Whitebeam 'Secondary ?' Root growth

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GrahamFramhii

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IMG_0796.JPG I am in the process of removing soil and rubble which had been heaped up around the base of a mature whitebeam several years ago.
This has revealed what appears to be 'secondary' root growth. The attached image shows the current state of play - I have yet to get down to the original ground level.
The tree appears to be in good health and is around 50 years old.

Will removing these roots harm the tree?
 
The adventitious roots likely only developed because of the soil being piles up around the trunk.

I'd lower the soil level to where it was when the tree grew and remove the adventitious roots.

What does the rest of the deformed part of the trunk look like?
 
noroots.jpg

Example of a peach planted too deeply. Primary root system completely rotted away, secondary roots supporting foliage. I see this in the landscape as this tree will just tip out of the ground.
Note also the rodent damage on the lower stem.
 
The adventitious roots likely only developed because of the soil being piles up around the trunk.

That would be my guess as well.

I wouldn't actually remove the roots. I'd replace the dirt to the left and a little on the sides just to cover the roots, without heaping it back up on the trunk where it was.

Any thought's on that @ATH ?
 
Depends on the circumstances...most of the time I want to get down to the primary roots.

Advantageous (or secondary) roots will not be structurally sound. Think of them as the tree's final attempt at salvaging life. If the tree is very healthy and there are good primary roots I'd find them and excavate down to them leaving the previously buried trunk exposed.

If the tree is otherwise struggling, I'd have a discussion with the owner: we can keep it buried to keep the secondary roots functional....but that doesn't bode well for the long-term structure of the root system. We may get several more years out of the tree, but not often decades.
 
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