Coniferous Trees With a Tap Root
- Cypress (Taxodium spp.) trees are deciduous conifers The pond cypress (T. ascends) has a taproot. This pyramidal, upright tree grows to 80 feet tall with a 20-foot spread. It has fine, gray-green needles that turn orange in fall and produces 2-inch-long cones. Pond cypress trees thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 9 and thrive in full sun and a range of soils. Bald cypress trees (T. distichum) also have long taproots. Hardy in zones 4 to 9, these 100-foot-tall trees have a 30-foot spread and produce 1- to 2-inch cones. They grow best in full sun and thrive in a range of soils, from wet to dry.
- Several pine (Pinus spp.) trees develop taproots under certain growing conditions. The longleaf pine (P. palustris) grows to 100 feet tall with a 12-foot-long taproot. This tree lives for up to 300 years and has dark-green, 8- to 18-inch-long needles. It produces long, gray-brown cones. Longleaf pines are hardy in zones 7B to 9 and prefer full sun and a range of soils. The Ponderosa pine's (P. ponderosa) taproot grows from 3 to 6 feet long. This conifer grows to 100 feet tall with a 30-foot spread and produces red-brown, 3- to 6-inch cones. It requires full sun and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Ponderosa pines are hardy in zones 3 to 7. Other pines with taproots include the Himalayan (P. wallichiana), lodgepole (P. contorta) and sugar (P. lambertiana).
- Some fir (Abies spp.) trees have taproots. The Pacific silver fir (A. amabilis) grows up to 200 feet tall and develops a taproot when planted in deep soils. This conifer lives up to 590 years, prefers moist soil and tolerates shade. It is hardy to zone 6 and dark-green, grooved foliage. The grand or giant fir (A. grandis) grows up to 250 feet tall and develops a tap root on deep soil. Grand firs tolerate shade and prefer deep, fertile soil. They are hardy to zone 6 and have bright green needles with two stripes on the bottom.
- Other coniferous trees with taproots include the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), a fast-growing, sun-loving evergreen that can live up to 1,400 years. Douglas firs develop tap roots when planted in deep soil. They are hardy in zones 4 to 6 and grow up to 330 feet tall in their natural habitat.
Giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) form long taproots. They require full sun and prefer deep, well-drained, sandy to loamy soils. Giant sequoias are cold hardy to zone 6. They can grow up to 250 feet tall and live up to 3,000 years.
