'Tree-form 7" tall Smoke Bush.Died last year from Verticillium Wilt.Left one seedling which is doing well.
Thank you very much for your reply.

I was thinking along the same line. Royal Purple smoke bush. It doesn't look fleshy enough to be a sedum.

But then, could it also be a form of barberry?

Ianna

When you removed your tree form did you just cut it down and leave the roots? Is the seedling growing in the same spot? Most standard tree forms are grafted to a hardier rootstock. Is it possible that you are getting growth from the roots of the old tree? Marg

Hi,Ianna.
thank you.
'Royal Purple Smoke bush'was my first thought.Now, after I googled Barberry for image I can see a big resemblance of the seedling to that bush.I don't know Barberry Bush,have never seen that plant and do not know about a leaf texture.My seedling has thick.stiff and rather dry,mat leaves.
Thanks again for your suggestions.I appreciate taking the time to share your knowledge.
With regards-Hala.

Hi Marg.
After I made sure that the plant is dead I grabed the trunk and carefully and slowly pulled up.Roots were rotten.The seedling I have left grows about 2 feet away and I am sure it does not grow from the root.
The one I posted , grew about 5 feet away.I ransplanted it to a better place.I dag it out with a large margin of soil and could see the plant grew from seed.
Thank you for your helpful response.
My regards.
Hala.

Oh well, just thought I'd mention it. In that case, I agree that it could be a smoke bush. If the stem is woody then it is probably the smoke bush. You could have gotten the seeds when a bird passed by and dropped it or the wind blew it in. I have lots of small clethra bushes growing that I never planted. These are all courtesy of the birds. Marg

I'm now more convinced that it is a barberry plant. I did an image search for a barberry leaf and came up with the link below on photobucket. Hope you can open it.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/barberry%20leaf/Sean_USA/delphie/Red-Barberry-leaf-droplet-700-5208.jpg

What's more I own a Royal Purple Smoke bush and note that its leaves are fine and not leathery or grainy like the one shown on your photo. Plus the veining is not at all resembling the smoke tree's leaves.

Barberries can get distributed via bird droppings and so it's not unusual that you would have something like this happening in your yard. In the south USA, they are considered an invasive species because they tend to grow wild, but in Ontario because of our weather, it's a safe species.

Ianna,
I am more convinced too that my small plant is Barberry Bush after I opened the link you posted.
I also 'googled 'Barberry Bush Leaf' for image and it confirms what you found. Great,I got beautiful bush,now I am going to learn how to grow it.
Thank you so much for taking the time to do the search and sharing your knowledge.
Hala.

If your seedling grows more and starts to grow thorns, then it is a Barberry. Used to be used for hedging on old Halifax/Nova Scotia properties, and then for some time the plant was forbidden to be sold in Canada since it was thought that the pollen it produced hindered the wheat crops in the prairies. During that time, many took the hedges out and only few were left, but now it's becoming quite popular. I like it in flower - tiny pinks that the bees truly love - but I also like the tiny bright red berries! :O) The berries are great for overwintering birds.

Hi Tiffy.
The plant is tiny,no thorns, but shows new green little leaves,grows very slowly.
Thank you so much for your informative,interesting and useful response.
With appreciation-
Hala.