Trees Anatomy

Trees are woody perennials that are grown for a variety of purposes. Though there are over 20,000 species of identified tree kinds, most of them different, they do share a common anatomy, much like the mammals do. That means that there is one basic layout of a tree, despite the species, and it’s highlighted below.

The roots are the first part of a tree. These usually extend into the soil in an attempt to take in water and mineral salts from the soil, which are essentially the raw nutritional elements that are needed to facilitate the process of growth. Roots also provide anchorage for the tree, providing a firm base support for the tree. The rule here is that the bigger the tree, the deeper and more extensive the rooting system. For a mature tree that is well over 50ft in height, uprooting it is next to impossible even with a lot of dedicated effort.

The trunk is the second component of the tree. As much as the rooting system provides anchorage, it’s the trunk that provides support so that the tree can remain erect. For most part, the trunk is made of dead tissue which is essentially the dry woody part. It is this part that is important when it comes to harvesting trees for timber. But this part, the heartwood is not the only part of the trunk; transporting vessels are also included there too. Phloem vessels transport manufactured food from the leaves to the rest of the tree while xylem vessels transport water and mineral salts from the soil to the leaves and other parts. The cambia are living cells inside the phloem vessels which are made up of actively dividing cells which add the girth to a trunk’s diameter. The outer bark protects the inner tree tissues from mechanical damage and environmental effects, much like the skin does in humans. Like the heartwood, it’s primarily composed of dead tissue.

The crown is the upper part of the tree which houses the branches and twigs. These branches have leaves which are exposed to the environment, more so to the sun, so that the process of photosynthesis can be carried out. They are also supposed to stop the intensity of the rain, so that it can reach the soil with minimum force, hence cause little disturbance to the soil surrounding the tree. The tree, unlike the common belief, grows from up and not from down; it’s the crown that grows.