Exploring the Parts of a Tree

Tree Structure

• A tree has three main parts: the crown, trunk, and roots.
• The crown includes leaves and branches that work like a food factory, collecting sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce food for the tree.
• The crown also provides oxygen and protects the ground from heavy rain and hot sun.

Trunk

• The trunk holds up the crown, protects the inner parts, and transports essential materials to different parts of the tree.
• The trunk has five layers:
  • Bark: the hard, outer layer that protects the trunk from bad weather and animals.
  • Phloem: a sugar pipeline that carries sugary food to the leaves.
  • Cambium: the growth center that makes new cells for the trunk and branches to grow thicker.
  • Xylem: a pipeline that carries water and nutrients from the roots to the crown.
  • Heartwood: the center of the trunk, made up of old xylem cells that provide support and strength.

Roots

• Roots collect water and nutrients from the soil to fuel the tree.
• They also act as an anchor, keeping the tree in place, and store extra food.

Tree Rings

• When a tree's trunk is cut, its different layers look like rings, with the heartwood at the center.
• Scientists can use tree rings to determine the age of a tree.

Additional Facts

• Leaves are the site for photosynthesis, the process of using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to create sugar.
• The vascular tissue responsible for sugar distribution to the leaves is called phloem.
• The dark, non-living part of the tree located at its center is called heartwood.
• The bark is the protective layer of the tree, found outside the cambium.
• The xylem transports water and nutrients from the roots to the aerial parts of the tree.

Learn about the different parts of a tree, from the crown to the roots, and their functions. Discover how trees make food and grow.