If that root is an adventitious root, it's a result of the tree being planted too deep by the grower back when he panted the tree out in his field. I don't see any possible way that it could have grown that large in just two years. I personally would not consider removing any more dirt from around the trunk, if it were my tree and I was working with it. I would remove the border (as ademink previously suggested in the other thread). There's nothing bad about an adventitious root, although it may have resulted for a condition like being planted too deeply. In that case, it's an attempt by the tree to adjust to its new conditions. After considerable adjustment has already been made, "fixing" the original conditions can be counterproductive, or worse. Dan also brought up a good point that many Acers adapt more easily to grade change than many other genera. Any tree can potentially have girdling roots and the presence of adventitious roots doesn't necessarily correlate with girdling roots. Trees without adventitious roots often have girdling roots and trees with adventitious roots don't necessarily have any higher chance of having girdling roots. Mackel, sorry, but I don't follow your lack-of-scientific-reasoning statement. I thought I presented my basis for thought as well as you did. Any any event, different opinions are fine and often helpful.

Oh my goodness, your gardens are so beautiful Dave. I love your Picea pungens Glauca 'Pendula'. I love the steely blue coloring and the gorgeous mishapen form. I HAVE to get that one. At what height did you stake that one? I wish I had been more diligent while my plants where smaller in getting them staked up. OH well, I will be on that like no tomorrow for any that I place in my gardens in the future. Dax, the photo was taken in a garden in Iowa but not Gary's. Did you ever happen to see his friend Dianne's gardens? Gary did all the hardscaping and helps her plant all her trees and chooses the spots for them. If you have not seen her garden it is a MUST see. I happened to be there when they first began putting her gardens in and then last summer I walked through it again. What an amazing transformation. She has the ability to purchase fairly large trees and those trees have put on growth making them look like full grown trees already. I wish I could afford to do that. I but puny little 1 or 2 year grafted trees and wait YEARS to see growth...if they even survive at that. LOL I'm hoping I get the chance to get out there again this summer. We shall see if it works out. I think instead we are planning to go to Sparta, Illinois this summer. UGH! Sadly, that is out in the middle of nowhere and I won't get my plant shopping fix.

Can you provide a photo? It would be much easier to give advice if we can see what we are dealing with :-)

No stakes, because you need to prune those silly branches off. Don't you think that they look wrong? That is the fault of a lazy grower, who should have taken the five seconds required to properly prune the shrubs. They will never fill out to a uniform shape without pruning. But you will be very happy with these malformed shrubs as you watch them grow like crazy after the pruning. These plants can grow two to three feet the first year after planting. My advice is to take your hand pruner and snip only those few errant branches. Don't attack the shrubs with loppers.