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There is an extremely limited understanding of how plants of different potential growth rate vary in root traits, especially in woody species. We contrasted fine root morphology, physiology, and elemental construction between a fast- and a slow-growing species in each of three families: Aceraceae (maple), Fagaceae (oak), and Pinaceae (pine). Measurements were primarily made on 1-year-old seedlings growing in a growth chamber. Across all three families, first- and second-order roots of fast-growing species had greater specific root length, thinner diameters, and faster respiration rates than those of slow-growing species. These fine roots of fast-growing species in Aceraceae and Fagaceae also had faster phos-