How many meters do tree roots go down?

Trees have roots

The roots of the trees are a true masterpiece of nature. From the first moment in which the seed germinates, they go in search of the much-needed water to keep the plant alive. A water that contains the minerals it needs to grow. But not only that, but also, thanks to the pivot, which is the thickest of all, it is well anchored on the floor. In this way, no matter how strong the wind blows, it will be difficult for it to start.

Although they also have a drawback, and that is that in that incessant search for water, depending on the species, it can damage the pipes or any construction. To avoid it, I'm going to tell you how many meters do tree roots go down.

What are the roots of the trees like?

Trees are perennials

Before going into the subject, it is important to first talk a little about the characteristics of the root system of trees, since this way it will be easier for you to avoid problems. Well, what you should know is that the roots, from the moment the seed germinates until almost the end of the life of the plants, form a network as they search for water.

This network at the beginning has a clear primary or main root, which is the so-called pivoting, which is in charge of anchoring the trees to the ground, but as the trees grow, the roots become mostly superficial, and only a few continue to grow vertically. In fact, if we take as an example an adult tree of about 50 years, we can be sure that about 90% of the roots are in the first 50 centimeters of the ground. But there is still more.

And the fact is that the size of the entire root system of a tree tends to coincide (more or less) with that of its crown, something that makes sense if we think that all those branches have to receive water that their roots get -in most of occasions- from the earth to produce leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. This means that if we have a tree whose crown measures about 2 meters in diameter by 3 meters at its highest point, its roots will occupy about 2 meters in diameter (in this case, the depth is not taken into account because it is difficult for them to go down at a meter or more).

How many meters do they go down?

How deep the roots go down depends on several things: the type of soil, of the plant species in questionAnd also of the amount of water in the earth. Generally, the wetter a soil is, the longer its root system will be.

Still, You should know that the vast majority of trees, specifically, 80% of them, as well as the vast majority of their roots, only go down to 60cm. From there, they unfold their roots horizontally. The roots of the remaining 20% ​​can penetrate more than 2m underground, so they will have to be planted far from any construction.

Deep taproot trees

As you are surely wondering what those trees with deep roots are, we could not finish this article without mentioning the most important ones:

Genus Ficus

View of Ficus benjamina

Image - Wikimedia / Forest and Kim Starr

Ficus are trees, shrubs or climbers native to the intertropical zone of the world. Many species are used as indoor or garden planting, such as the Ficus line up, Ficus benjamina or robust ficus. Its height is variable, but can easily exceed 10 meters, and its roots extend for several meters in all directions.

Genus Pinus

Coniferous pines with powerful roots

Image - Flickr / CARLOS VELAZCO

Pinus (or pines) are arboreal or shrub conifers with a crown that is usually pyramidal, or sometimes wide and rounded, which can reach 30 meters. The best known and most used species are the Pinea pine, propagating through a pine forest (Pinus halepensis).: (Pinus sylvestris).

Genus Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus are trees

The Eucalyptus (eucalyptus) are trees native especially to Australia and New Guinea. It has a rapid growth rate, and they can measure more than 60 meters. Its roots, apart from being unsuitable for growing in a small garden, prevent other plants from growing around them. Interesting species for very large plots are for example the Eucalyptus deglupta for tropical climates, or the eucalyptus camaldulensis.

Non-invasive rooted trees

If you are looking for plants whose root system is more superficial and non-invasive, I recommend more those of these genera:

Genus Citrus

Citrus are fruity

Citrus or citrus are evergreen arboreal or shrubby fruit trees that reach a height of 5 to 15 meters. They are native to tropical and subtropical Asia, and there are many species that produce delicious fruits, such as the Citrus reticulata (tangerine), citrus x paradise (grapefruit), or the Citrus x sinensis (Orange tree).

Genus Lagerstroemia

View of Lagerstroemia

Image - Flickr / Joel Abroad

Lagerstroemia are trees and shrubs native to tropical areas of Asia. They can grow up to 10 meters, and produce lots of purple or white flowers. The best known species is the Lagerstroemia indica, popularly called as the Jupiter tree.

Genus Cercis

Cercis are low-rooted trees

Image - Wikimedia / Batsv

Cercis are deciduous trees native to Europe, Asia, and North America. They reach low heights, between 6 and 10 meters, with a wide crown that fills with pink flowers in spring, like the Cercis siliquastrum or cercis chinensis.

Do you know other trees that are not invasive?


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  1.   Planting diary said

    The fig tree and the mulberry tree have very problematic roots that spread a lot. 🙂

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Very true. They must be located away from pipes, floors, etc. to be able to enjoy its beauty without problems. 🙂

  2.   Abel juarez said

    Hello, I plan to plant thunder on a green roof, but I don't know how deep the root is. Could you help me? Thanks!

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Abel.
      Sorry, I don't know what tree that is. Do you know the scientific name, or do you have a photo (if so, you can send it to our Facebook profile)?
      A greeting.

  3.   Sara said

    Hi, I'm doing a school work on roots. Could you suggest me some bibliography