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Woody Roots

Image And Text Source - TREES, ASSOCIATES, and SHIGO (2 CD set).

Woody Roots

Woody roots are organs that:
1. Anchor the tree.
2. Transport free water and substances dissolved in it.
3. Store energy reserves and hold water.
4. Make substances essential for the life of the tree.

Many different types of trees in different parts of the world, in different soils, have different patterns of growth of woody roots. Here are a few examples.

Above: Two trunks connected by way of the woody roots. Connections!

Image Source - TREES, ASSOCIATES, and SHIGO (2 CD set).

A Pine tree with deep woody roots - Texas

Image Source - TREES, ASSOCIATES, and SHIGO (2 CD set).

Above: Major Anatomy features which differ between woody root and woody stem. This is a sample of a honey locust a diffuse porous tree.

Image Source - TREES, ASSOCIATES, and SHIGO (2 CD set).

Here we have a woody stem (above) and a woody root (below) partially stained with I²KI. The darker the staining - the more starch stored.

Image Source - TREES, ASSOCIATES, and SHIGO (2 CD set).

Twisted woody roots.

Pruning Woody Roots

The target for pruning woody roots is different than that of woody stems with branch collars.

To prune a woody root, use a sharp tool and make a cut like the end of a straw. Straight across. The woody roots do not have branch collars. Their anatomy is a little different than that of the stem.