With the increasing levels of rainfall every year, more trees are at risk of being uprooted. Several reasons lead to the tree’s root weakening and eventually falling over. This leaves us questioning whether uprooted trees can stand back up. 

Yes, uprooted trees can stand back up. However, this relies heavily on the uprooted tree’s size and condition. For example, if the uprooted tree is enormous, then little can be done about it. However, smaller trees have better chances of standing back up if they get uprooted.

Keep reading to find out more about why trees get uprooted, why larger trees may not stand back up, and how long an uprooted tree can live! 

Why Do Storms Uproot Trees?

When heavy storms and winds occur, only some trees get uprooted, while others do not. There are several reasons explaining this. Firstly, the depth and strength of a tree’s roots play an integral part in deciding whether a tree gets uprooted.

Adding to that, the strength of a tree’s wood is also a contributing factor when it comes to getting uprooted. Stronger woods are more resilient against heavy storms as compared to weaker woods. Furthermore, the shape of the crown also has an impact on whether trees can get uprooted.

Further reasons that result in trees getting uprooted are as follows:

Root Damage

When the roots of a tree get weakened, it is more likely that the tree will fall over. This happens because the roots cannot support the tree’s weight. 

Wood Decay

As the wood of a tree starts to decay, it becomes increasingly prone to falling over. Like root damage, this also occurs because the decaying tree trunk can no longer hold down the tree’s weight. 

Disruptive Infrastructure Development 

With the continuous urbanization around us, more buildings, houses, markets, etc., need to be built. This damages the soil around the trees, leaving them with insufficient nutrients to enrich the tree. 

Shallow And Unfavourable Soil 

If a tree is planted in shallow soil, its roots cannot go deep enough into the ground and be strengthened enough to anchor the tree. This will result in the toppling of trees as their roots will not be able to hold them against strong winds.  

How Can Trees Stand Back Up After Getting Uprooted?

For an uprooted tree to stand back up, there needs to be a lot of force and compression that push the tree back into its original position. Sometimes, it can even be the tree’s weight that is sufficient to provide this force.

Therefore, something as little as a light gust of wind can also be enough for an entire uprooted tree to spring back into its vertical position. However, it is improbable for trees to spring back upright after a storm. Contrastingly, it is a lot more common for trees to fall and continue staying down.

Trees can also return to their original position if the storms cause them to end up falling on top of each other. Furthermore, as people continue to walk over the area surrounding a fallen tree, disturbances in the ground from their footsteps may also cause the tree to spring upright. This depends on the degree of tension the tree is under.

Can Uprooted Trees Be Saved?

Having mentioned the reasons that lead to trees getting uprooted, let’s explore how an uprooted tree can potentially be saved. The size of the tree and the condition it is in after being uprooted are the two primary reasons that decide whether a tree can be saved.

These are important because if you come across a huge, uprooted tree, it is less likely that you might be able to save it. The massive size and weight will require heavy equipment for the tree to be lifted. Therefore, even if you can secure it back into the soil, a tree so large will most likely not be able to sustain itself for long.

This is so because the larger a tree is, the more extensive the root system it has to keep it deeply anchored to the soil. This helps the weight of the tree’s trunk and branches to be upheld. 

As uprooting extensively damages this root system, the remaining roots are insufficient for the tree to be anchored and for nutrients to be absorbed from the soil.

However, there are greater chances of a smaller tree being saved after uprooting. Since it does not suffer as much as a large tree, most roots remain unexposed in the soil. Therefore, you must immediately cover the exposed roots to prevent them from drying.

Following this, you must dig out the soil below the exposed roots. Then, you must cut off any shattered roots and replant the tree back in its vertical position. The soil around it should be packed tightly and provided with the necessary water.

Can An Uprooted Tree Be Replanted?

It is possible to replant an uprooted tree, but it must be done with great care to avoid further damage to the tree. An ideal situation would be one where you should easily be able to lift the tree back into its original position without having to twist and turn it.

When replanting a tree, transplant shock is also possible, which means the tree will no longer be any good. However, if the uprooted tree only suffered minimal damage and was provided the necessary care, it might be able to pull itself through the incident.

Additionally, successfully replanting an uprooted tree also depends on the tree type. For example, if you are replanting an uprooted palm tree, you will not be able to assess whether the replantation was successful for at least six months or more.

For palm trees, in particular, you should make an uprooted tree stand back as soon as possible. Moreover, you must be sure to replant it at the same level of depth as it was previously planted. Then, you should wait six months to see new leaves emerging from the roots. 

Final Takeaway

In conclusion, it can be observed that uprooted trees can stand back upright. However, this is heavily dependent on the size of the tree and the conditions that the uprooted tree is in, with further care required for its revival.