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This article is about plant biology. For the Nu metal band, see Taproot (band). For the new age album by Michael Hedges, see Taproot (album). A plant's taproot is a straight tapering root that grows vertically down. It forms a center from which other roots sprout. Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant. The taproot is why dandelions are hard to uproot — the top is pulled, but the long taproot stays in the ground, and re-sprouts. A taproot system contrasts to a fibrous root system, with many branched roots. Most trees begin life with a taproot, but after one to a few years change to a wide-spreading fibrous root system with mainly horizontal surface roots and only a few vertical, deep anchoring roots. A typical mature tree 30-50 m tall has a root system that extends horizontally in all directions as far as the tree is tall or more, but well over 95% of the roots are in the top 50 cm depth of soil. Many taproots are modified to become storage organs. Some plants with taproots:
Typical taproots another word for taproot. tapers at the top and at the bottom, e.g. the taproot of a white radish. is broader than it is long, e.g. the root of a turnip. | ||||||||
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