Exposing Root Flare -Newly planted Crape Myrtle

12 years ago

I was instructed to expose the root flare on my newly plated Crape Myrtle. I looked online to see what exactly I was looking for. When I removed the upper layers of dirt from around the 3 trunks I find what looks like a "mat" of very small roots, spread out from the trunks. Cannot see any larger roots (must all be under the mat).
What do I do, if anything, now?

Featured Answer

brandon7 TN_zone7

12 years ago

Gigim, I did see the other conversation. Personally, I might have planted it a little further out, because I like some clearance around plants and that crape myrtle will fill up that space pretty quickly. I don't think moving it is a necessity though. Most commercial nurseries would probably have planted it that close when doing a landscape job. You can prune the plant as it grows to keep it from growing over into your way on the steps. Also, I think examining the plant in context (even more than we can see in the other thread's picture) is important. In other words, looking at a picture is not like being there. Bottom line for spacing is for you to imagine the plant at it's "mature" size (and it will almost surely grow larger than that, eventually) and go from there.

A simplistic definition for adventitious root is a root that grow from the trunk, above the original root flare, when the lower part of the trunk is buried below the surface. A plant will grow these roots to compensate for being planted too deeply. Probably the biggest trouble with planting a tree a little too deeply is that adventitious roots can grow around the trunk and become girdling roots as they and the tree grow larger. If planted a lot too deep (a relative thing), lower roots may die off due to a lack of oxygen. From your description and the picture, it's very unlikely that your crape is planted deep enough for this problem, especially if it's in reasonably well draining soil.

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Comments (7)

brandon7 TN_zone7
12 years ago
You can remove the mat. Those smaller roots grew into the soil above the root flare when the tree was planted too deep. Eventually, the smaller roots could form girdling roots. If you run into larger adventitious roots (hopefully you won't), you may have to stop and make a decision about what to do from there.

Was your crape planted high enough so that you are not going to end up with a hole around the trunk? I looked back at your original picture, in the other thread, and it looks like it is, but I couldn't tell for sure.
gigim
Original Author
12 years ago
I did not go down through the "mat" to see how far down it goes. Figured I had better ask for advice before going any further. I will do that tonight. I specifically planted it "high" to allow for settling so I hope I planted high enough.

Adventitious roots? WHat are these ? If I find them do I stop and consider returning the tree to the nursery? Purchased from a very reputable grower here so I do not anticipate any problem in returning- other than the one that will arize when I ask my husband to dig it up :-(
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gigim
Original Author
12 years ago
Brandon-did you see the conversation about spacing on my earlier post? I planted it 5 feet away from the back and side walls. To bump it out more will require changing the depth of the bed and moving around some other plants. I am just a beginner gardener but I thought this was correct for a tree with a 10 foot spread???
Steve Massachusetts
12 years ago
The last arborist I talked to told me that 90% of nursery stock is planted too deep in either pots or B&B. From that point on I bare root every tree (and most shrubs) that I plant. You have to post pictures, but if you have roots that are going in the wrong direction, (i.e. not radially away from the trunk but towards it) these should be removed. Then you plant with the top of the root flare above the ground. This allows for proper exchange of gases for the tree.

You can plant at the same height that it is in the pot if you like. But if it survives you'll be lucky.

Steve
lucky_p
12 years ago
Since named-variety crape myrtles are typically propagated by rooting cuttings...do they even HAVE a 'root flare'? (Methinks not)
Is there any concern about planting a crape 'too deep'? Seems to me that if you planted 'em deeper than they were growing in the pot(within reason!) that they'd just generate additional roots and move on along with being a crape.
brandon7 TN_zone7
12 years ago
"...do they even HAVE a 'root flare'?"

Every crape myrtle I've ever seen has a rootflare! And, yes, cutting grown trees and shrubs develop rootflares. They may be of a slightly different nature than those of seedlings, but, with age, not significantly different.

"Seems to me that if you planted 'em deeper than they were growing in the pot(within reason!) that they'd just generate additional roots and move on along with being a crape."

You may be correct and potential problems may never show up, but why not remove potential girdling roots when it's so easy to do? If the average nursery was to plant this crape myrtle, it would be planted and forgot about as you suggest, but for the individual with time and the desire to maximize the potential for their plant, why not do things right. A well-spec'd ("professional") landscape job would require this type of correction.