Return to top General Considerations Pertaining to Any Tree Removal Tree Roots. The root systems of trees form an interlocking network, especially on many shoreline sites where rooting can be shallow. Often rooting is only two to three feet deep. The depth of root penetration is largely a function of soil depth and type, soil moisture, and the presence or absence of a dense layer of clay or till. These factors have a greater influence on rooting than any tendency of a tree to develop a characteristically deep or shallow root system.
Trees compensate for shallow rooting by increased spread of root systems.
Recent research has indicated that a tree's root system will extend considerably beyond the dripline, often as much as two to three times as far. Extensive lateral root systems are common where soil moisture is excessive, soil is shallow, and impervious soil layers impede vertical growth. Where soils are porous, well-drained, deep, and no impervious layer exists, deeper rooting will occur. Generally, the influence of a tree's roots on a given site will be related to the tree's age and size. Larger trees will have more extensive, often deeper and better developed root systems.