Stem girdling roots
- Affected trees are often stunted, exhibit poor summer color, change color and lose their leaves early in the fall
- Affected trees commonly exhibit water-stress symptoms such as marginal leaf scorch, wilting, sudden leaf fall
- Affected trees commonly exhibit excessive and abnormal winter damage including true frost cracks and dieback
- A root circling or running against one or more sides of the trunk of the tree may be seen at the soil line
- The trunk may become sunken in or compressed where it contacts the root
- If the girdling root is below ground, the trunk will lack the natural widening or flare at the soil line so will go straight into the earth like a telephone pole; trees often exhibit an abnormal lean
- Many weak young shoots/sprouts at the base of the tree
- Trees break off at the soil line during wind storms
- More information on Stem girdling roots...
