Typically a shoot has leaves attached to a stem. The apex of the stem has an actively growing apical bud . It produces additional nodes and internodes to add to the length of the shoot.
Additional leaves appear at the nodes as they are produced.
In some plants, the lateral bud located in the axil of each leaf does not grow to form branches, especially at first. This condition is known as strong apical dominance . This auxin is transported basipetally from the apical bud. The auxin causes the lateral buds to remain dormant. The difference in response between the two kinds of buds is explained in their sensitivity to the auxin concentration.