Prop Roots - Mangrove Rainforest Trees Require A Different Kind Of Support System. Mangroves Grow In Wet, Muddy Soil At The Water's Edge Which Can Be Subject To Tides And Flooding. As A Means Of Support They Develop Several Aerial Pitchfork-like Extensions From The Trunk Which Grow Downwards And Anchor Themselves In The Soil Trapping Sediment Which Helps To Stabilize The Tree. Photo