What Is a Plant Taproot

By
Marie Iannotti
Garden Writer Marie Iannotti
Marie Iannotti
Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. She's also an author of three gardening books, a plant photographer, public speaker, and a former Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator. Marie's garden writing has been featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide and she has been interviewed for Martha Stewart Radio, National Public Radio, and numerous articles.
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Updated on 11/18/21
Reviewed by
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette 2018
Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. Mary is also a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

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Dandelion removal

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It can seem like plants have an endless supply of tangled roots, especially when you are trying to dig or divide them. Most plants have adapted the root structure to their growing conditions. For example, the roots of fast-growing annuals such as lettuce and coleus are shallow and tend to remain near the soil surface to take advantage of summer rains. Many plants will send their roots running down a garden bed in all directions. These rampant growers, such as Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) and several asters, can quickly become almost weedy.

Other plants have developed a surefire way to survive drought by sending their roots deep below the soil surface with a strong center root or taproots. If you have ever tried to pull a dandelion out of the ground with your hand, you encountered a taproot holding its ground.

What Is a Taproot?

As the name implies, a taproot is typically a long and somewhat thick root that taps deep down into the soil. It is the first root to appear from the seed and remains the largest, central root of the plant. Carrots, parsnips, and dandelions are all considered taproots.

Lateral roots will branch off from the taproots and then more lateral roots will form from the initial lateral roots, but the central taproot will remain the largest and will burrow down into the soil the deepest. A good example is a common carrot. The part you eat is the taproot, but you will also notice smaller roots all along the central root.

Carrots are an example of conical taproots, but taproots do not have to be straight or even tapered. Radishes are also taproots, but theirs are wide in the middle and taper at the bottom and often at the top. They are a fusiform taproot. Then there are the napiform taproots such as beets, that are wide across the top, becoming very thin at the bottom. The shape may change, but the function remains the same: to keep the root deep enough in the soil to access water.

Benefits of Plants With Taproots

Plants with taproots tend to be very drought tolerant. Many desert plants can send roots down more than 75 feet allowing them to find water, even in dry climates or conditions. Taproots can also serve to store food reserves, making them even more self-sufficient and resilient.

Drawbacks of Taproots

Because the taproot goes so deeply into the soil, it can be very hard to dig and lift a taprooted plant. Think of the dandelions in the yard.

Dividing taprooted plants is another challenge. You can't simply break off parts of the crown, with roots attached, as you would with a plant structure like a daylily or coreopsis because you need to get a piece of that taproot with each division. But again, think back to the dandelion and you'll understand that it's not impossible.

Taproots often form offshoots near the crown. These are called necks. If your plant has these, you can cut off each neck that has some smaller roots attached to it and replant with success. Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) can often be divided this way.

If no offshoots have formed, you can still try taking a small piece of the actual taproot, with at least one eye and some smaller roots attached, and replant. Much like a beheaded dandelion, it will send up a new shoot.

Young seedlings of taproot plants are much easier to transplant. Plants such as butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) will set many seedlings, so you shouldn't need to disturb the original plant.

Plants With Taproots

It's hard to give a definitive list of taprooted plants because many plants and most trees start out with taproots but will switch to sending out lateral roots closer to the soil surface once they are established. Tomato plants grown from seed tend to send down a tap root, but those grown from cuttings do not.

Root vegetables, including jicama, parsnips, salsify, and turnips, are considered taproots. Several weeds such as plantain and kudzu survive with the help of taproots.

Some common garden flowers and herbs (along with their cultivars) that have taproots include the following:

Article Sources
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. The Hidden World of Roots. Washington State University

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