A tree can look completely healthy above ground while its own roots are slowly strangling it below the surface. Girdling roots happen when roots wrap around the trunk instead of growing outward, often because a tree was planted too close to a sidewalk, driveway, or foundation.
Over years, the wrapped root tightens like a belt and restricts the tree's circulation. ACE Tree Service finds this most often on trees planted along Birmingham's older streets and established subdivisions, where root space was limited from the day they went into the ground.
The challenge is that a tree with girdling roots can appear fine for a long time before it starts declining, which is why an early assessment matters. Depending on severity, correction can be as simple as targeted root pruning.
Wondering whether a tree near your driveway or sidewalk might be affected? A professional evaluation can tell you before symptoms show.
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Authentic photo of exposed girdling roots at a tree's base during a root collar excavation, showing the wrapped root pressing into the trunk.
Canva text suggestion: "Root problems don't show themselves right away" or "Healthy above, strangled below"