When you look at a tree, you may assume that the length of its roots spans only about as far as the width of its crown. Well, that would be very wrong! A trees roots’ can easily grow beyond the width of its crown, and can even extend two to three times the crown’s radius!

The total root length of large deciduous trees is well over 100 km. These roots can grow to be as much as a quarter of the tree’s total weight.

Speaking of roots, it’s also worth noting that roots perform very versatile functions. The mechanical function is mainly performed by taproots, which absorb nutrients from the soil and supply them to younger and smaller roots. The health of a plant is maintained by fibrous roots, which develop up to 80 cm below the ground, where there is a rich supply of oxygen and water.