Tree Root Problems

Root problems are the hardest to see and usually the most serious. By the time symptoms show up in the canopy, the damage below has often been developing for years.

Girdling roots

A girdling root wraps around the trunk instead of growing outward, slowly strangling the tree. Signs:

• Trunk goes straight into the ground with no visible flare
• Sunken area on one side of the base
• Thin canopy or dieback on the same side as the girdling root
• Common on trees planted too deep or left in the burlap

Correction: an arborist can excavate and cut the girdling root, but early intervention matters. Once a tree has been girdled for a decade, the damage may be irreversible.

Root damage from construction

The single most common cause of "mystery" tree death in Brunswick County is construction damage from 2–5 years earlier. Trenching for utilities, compacting soil under a driveway, or scraping a lot for building all cut or suffocate roots. Trees look fine for a while, then decline suddenly.

If you're planning any work within 20 feet of a mature tree, involve an arborist first. Root protection zones and hand-digging around key roots can save trees that would otherwise die slowly.

Roots lifting hardscape

Sidewalks, driveways, and patios cracked by roots are annoying, but cutting the offending roots often destabilizes the whole tree. Options:

• Grind down the hardscape rather than the roots where possible
• Install root barriers on new hardscape installations
• Consult an arborist before removing structural roots — some trees are one bad root cut away from falling

Rotted or exposed roots

Exposed roots after erosion or storm surge are structurally compromised. Roots you can see aren't holding the tree. Combined with a lean, this is an emergency.

Waterlogged roots

Sandy Brunswick County soils usually drain well, but low-lying lots and heavy clay pockets can hold water for days. Roots suffocate within about 72 hours underwater. Trees near frequently flooded areas need species matched to the site — bald cypress and sweetbay magnolia handle it; loblolly pine and dogwood do not.