Trees add value and beauty to your home and lawn. However, the development of tree roots and what constitutes a healthy tree is largely misunderstood. The picture many people have is a carrot type taproot structure with several smaller lateral roots branching off. While this may be true of saplings, larger trees quickly develop a completely different root structure. Determining the health of tree roots is not always easy, but the tree itself may give you visible clues.
Myth 1 - All Trees Have Tap Roots
Small trees do begin with a taproot that helps anchor the sapling into the ground. As the tree grows, the small taproot in most trees is replaced by a complex growth of lateral roots. These lateral roots can extend outward at least two to three times the radius of the canopy. For example, if the radius of the tree canopy is twenty feet, the roots could extend out as far as sixty feet or more. This provides a tremendous anchoring system and a large area for gathering nutrients.
Roots don't actually seek out water, as many people believe. Instead, roots will naturally grow where ever conditions are favorable. Small feeder roots are made of delicate, non-woody tissue that can be as thin as a hair. Large trees will have many thousands of feeder roots that extend well beyond the canopy. The larger tree roots anchor the tree and serve to transport and store nutrients. About 75% of the tree's roots will be in the top 10 to 18 inches of soil, while nearly 100% of the tree's roots will be in the top three feet of soil.
Myth 2 - Cutting Tree Roots Won't Hurt Anything
Cutting the roots won't hurt anything, right? Wrong, the tree will always be affected, but to what degree depends on several factors, including the health of the tree, where the roots were cut and how many.
There are many reasons why people may need to cut through roots. Building a retaining wall, trenching the ground to lay drainage pipe, home basement construction are just a few. In a lawn where trees are spaced far apart, a large tree's strength will depend on the health of the roots and how far the roots reach. Therefore, a detailed assessment of the tree should be made before removing any tree roots. If the tree already has some health issues, cutting too many roots could kill the tree. If the cuts are made too close to the trunk you will lose all the nutrients and stability those roots provided. In a worst-case scenario, the tree could topple over, especially if the roots on the opposite side of the tree have been restricted, diseased or damaged. A certified arborist should be consulted before any major root removal.
Myth 3 - A Tree Full of Leaves Points to a Healthy Root System
Diseased or injured trees can still put out leaves every year and is not a positive indication of health. However, certain tree conditions are clues to the tree's health and stability. If the tree has large cavities in the trunk, this is an indication of previous damage, disease or both. Mushrooms growing on the sides of trunks and branches are indications of internal rot and decay. These mushrooms, called conks, are the fruiting bodies of rot disease. Specific mushrooms growing at the base of trees or on the ground near the truck can be indications of fungal diseases and decay in the roots. Every year trees that are loaded with leaves fall during storms and root problems are often to blame.
Any conditions that indicate major health issues will need to be considered before digging around trees. You don't want to make a problem worse by digging around a tree if you have no idea how it will ultimately affect it. Also, take care when using certain herbicides around trees. A common broadleaf herbicide called Dicamba has been known to damage small feeder roots.
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