Stem Girdling Roots: The Underground Epidemic Killing our Trees

Abstract

In partnership with Xcel Energy and the USFS, the University of Minnesota Urban Forestry Outreach and Research lab produced this report which details the importance of diagnosing, preventing and correcting stem girdling roots. Stem girdling roots (SGRs) are dysfunctional root systems that grow against a tree's stem, compressing the sapwood and preventing vital nutrients from being delivered to and from the roots. This report details the negative consequences of SGRs for the health of the tree, safety of the community, as well as the economic and emotional losses of tree fatalities resulting from this preventable condition.