A tree trunk that enters the ground like a telephone pole, with no visible widening at the base, often has a buried root flare.
Buried flares are common across Metro Atlanta, usually caused by trees planted too deep, fill soil added during landscaping, or mulch piled against the trunk year after year. Bark kept wet below the soil line is prone to decay, and roots that should grow outward can circle the trunk instead. These girdling roots gradually restrict the tree's water and nutrient supply.
Symptoms often appear years later as a thinning canopy, early fall color, or dieback on one side. Boutte Tree's ISA Certified Arborists uncover buried flares and check for girdling roots, often with air excavation that protects the root system during the process. Checking the base of a tree takes only a moment, and it is one of the simplest ways homeowners in Atlanta, Roswell, and Brookhaven can catch a slow problem early.
#TreeHealth #AtlantaTreeCare #RootFlare #ISACertifiedArborist
A real side-by-side from a Boutte Tree job: a trunk with no visible flare before root collar excavation, and the exposed flare after. Close-up photos of a girdling root also work well. Authentic diagnostic photos far outperform stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "No Flare at the Base? Look Closer" or "Buried Root Flares Slowly Choke Trees"