It is used extensively in windbreaks in the Great Plains.

in general. you would take about a 6 inch cutting.

including near the cut some 2 year old wood [different bark color] and treat it with a rooting hormone and tent it. and they will root with the tent giving enough moisture until the root mass is sufficient for the plant to live. Of course cutting all the tree roots will in fact kill the tree. A general rule for cutting tree roots is don’t cut more than 25% of the root system. Measure the trunk diameter at about 4 feet from the ground.

See its expression in these 16 homes around the world.

Take that measurement and multiply it by 6. Mark off that distance from the trunk and that is about where 25% of the roots can be cut. See image below. For example if you have a 12″ diameter trunk 4 feet Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins.