Large trees often have roots protruding out of the ground around the base of the trunk (such as the ones that can push up sidewalks next to the tree). When is it safe to cut those roots (that might be a hazard to people running in the area near the tree), and when should you be worried about that causing damage to the tree?
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1Some plants are more sensitive to root damage than others. What kind of trees are they? Also, potassium and other nutrient levels in the soil may make a difference, as would humidity, light levels, and maybe also climate.– BrōtsyorfuzthrāxCommented May 12, 2016 at 22:36
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Which way does the wind blow, and how hard does it blow?– Wayfaring StrangerCommented Aug 2, 2017 at 14:38
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Just add soil and compact it - no more tripping hazard. What do you mean "if I damage a tree will it be damaged"? At least ask if it will be killed or stunted.– VoracCommented Jul 6 at 0:02
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3 Answers
TL; DR;
- Measure the trunk diameter,
- multiply by 18
- don't touch anything within that distance from the tree.
E.g. a trunk of diameter 20cm(8") would expect a 3.6 meter(12 foot) radius of healthy undisturbed roots at bare minimum.
There is some guidance here
It is difficult to say how much of a tree's root system can be removed. I prefer to talk about how close to the tree you can cut roots. I teach a concept called "Critical Root Radius (CRR)" which recommends not cutting roots inside the CRR. This Critical Root Radius (radius, not diameter, in feet) is calculated by measuring the diameter (not radius or circumference) of the trunk (in inches, not feet) at four and one-half feet from the ground and multiplying by 1.5. A tree with a five-inch diameter trunk (at the four and one-half foot level) will have a CRR of 7.5 feet. The CRR provides a general guideline.
and here
Balance between the tree’s crown (top) and root system is important for maintaining healthy trees. When roots are lost for any reason, the imbalance creates stress. A tree usually has 4 to 7 major roots. Cutting just one of them within a few feet of the trunk can remove up to 25 percent of the root system.
Removing large or major roots from a tree is going to have a detrimental effect on the health of the tree i.e.
- Weaken it from a structural point of view.
- Put it into shock, stress.
- The wound(s) caused by the removal of such roots can allow disease to enter.
Any of those could easily lead to the tree dying.
Removing "sucker" roots, if done properly, should have no long term negative effects on the health of a tree, assuming they weren't sent up as a sign of stress (see below), even then they can be removed as the tree has much greater problems that need addressing (if possible, feasible to-do-so)...
Some trees by their very nature are prone to send up "sucker" roots eg
Anything in the Ficus genus via below comment from Lisa
Other times "sucker" roots can be a sign a tree is in stress, and those roots have been sent up (above ground) as a survival mechanism eg
Underground roots have been damaged
Overlay compacted soil
Drought (lack of moisture in the soil)
To remove "sucker" roots, use an appropriate sized pair of hand pruners or a pruning saw, make sure the pruning tool is shape and the cutting area is clean (use something like rubbing alcohol or a mixture of one part household bleach to 10 parts water). It's good practice to clean your pruning tool after working on each tree (plant, shrub, etc), as doing so helps prevent the spread of diseases if present. If you're really concerned about diseases being spread, you can of course clean your pruning tool after each cut.
Remove the "sucker" roots via a clean cut, either at:
The soil line (or as close as possible to the soil line)
Just below the soil line, accomplished after careful removal of the surrounding soil to allow such a cut to be made. The soil can be returned to the area once the cut has been made.
Do keep in mind, just because you remove "sucker" roots once does not mean the tree will not send up more, in fact you might find the tree sends up even more...
answered Jul 13, 2011 at 21:28
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2How do you distinguish between major and sucker roots, and how should sucker roots properly be removed?– jrdiokoCommented Jul 13, 2011 at 21:33
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1@jrdioko, Rightly or wrongly, I am under the impression that one or two here don't like me directing people away from this site for answers, but if you're really unsure in this case (don't want to kill the tree), I would recommend contacting a local arborist and get them to come out & evaluate your particular situation. Commented Jul 13, 2011 at 21:47
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5@jrdioko, As a voluntary tree warden in my local area, I always advise people who want to carry out this sort of work on a large tree, not to attempt it themselves, but to consult an an arborist, as Mike has suggested. Commented Jul 13, 2011 at 22:14
Years ago, we did some landscaping and had to trench a water line across our front lawn into our home. In order to do that, we cut through an approx. 8" diameter root of a pine tree, that was probably 30 feet high,and 40 years old. That didn't seem to bother it at all.
