From the soil to the crown, every part has a job. Explore the connections behind thoughtful tree care.
Roots
Fine roots absorb water and dissolved minerals. Larger roots anchor the tree. Much of this living network spreads through the upper soil, often beyond the canopy.
Soil compaction, buried root flares, and changes in drainage can affect the whole tree.
Fine roots absorb water and dissolved minerals. Larger roots anchor the tree. Much of this living network spreads through the upper soil, often beyond the canopy.
What an arborist looks for: Soil compaction, buried root flares, and changes in drainage can affect the whole tree.
Water and dissolved minerals move upward through xylem. Sugars made in the leaves travel through phloem to growing tissues and storage sites, including roots.
What an arborist looks for: Bark damage can interrupt living tissue. The outer bark protects the transport system beneath it.
Branches support leaves and distribute loads from gravity and wind. Their attachments, proportions, and condition matter as much as the shape of the crown.
What an arborist looks for: Cracks, dead limbs, and weak attachments deserve a closer look. Pruning decisions start with the structure.
Leaves use light, water, and carbon dioxide to make sugars through photosynthesis. Water leaving the leaves through transpiration helps pull more water up from the roots.
What an arborist looks for: Changes in leaf color, density, or timing can be clues. They need context from the tree and its site.
Roots, trunk, branches, and leaves depend on one another. A change in the soil can show up in the canopy, and lost leaf area can affect the energy available to roots.
What an arborist looks for: A green canopy alone does not establish structural safety. Tree health and tree risk need their own assessment.