ABOUT TREES !!!
Trees are found all over the world, in many different areas, such as parks, back gardens, schoolyards, mountains and even deserts.
You can find them in the coldest parts of the planet, to the hottest tropical rainforests of South America.
There are thousands of different species of trees to be found all over our planet, and each species has learnt how to adapt to the surroundings in which it lives.
Every single tree, no matter its shape or size, is made up of a trunk covered in bark, and a crown covered in branches, twigs and leaves. To keep the tree from falling over, it has roots that spread into the ground.
Wherever trees grow, they make the best use of the light, soil and water that is there. This is called their habitat.
There are over 60,000 tree species in the world, according to a study carried out by the Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).
WHAT IS A TREE ?
Trees are the biggest plants of all, with strong woody stems called trunks. Branches grow off the main tree trunk, and small twigs then grow off the branches.
The branches and twigs then spread out wide so all of its leaves can receive sunlight. All trees grow from a seed, and from this tiny little seed, trees can grow as high as 100 meters tall, and can live for thousands of years.
Trees are home to many different types of plants and animals, and many trees are planted to provide wood for building, for fuel and for making paper.
There are two main types of trees – deciduous and evergreen trees. Palm trees are another type of tree.
TYPES OF TREES !!!
DECIDUOUS TREES !!!
In many parts of the world, you will find places that have cold winters or dry seasons.
As trees lose water in the air through their leaves, they must replace it with water taken in by the roots. So when it is cold or dry, the roots cannot take in much water, so the trees leaves change color and fall off.
These trees that lose all of their leaves for part of the year are called deciduous trees. Common examples of deciduous trees include oak, maple, and hickory trees.
EVERGREEN TREES !!!
Evergreen trees have leaves all year round. The name “evergreen” means that trees will keep growing leaves as other leaves fall off.
They are best known for being able to endure dry seasons and cold weather.
They are very popular in gardens, as they don’t just offer year-round foliage, but are also used for screening, windbreaks and privacy. Most pine and fir trees are evergreen.
PALM TREES !!!
There are about 2,500 different species of palm trees. They are mainly found in tropical regions and desert areas.
The best way to identify a palm tree is a long trunk without branches, and sporting a crown at the very top.
Coconuts are a well known food that comes from palm trees, but they also provide us with palm oil, sago, heart of palm, and palm wine.
Palm oil is used in many things, from cosmetics to food ingredients.
THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF A TREE !!!
ROOTS –
Roots has three main tasks. They feed the tree by sucking up water and minerals from the soil. They stop the tree from falling over, and they also store the starchy food produced by leaves.
A trees roots can spread wider under the ground, than the branches spread above the ground.
TRUNK –
The main function of the trunk is to support the tree. As the root suck up the water and minerals from the soil, they travel up the tree trunk, and then through the branches, and then out to the leaves.
The trunk consists of rings, and every ring represents one year of growth of that tree.
BARK –
The bark is like the trees skin. It is a tough, protective outer layer that covers a trees roots, trunk and branches. It is a waterproof layer that protects the inner cells from disease, animal attack, and in some cases forest fires.
LEAVES –
The leaves are basically a food making machine. They generate food, which the tree uses as energy for living and growing. The leaves take energy from the Sun and convert it into food, in a process called photosynthesis, thanks to a chemical in the leaves called chlorophyll. They also absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen.
BUDS –
The sunlight triggers the buds on the trees. So in the spring, leaves, flowers and shoots burst out of the buds, in which they have remained dormant all winter long.
INGREDIENTS FOR A TREE TO GROW !!!
(1) WATER :
Without water, there would be no life. All trees need a sufficient amount of water, or they will die.
(2) SOIL :
Soil needs to be rich in nutrients for a trees healthy growth. Nowadays, fertilizers is used if the soil is not rich enough.
(3) AIR :
Trees need clean air for a healthy growth. If the air is polluted with harmful gases, it badly effects the growth of the tree
(4) LIGHT :
Trees need good exposure to sunlight for making food in a process called photosynthesis. If they don’t, they may grow tall and thin in search of light.
(5) TEMPERATURE :
This is important for the individual tree, as some prefer hot, while some prefer cold temperatures.
(6) SPACE :
This is required for the roots growth, and the supply of fresh air. If trees grow near to each other, the branches and leaves will become overladen.
WHAT IS ?
PHOTOSYNTHESIS :
This is a chemical reaction that takes place inside a tree, which develops food for a tree to survive.
A chemical in the leaves called chlorophyll, absorbs the energy from sunlight. It then uses this energy to turn the carbon dioxide and water into sugar.
This process is also essential for human life, as the tree converts this carbon dioxide we exhale, into oxygen that we need to breathe.
CHLOROPHYLL :
Chlorophyll is a green pigment that gives most plants their color.
As sunlight contains all the colors of the rainbow, chlorophyll absorbs all the colors except green, which it reflects out.
Trees use this chlorophyll to trap energy from the sun, and without this energy, trees would be unable to begin the process of photosynthesis.
INTERESTING FACTS ON TREES !!!
Trees have been on Earth for over 400 million years.
Some trees can grow to around 100 meters (328 feet) in height.
Plants that aren’t quite tall enough to be considered a tree, are called shrubs.
Where any tree grows, this place is called it’s habitat.
Each type of tree has a habitat in which it grows best.
Trees thrive in better conditions. Where it is hot and wet, the trees grow very tall, and where it is cold and windy, the trees are very small.
Trees comes in all different shapes and sizes.
Like people, trees are made from different parts, each of which performs a particular task in the trees life.
All trees need sunlight, air and water to survive.
All trees drink water by sucking it up with their roots.
Roots grow down to find water.
All trees, like all living things need air to live. Trees breathe in the air all the time, and without it they would die. They do this by absorbing the carbon dioxide from the air.
Trees gives out the oxygen that we all need to survive.
All plants are crucial to all life on Earth.
Most trees grow towards the Sun, because they need sunlight to make food. They also need water and air to make their sugary food. This process only happens in the daytime when there is light.
Trees and not whales, are the largest organisms alive on Earth today.
Trees provide food in the form of fruits, nuts, leaves, bark and roots.
The tallest species of trees in the world include the Coast Redwood, the Giant Sequoia, the Coast Douglas Fir, the Sitka Spruce, and the Australian Mountain Ash.
Wood from trees can be used in a number of ways, especially as a building material and as a energy source.
