Many plants may be propagated using stem cuttinggs ... a few may be propagates from laterial root cuttings BUT I know of none that may be propagated using a trees tap root

Many plants can be propagated from taproots. Just look at how easily dandelions sprout back from small pieces of their taproots when they're left in place during weeding. I would guess that most taprooted plants (including trees), that can be propagated by root cuttings, can also be grown from taproot cuttings.

BUT, the big issue is why one would do this. Collecting near-surface lateral roots for propagation is easy and doesn't seem to significantly affect many plants. Collecting taproot cuttings, on the contrary, would require digging up the parent plant and (in many cases) subjecting the parent plant to significant transplant shock. Taproot propagation might be interesting from a scientific standpoint, but I don't see much practical value for the technique.

Yes, many taprooted tree species can be propagated from cuttings even if you aren't including grafting. If you include grafting, the possibilities increase further.

Rooted cuttings do not form taproots like seedling plants. Some may tend to grow a number of more vertical roots than other types of plants, but they aren't real taproots.

Tap roots as applied to trees is not similar to carrots or dandelions. When a tree seed germinates it sends down a taproot, often before any top growth. This anchors the seedling until the horizontal roots which are the real feeder roots, and close to surface, can grow, where most of nutrients and oxygen is available. A one hundred foot tall Redwood tree will have a tap root of no more than 5 feet deep, while lateral roots can extend 100 feet from the trunk. Al

Al, If you're referring to my first post, I didn't imply that taprooted trees were similar to dandelions. The OP asked "Can/do plants propagated asexually by cutting form taproots?", and I was answering that question. Also, the differences in taprooted trees and carrots or dandelions does not change any of the answers or make them any less valid.

No brandon7 I was not referencing your posts, only attempting to correct a general assumption regarding trees and tap roots. Trees are normally propagated in tubes open at the bottom to air prune tap roots. Tap roots are not important for trees other than for the initial anchoring of a new seedling. For good well researched root information I would refer anyone to "Roots Demystified" a recent book by Robert Kourik. Al

"Tap roots are not important for trees other than for the initial anchoring of a new seedling."

Sorry, but that's simply not the case. Some trees develop a large taproot that continues to develop as the tree matures, and these taproots may be used for food/energy storage, additional support of mature trees, and/or continue to serve as a central hub for the lateral root system. Some trees remain very sensitive to taproot removal even after a significant lateral root system is in place. I wish I could find the picture I saw the other day of a taproot the size of a small car, but Google fails me at the moment.

If you find your reference brandon7 I would be very interested in reading it. Al

Hope I'm not reading this question incorrectly. I have propagated some trees asexually by taking root cuttings from lateral roots, i.e. Euonymus europeaus and Corylus (filberts).

madrone if you read george's response to the OP, you got it correctly. Propagation from root cuttings has been known and written about since the 1600s. I would recommend a paperback book by Philip McMillan Browse, published by the Royal Horticultural Society, for providing very detailed directions for any propagator wishing to try this underused method of propagating plants. Al

So, what if you had a watermelon cutting? Watermelon usually have deep taproots (1 meter or so). Would the cutting produce smaller melons, or would the roots that aren't taproots form to compensate for that?

We are lead to believe that taproots go down and down and down, but sometimes they simply don't. Not that I have checked, of course, but I heard someone on the radio once and he said something that made sense to me (which is unusual).

I live in a clay soil area (a beautiful soil - I have no issues with it at all and it has been improved over the years with grass clippings, leaves, manure). Trees around here do not have a tap root that goes down and down and down, because of the soil. They tend to go out, out, out instead. So, not one main taproot but a cluster of roots.

I have often wondered about the root system of cuttings as opposed to the root system of seedlings. I assume that the latter have a stronger, better root system, but I don't know.

I think most of you missed the point of the original question and took it off on your own tangent...

A taproot will not form on a stem cutting of a plant that normally grows one when propagated from seed.

And just to be clear, a taproot is for anchoring primarily. Take a look at any literature out there concerning bonsai plants. Do they have a tap root? No. Do they need one? No. It is the other finer type of horizontal, vertical and surface roots that are responsible for the uptake of water/ nutrients etc.

There are bonsai specimens over 800 years old that have had no tap root since they were a sapling. They have not suffered one bit and are some of the most beautiful trees in the world.

"I think most of you missed the point of the original question..."

Yeah, I misread the original post before I made my first response. I guess I was reading too quickly or something.

"A taproot will not form on a stem cutting of a plant that normally grows one when propagated from seed."

Well, that's partly true, but not completely, depending on definitions. Some cutting grown plants, from species that typical grow taproots, can form some pretty notable vertical roots, somewhat like natural taproots.

"And just to be clear, a taproot is for anchoring primarily."

That's an over generalization, without the proper caveats.

"Take a look at any literature out there concerning bonsai plants. Do
they have a tap root? No. Do they need one? No. It is the other finer
type of horizontal, vertical and surface roots that are responsible for
the uptake of water/ nutrients etc."

Maybe I am misunderstanding the intent of your comment, but I sure hope you aren't trying to imply anything about non-bonsai plant from that example.