The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

Understanding how to properly care for the trees on your property begins with knowing about the anatomy of a tree.  We’re going to walk you through the 5 layers of a tree trunk!

The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

The Outer Bark

The outermost later of a tree trunk is the outer bark.  This insulating layer protects the tree’s innermost layers from cold while defending against insects.  A tree’s bark also maintains the tree’s moisture balance; it does this by keeping out unneeded moisture during rainstorms while holding onto moisture during drier seasons.

Inner Bark (Phloem)

The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

The second later after the outer bark is the inner bark also known as the Phloem.  This layer serves as the pipeline through which food is passed.  The tree’s Phloem lives for a short period of time before it dies and turns into cork, becoming another layer to protect the tree.

The Cambium Cell Layer

The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

The green part of this tree’s branch is the Cambium layer.

The growing part of a tree trunk is the Cambium Cell Layer, which new bark and new wood annually in response to the tree’s hormones.  These hormones, also known as Auxins” stimulate growth in the tree’s cells, and are produced by the leaf buds at the ends of the branches during the spring.

Sapwood

The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

Sapwood acts as the tree’s pipeline for moving water up to the leaves.  A tree’s sapwood is new wood; as new layers of sapwood are produced, the inner cells lose their vitality and become heartwood.

Heartwood

The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

Heartwood lies at the center of the tree; it is the central pillar supporting the tree.  Heartwood is a composite of hollow, needle-like fibers bound by the tree’s natural chemical glue, lignin.  Although heartwood is as strong as steel, it is in fact dead.

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  • bark - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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Table of Contents

The bark of a tree trunk is made up of ________.

bark

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Related Topics:tree cork quercitron bark rhytidome...(Show more)

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bark, in woody plants, tissues external to the vascular cambium (the growth layer of the vascular cylinder); the term bark is also employed more popularly to refer to all tissues outside the wood. The inner soft bark, or bast, is produced by the vascular cambium; it consists of secondary phloem tissue whose innermost layer conveys food from the leaves to the rest of the plant. The outer bark, which is mostly dead tissue, is the product of the cork cambium (phellogen). Layered outer bark, containing cork and old, dead phloem, is known as rhytidome. The dead cork cells are lined with suberin, a fatty substance that makes them highly impermeable to gases and water. Gas exchange between the inner tissues of bark-covered roots and stems and their surroundings takes place through spongy areas (lenticels) in the cork.

Bark is usually thinner than the woody part of the stem or root. Both inner bark (secondary phloem) and wood (secondary xylem) are generated by the vascular cambium layer of cells: bark toward the outside where the oldest layers may slough off, and wood toward the inside where it accumulates as dead tissue.

What is the bark of a tree trunk made of?

The bark serves as a protective layer for the more delicate inside wood of the tree. Trees actually have inner bark and outer bark -- the inner layer of bark is made up of living cells and the outer layer is made of dead cells, sort of like our fingernails. The scientific name for the inner layer of bark is Phloem.

What makes up the bark of a tree?

It is composed mostly of dead cells and is produced by the formation of multiple layers of suberized periderm, cortical and phloem tissue. The rhytidome is especially well developed in older stems and roots of trees. In shrubs, older bark is quickly exfoliated and thick rhytidome accumulates.

Is tree bark made out of cells?

Its outer layer, which we see, is composed of dead cells that become filled with a corklike substance and air. The inner bark, called Phloem, contains living cells and transports food from the leaves to other parts of the tree, including the roots.

What parts of the tree trunk include the bark?

The Outer or Cork Cambium This is the part of the tree we normally think of as its bark. Much like human skin, it protects the tree from outside elements. It keeps excess moisture out and holds it in during dry spells. It acts as insulation against both cold and heat and protects the tree from insects.