While monocots start of with a tap root, these tap roots tend to die soon after germination and are replaced by adventitious roots. Adventitious roots look fibrous and are spread widely throughout the soil in many different directions. They tend to occupy the upper layer of soil and can be modified for different purposes like additional anchorage or aerial support. Because adventitious roots typically arise from an organ that is not the root of a plant, such as the stem or sometimes a leaf, we are able to grow multiple plants from stem or leaf cuttings of a pre-existing plant!