How do trees grow?
Trees grow much like any other living thing—they need nourishment. They draw water and minerals up from the soil through their roots, and they take in carbon dioxide from the air. Thanks to chlorophyll in their leaves, they can use sunlight to create the sugars, starches, and cellulose that fuel their growth.
Just beneath the bark is a thin, active layer called the cambium. This is where new cells are constantly being made. The cells that form on the inside become new wood, and those on the outside become new bark. Over time, this steady production of cells causes the tree’s trunk to expand in diameter.
Trees don’t just grow wider—they grow taller too. At the tip of every twig or branch is a cluster of living cells that produce new leaves and lengthen the stem during the growing season.
If you cut across a tree trunk, you’ll notice alternating light and dark rings. The lighter rings are made of larger cells formed in spring, while the darker rings are tighter, smaller cells produced in autumn. Together, these rings tell the story of the tree’s age and the conditions it has lived through.
Fun fact:
Trees are the largest living organisms on the planet. The giant sequoias of California hold the record for the greatest volume—especially the famous General Sherman tree. Some of these giants weigh millions of pounds. The tallest trees, however, are the coast redwoods, which can soar to more than 380 feet into the sky.
Trees grow much like any other living thing—they need nourishment. They draw water and minerals up from the soil through their roots, and they take in carbon dioxide from the air. Thanks to chlorophyll in their leaves, they can use sunlight to create the sugars, starches, and cellulose that fuel their growth.
Just beneath the bark is a thin, active layer called the cambium. This is where new cells are constantly being made. The cells that form on the inside become new wood, and those on the outside become new bark. Over time, this steady production of cells causes the tree’s trunk to expand in diameter.
Trees don’t just grow wider—they grow taller too. At the tip of every twig or branch is a cluster of living cells that produce new leaves and lengthen the stem during the growing season.
If you cut across a tree trunk, you’ll notice alternating light and dark rings. The lighter rings are made of larger cells formed in spring, while the darker rings are tighter, smaller cells produced in autumn. Together, these rings tell the story of the tree’s age and the conditions it has lived through.
Fun fact:
Trees are the largest living organisms on the planet. The giant sequoias of California hold the record for the greatest volume—especially the famous General Sherman tree. Some of these giants weigh millions of pounds. The tallest trees, however, are the coast redwoods, which can soar to more than 380 feet into the sky.
How do trees grow?
Trees grow much like any other living thing—they need nourishment. They draw water and minerals up from the soil through their roots, and they take in carbon dioxide from the air. Thanks to chlorophyll in their leaves, they can use sunlight to create the sugars, starches, and cellulose that fuel their growth.
Just beneath the bark is a thin, active layer called the cambium. This is where new cells are constantly being made. The cells that form on the inside become new wood, and those on the outside become new bark. Over time, this steady production of cells causes the tree’s trunk to expand in diameter.
Trees don’t just grow wider—they grow taller too. At the tip of every twig or branch is a cluster of living cells that produce new leaves and lengthen the stem during the growing season.
If you cut across a tree trunk, you’ll notice alternating light and dark rings. The lighter rings are made of larger cells formed in spring, while the darker rings are tighter, smaller cells produced in autumn. Together, these rings tell the story of the tree’s age and the conditions it has lived through.
Fun fact:
Trees are the largest living organisms on the planet. The giant sequoias of California hold the record for the greatest volume—especially the famous General Sherman tree. Some of these giants weigh millions of pounds. The tallest trees, however, are the coast redwoods, which can soar to more than 380 feet into the sky.
