Hair Roots

Hair roots (often mislabeled as fine roots or feeder roots) are also called a root hairs or trichoblasts.  They are a thin extension of a root cell that increases the surface area for water and nutrient absorption. They are only present on young roots that have not developed a protective layer of cells called the epidermis. Hair roots are very delicate and can be easily damaged by soil disturbance or drought. Hair roots can increase the surface area of the root by up to 600 times .