What kind of tree is that?
It’s a linden, a beautiful tree with a trunk, branches and leaves.
Heheh, you forgot about half the plant.
What are you talking about?
Come on. The part we are standing on – the roots.
You are right. Without roots there would be no tree. They take up water and nutrients – and the root cells control that process. Tiny root hairs with a large surface area allow taking up lots of water. And with lots of root tips, the plant may grow quickly to areas rich in water and nutrients.
Yes, but now you forgot something else. Another role of the root is holding the tree in place. The linden tree wouldn’t stand for long without this anchorage. As soon as the wind catches the crown there is quite a lot of pushing and pulling at the roots.
And in strong winds, shallow root trees like firs are the first to be knocked over.
Yes. Whoosh.
But back to the functions of roots: some plants use roots for storage, and of course they serve as a transport system.
So you can see – never ever forget the roots, even if they are hidden in the ground.