Root damage poses a challenge for homeowners because it is often not obvious at first inspection. Suffocation can be hidden until many months or years after the damage. To effectively evaluate a tree's level of root damage, a professional urban forester or arborist should be contacted.
Common damage:
Root failure
Erosion
Suffocation

Root failure Common root failure from wind storm Oklahoma 1999

Courtesy of The Tree Bank Foundation

Root failure is caused by a substantial force exerted on a tree to the point that roots lose contact with the soil; they snap and/or come out of the ground. The connection of roots to the soil is the stabilizing mechanism for trees and when enough of this connection is broken, failure results.

Root failure is more likely with:
       Shallow root system
       Previously damaged roots
       Large ice accumulations on large, old trees
       Disconnection of roots from soil due to flooding
For very young trees, re-staking a tree that has had partial root failure may help the tree survive by growing new roots. However, for older mature trees, root failure is either immediately fatal or results in tree leaning. Trees that lean pose a potential hazard now and into the future, and monitoring them should be a main priority.
Root damage Colonial Beach, VA 2003

© Andrea Booher/FEMA

Erosion around a tree from wind storms (high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes) or water causes roots to be exposed and die from drying out, insect damage, or fungus. Roots must maintain contact with the soil, and any time that connection is broken for a substantial period of time, either by air or water, root death will occur.

Root suffocation is the death of roots from their inability to absorb oxygen from the soil. This suffocation results from the soil being saturated for long periods during floods and hurricane caused standing water. A primary function of roots is the absorption of oxygen from the soil, which allows for the processing of food. When roots are not able to obtain oxygen, they eventually die and provide an opportunity for fungus and bacteria to enter the tree. There is no cure or remediation for root suffocation; once the roots have quit processing oxygen and have died, the tree will eventually die also.

Suffocating roots Suffocating roots, trees standing in water Breckinridge, MN 1997

© David Saville/FEMA News Photo


Common root damage

Tornado
Root failure
Erosion 		                                            Ice Storm
Root failure
High winds
Root failure
Erosion       		                                             Floods
Root failure
Erosion
Suffocation
Hurricane
Root failure
Erosion		                                            
The storm names link to general information about each storm.


How damaged roots weaken a tree:

      Support to keep the tree standing is weakened,
           causing tree to topple

      Reduced ability to move water and food through
           the tree

      Opening for insects and disease

Determining the extent of damage
will take you through the process of evaluating the damage to your tree.



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