Girdling Roots:
Many tree species can develop potentially life-threatening girdling roots, but maple species are notorious for developing them in the landscape. As offending girdling roots expand in diameter and press against the also expanding central stem, an inevitable slow decline of the tree begins. When two roots grow together or when two branches grow together, then they can graft and share conducting tissues. However, root and stem tissues cannot graft together, and detrimental effects occur when they expand into one another.