Aerial roots on non tropical deciduos trees.

[Ville]

Hi!
So as the title says I would like to hear your thoughts about aerial roots on deciduos trees.

I have not found any information about the subject and I'm wondering: why not?
I know many species do grow them on right conditions.
Is it just the traditions and old "rules" that keeps people from not making theese "banyan style" trees from non tropical deciduos species?

I have started to desing sort of a "banyan style" tree from apple tree (malus domestica).
I digged this tree from construction site a couple years ago.
It had sprouted from the the root of an old apple tree. Hare had kept it short and it had some caracter.
Originaly I planed to make a clump style tree from it as it had 5 trunks from the nice start of a nebari.
White tail deer and hares desided other wise and ate the tree down to the nebari.
This tree has a tendency to grow roots from the trunk and branches so it should be suitable for the style imho.
Please share your toughts about the subject and if you have pictures to share it would be even better.

- Ville

 

[Shibui]

I've seen junipers start aerial root stubs/buds when humidity is really hight but they rarely develop further. At most I occasionally get a root close to the ground make it into the soil and grow but that's not really aerial roots IMHO. I would not expect to see aerial roots running from branches down to the soil below, for example.
Some apple root stocks also develop clusters of very short roots but always very close to the ground. Again, aerial roots is not something we would expect to see on older apples.

Feel free to develop a deciduous tree with aerial roots. I ,for one, would like to see the concept made real but I don't think this will be a viable style. Just because we can doesn't mean we should.

 

[Mats Hagström]

Fine roots die if exposed to air. They dry out. Large roots do fine like exposed roots. Getting aerial roots without the humidity may not work. I'm sure it can be done but the roots need to be protected from dry air until they reach maturity, Does not seem appealing for the effort needed. I'm sure it can be done in some form. I have found Parrotia perisica to grow profound amounts of roots anywhere the bark is kept wet. You can air layer these trees without cutting the bark. Getting the roots to the ground is a different story. Post pics if it ever works out.

 

[leatherback]

I think it is not done because you never see mature trees with aerial roots outside of the tropics. Or, maybe I should say, I have never seen mature trees outside of the tropics with aerial roots. Be curious to see pictures of examples that you refer to.

 

[Ville]

I hear you guys.
Now I realise that speaking of aerial roots was little mis leading. Maybe I should have said exposed roots that look like aerial roots.
Any way I was thinking more of the looks and style than definition of aerial roots.
I can post a picture of this apple tree later to day.

Thank you for your replies.

-Ville

 

[leatherback]

You mean Neagari, exposed root?

 

[nuttiest]

Some varieties of apple make round patches of undifferentiated cells, there is a name for it. It is generally considered undesirable, but I think it is cool. The roots dry up and turn into scar tissue and look like little burls.

 

[Ville]

You mean Neagari, exposed root?

View attachment 605475

I mean

You mean Neagari, exposed root?

View attachment 605475

Not exactly.
I mean growing roots on the trunk and branches like banyan tree with aerial roots.

 

[KateM]

You really need to show us a pic of your tree...
I am guessing when suckers come up from the roots they might be at a distance from a main trunk and have their own roots growing down at the point of emergence?
If those roots and the roots of a main trunk are exposed it might look somewhat like a banyan?

 

[Ville]

It is a bit difficult to take good picture this tree because I have aplyed so much spaghnum moss but I'll try.
The first picture shows a chued up branch that has some roots growing.
Roots on this branch were the ones gave me the idea.
Summer 2024 I pretty much forgot this tree and it was completly covered with gras and other weeds. I think this caused moist enviroment that allowed this root to grow in to the soil.

 

[Ville]

I think I'll let this tree grow now and take a peek under the moss after the leaves have dropped.