A plant's taproot is a straight tapering root that grows vertically down. It forms a center from which other roots sprout. Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant. The presence of a taproot is why dandelions are hard to uproot — the top is pulled, but the long taproot stays in the ground, and re-sprouts. A taproot system contrasts to a fibrous root system, with many branched roots. Most trees begin life with a taproot, but after one to a few years change to a wide-spreading fibro… (More on Taproot)