Organism
Mesquite Tree
TL;DR
A mesquite tree in the Sonoran Desert sent its taproot down 53 meters (175 feet) to reach a permanent water table.
A mesquite tree in the Sonoran Desert sent its taproot down 53 meters (175 feet) to reach a permanent water table. That's deeper than a 15-story building is tall. This extreme example demonstrates the taproot strategy: access to deep water during drought, mineral access from deep soil layers, structural anchoring against wind.
Notable Traits of Mesquite Tree
- Deepest recorded taproot (53 meters)
- Desert adaptation
- Extreme depth specialization