You may have ever wondered what trees are exactly. For this reason, with this article, we want to solve a question that seems apparently simple, but that will help us better understand how our planet works. And it is that trees play a vital role in different ecosystems. Hence the following question that you usually ask yourself: What is the function of a tree? Again the answer is quite broad, but we can say that, in addition to offering shelter and producing food for animals and other plants, they are also very useful to us thanks to the multiple uses of their raw materials; such as wood or resin, among others. And, as if that were not enough, they also help protect the land from erosion and are one of the main oxygen producers.
Do you want to learn more about the characteristics of trees, the types of trees, their parts, and their uses? We encourage you to take a look at this article about what trees are and that, by the way, you get to know some of the best-known species.
What are trees and their characteristics
There are more than 100,000 species of trees on our planet . This figure represents 25% of all the plants on Earth. Therefore, trees are living beings that are part of the Kingdom Plantae or the Vegetable Kingdom .
If we talk about the main characteristics of trees, we must first mention their lignified or woody trunk. This is usually much harder and thicker than the rest of the stems of the plant. Therefore, they differ from shrubs by their height and robust bearing. Although trees are plants that can have very varied sizes, we can clearly say that they stand out from the rest of the plants for reaching more than 140 meters , as happens with the Eucalyptus regnans or the Sequoia sempervirens.
Types of trees
Trees have managed to adapt to a wide variety of climates , although they tend to prefer regions with temperate climates. Even so, over the years they have been able to adapt even to large cities or areas highly populated by man. Therefore, it is not surprising that you are used to seeing trees in your area, but which tree families are closest to home? Simple, you just have to know the simplest classification of all so that you can identify them with a simple glance. The main division is made up of deciduous trees and evergreens . Later, we find another division depending on the uses or value, in this case we will talk about fruit treesand ornamental trees .
Trees of feeble leaves
The trees expires sheet is characterized by being are those that, during the cold months lose their leaves. In this way the tree manages to save nutrients during the season with less sunlight. These types of trees are typical of cold and dry climates. However, they tend to be longer-lived and capable of reaching great heights.
Evergreen trees
As its name indicates , evergreens keep their leaves throughout the year, gradually renewing them. Conifers are one of the most representative groups of this type of tree. In general, evergreens tend to be more resistant to extreme climates.
Fruit trees
Although most trees within the angiosperm family produce fruits, only those that are consumed by man and commonly known as fruit are those that fall into this category. However, this imprecise definition tends to create confusion or disagreements since, within the culinary world, fruit trees are also considered to be those that give what are known as nuts.
Ornamental trees
Ornamental trees are considered to be those that have striking and highly aesthetic characteristics. They are highly valued for their use as part of the decoration of gardens or green spaces. They are generally selected for their size, shape, and color, as well as their ability to withstand different environments.
The parts of a tree
The parts of a tree , which all share as one of its main characteristics are: the root, the trunk, the branches, the leaves and the crown or crown .
The roots are responsible for absorbing water and nutrients. The trunk and branches are the parts in charge of providing support and thus creating a firm structure so that the plant can grow optimally. They are also responsible for transporting the substances absorbed by the root so that they reach the leaves, where photosynthesis takes place. In this way they manage to make their own food. Finally, the crown or upper part of the tree, has the function of providing shade to the rest of the plant to improve perspiration.
How trees grow
Trees maintain the same life cycle as the rest of the plants on the planet. These are the growth phases of the trees : seed, germination, growth, maturation, aging and death of the specimen.
Depending on the species, these will begin to bloom from the first year of life or may begin to do so many years later. In the same way, there are also trees that bloom every year while others only get it before they die. As for their life span, this will depend on the species, but most tend to live for at least 40 years and reach a maximum of 300 years in the case of very specific species.
A tree grows every day, even if you can’t see it clearly. But as long as the tree continues to perform its vital functions, they will continue to grow until they complete their life cycle.
What do you get from a tree
From each part of the tree it obtains different useful materials for humans. For example, from the trunk of the tree, in addition to getting wood , cellulose, resin and even ink are obtained . In the case of the roots, many are used for pharmaceutical purposes thanks to the obtaining of oils and the possibility of emulsifying them to make infusions that are good for health. In addition, in the case of fruit trees, we also obtain food, fruits , to achieve a balanced diet.
In summary, we can say that trees are a very rich source of food and materials with which to make not only furniture from different types of wood , but also oils, waxes, dyes and condiments in our day to day.
Known tree names
To finish talking about what trees are, here are several examples of well-known tree names :
- Acacia
- Avocado
- Poplar
- Almond
- Maple
- Cherry
- Plum
- ash tree
- Eucalyptus
- Ficus
- Ginkgo
- Pine tree
- Lemon Tree
- Mango
- Apple tree
- Mimosa
- Arbutus
- Orange tree
- Walnut
- Olive
- Willow
