Anatomy of a tree
Anatomy of a tree
There is no denying the beauty and complexity of the trees in your landscape. We are aware of a tree’s fundamental elements, but do we comprehend its functions? We we’ll go over a tree’s fundamental structure and describe its components and their roles. the anatomy of a tree:
Tree Leaves: There are many various sizes and forms of leaves. The leaf is one of the best tools to use for tree identification, whether it is in broad form and deciduous or in needle form, and stays on the tree all year. The tree’s food factory is its leaves. We never want to remove more than 25% of the leaf at once when we trim a tree since they can use the process of photosynthesis to provide energy for the tree during the growing season.
Branches: A tree’s branches support the leaves and aid in their ascent to the sun. A tree will grow taller to reach sunlight in densely forested areas rather than spreading out. The crown of the tree is made up of the leaves and branches put together. The tree’s crown shields the tree’s trunk from the sun and keeps rain from compacting the soil below. Excurrent branching, which has a primary trunk that spans the tree height and lateral branches, is the best type of branching for trees in our landscape.
Tree Trunk: Inside the trunk are layers of cells. These layers start at the center (the heartwood) and move outward to the xylem, cambium, phloem, and bark.
- Heartwood: The heartwood is the inner core of non-living wood that supports the tree.
- Xylem: The Xylem is also known as the sapwood. This is a layer of cells that transport water and minerals up from the roots throughout the tree and to the leaves.
- Cambium: The Cambium is a layer of dividing cells that causes growth in branch and trunk diameter.
- Phloem: This is the inner bark layer that transports nutrients and sugars made from the leaves down the tree
- Bark: Bark surrounds the trunk and is the tree’s protection and defense against damage.
Tree Roots: Roots have four main functions: anchorage, storage, absorption, and conduction. What most people don’t realize is that roots grow more horizontally than vertically and will grow 3-5 times past the dripline of the canopy. Roots will grow where conditions are favorable and most fine absorbing roots can be found in the upper few inches of soil.
Call Johnson Ops tree Care today at 608 526-6297 and let one of our ISA Certified Arborist asses your trees.