Do roots "backbud?"

I would guess that this is species dependent, but just curious if anyone has any takes on this question.  The behavior of the roots is shrouded in mystery or more accurately, soil, so we don't really get a chance to see how they respond to pruning except during the occasional repotting. Ficus are capable of throwing roots just about anywhere they please (even in the air). But most pines, on top anyways, are more much more reluctant to backbud.  Do their roots behave in the same way?  Most deciduous can backbud when cut to a stump.  Do their roots behave in the same way.  Feel free to comment on your experience with other species.

Succesful experience (sometimes accidental):

- Malus *
- Prunus *
- Pyrus
- Crataegus
- Acer campestre
- Ulmus parviflora
- Ginkgo biloba

* : various species

Not sure about Zelkova, but I have one in my garden that produces shoots from roots away from the trunk, so it might be possible.

Impossible (from what I've tried and what I've read):

- Acer buergerianum
- Acer palmatum
- most (if not all) conifers

Southern Chinese elms ----------- from root cuttings

Local willow leaf type ficus ------------ from root cuttings

Chinese Serissa ---- exposed root needs to develop a shoot before cutting off the main plant.

You can easily get J.b.pines from young shoots [ See Ausbonsai for how ] and I can get 1 or 2 out of
5 hardwood cuttings to root.

The elm root cuttings will often have more personality and no need to wire.
Laters.
Khaimraj

Useful information, but I think you guys are missing my intended meaning (my fault). Let me take another stab. We speak of "adventitious buds" creating new foliage, often in response to pruning. But, do roots have a similar mechanism for creating new root tips when a root is trimmed back.

Almost all roots back bud. Not quite correct horticultural terminology, as the cell types are very different, but essentially root cells will develop as and when needed in most species, even from old woody roots.

That is seen when we repot and root prune trees.

MrFancyPlants wrote:Useful information, but I think you guys are missing my intended meaning (my fault). Let me take another stab. We speak of "adventitious buds" creating new foliage, often in response to pruning. But, do roots have a similar mechanism for creating new root tips when a root is trimmed back.

Then the answer is:

NO. Roots don't bear buds.
YES. That's why we trim roots when repotting.
MAYBE. Still not clear what yu're asking for.

A far-fetched question that could have saved us a lot of time if it had been put the right way from the beginning.

I answered it just because I wanted to keep the forum alive.

It will probably live on without me now.

BrendanR wrote:Almost all roots back bud.  Not quite correct horticultural terminology, as the cell types are very different, but essentially root cells will develop as and when needed in most species, even from old woody roots.  

That is seen when we repot and root prune trees.

After a bit more research, "adventitious roots" is an accepted term. We tend to think of some species as just being "touchy" around the roots, and the general recommendation is to not remove more than a certain percentage of the roots in any one reporting. Podocarpus, for example. What I am wondering is if maybe it is a reluctance to form adventitious roots is what we are experiencing.

Seriously recommend you buy this book - bonsai horticulture, current as at today, properly explained:

Modern Bonsai Practice: 501 Principles of Good Bonsai Horticulture

by Larry W Morton

Thanks for the reference! Maybe it will lend some advise for my other question posed about the the effects of multiple sacrifice branches on auxin flow?

my experience is that all trees will grow roots from the base of the trunk, given time. Most deciduous trees do this readily and fast. Pines and most coniferous trees are much slower and so one has to be careful to not prune roots back as hard

my experience is that all trees will grow roots from the base of the trunk, given time. Most deciduous trees do this readily and fast. Pines and most coniferous trees are much slower and so one has to be careful to not prune roots back as hard. Hence it is possible to air layer trees, but not perhaps pines