unusual tree roots
Unusual Tree Roots - Photo: Unsplash - Emma Gossett

There are many terms for unusual roots including the following:

  • Adventitious roots are roots that grow where roots don't normally grow, for instance roots that develop an air layer
  • Coralloid roots develop at the root flare and have the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere such as cycads
  • Buttress roots help support massive canopies of trees such as Moreton Bay figs
  • Aerial roots gather moisture and support tropical plants living in the canopies of trees that grow in regions of great rainfall
  • Root regeneration zones are found at the base of palm trees and will produce new roots if the palms become stressed

Buttress Roots and Other Supporting Roots