Redwood and Palm Root Systems

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Redwood and Palm Root Systems

Name: Susan
Status: educator
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 6/11/2004

Question:

I have heard two people in public refer to redwood trees as having relatively shallow interconnected root systems, as contrasted with, say, royal palm trees which have quite deep roots.

Is this true?

(How could such tall trees have relatively shallow root systems? How do they stand up? And how shallow IS shallow where redwoods are concerned?)

Replies:

Possibly helpful:

Roots 10-13 ft deep:

http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/environ/m3/s4/matredwoodinfo.htm

Under conditions of stress, shallow roots from burl:

http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/~jleblanc/WWW/Redwood/rdwd-Fall.html

tree root systems:

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1992/4-1-1992/treeroot.html

Anthony Brach, Ph.D

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