A common perception of what constitutes the components for maintaining healthy tree and plant growth is water, soil, and an established root system to absorb the two (and a little fertilizer for good measure).  To a large extent this is exactly what is needed, but a missing variable in this equation is mycorrhiza (mycorrhizae for plural).  There is a growing amount of information and literature on mycorrhiza and how it plays a vital role in determining the health of your trees, shrubs, or any vascular plant.

What the heck is mycorrhiza?  Without getting technical, it is a tiny thread-like fungus that colonize root systems, the living hosts, and provide a conduit for transporting micro-nutrients to a tree’s root system.  The fungi spread far into the soil, acting as root extensions, and more effectively absorb water and nutrients than roots alone, creating a symbiotic relationship based on nutrient exchange between the tree and root colonizing fungi.

We recommend and offer mycorrhizae products to our customers to boost the life of their deciduous and evergreen trees, and we strongly encourage their use in areas with poor nutrient soils like we can find in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.   We hope this entry introduces you to this important, and often unrecognized, fungus that can elevate the life of your trees and shrubs.