Field Grown Tree Root Structures

Field-grown trees develop typical tree root structures, roots extend far beyond the tree's top growth in all directions.

Harvesting reduces these root structures substantially, and the tree must recover from the harvesting process after it is planted in the landscape.

Some field grown trees do not show visible trunk flare, usually because they were planted too deep in the nursery or extra dirt was accidentally added on top of the root ball during production. This condition can lead to trunk rot or deformed root formation in the landscape.

Field Harvesting The roots are severed to create a root ball. About 20% of the roots are within the ball and about 80% of the roots remain in the ground.
No Visible Trunk Flare When the tree does not show good trunk flare, the tree may have excess dirt on top of the root ball. This means that there are less roots in root ball and that some are, or may become, deformed. Note the dark area on the trunk indicating the amount of the damp extra soil removed, and not one root has been exposed.	Root ball did not hold together in handling prior to planting. The root structure was inadequate to hold the ball together.
Good root structure. Easy to see with the dirt removed, but difficult to see with the ball intact.	Poor root structure. Again easy to see with the dirt removed, but impossible to see with the ball intact.
20 identical looking field-grown trees planted at the same time. All were watered the same way and at the same times. Within 120-days, two show they will not survive. The only differences was the root ball.

Site Menu

Root Links:

Off-Site Links:

Important Notes:

Trees grown in the field have three major root structure problems:

The trees roots are cut off at the ball wall at harvesting leave many important root structures in the ground. The harvested roots within the root ball then have to heal and are subject to disease.

There are limited fibrous roots within the root ball because the majority of these structures were severed from the root ball and left in the ground. The limited fibrous root structures in the ball provide the only root notes need to grow new roots in the landscaped.

Upward directed root structures form if the tree was planted too deep in the field or field soil was, by mistake or happenstance, added abound the trunk anytime after planting.