Importance of Trees

Trees play a vital role around the world.

As time passes, the value of a tree
becomes more and more apparent in our
lives.
From enhancing our parks, streets and
gardens to providing shelter, medicines
and furniture, our trees are more
relevant to human life than we can
imagine.
More importantly, trees provide us with
two of life's essentials, oxygen and food.

What is a Tree?

A tree is a perennial plant with

an elongated stem, or trunk,
supporting branches and leaves
in most species

Components of a Trees
The Crown of a
tree consists of
the mass of foliage
and
branches
growing
outward
from the trunk of
the tree
Trunk
This is the main
core of the tree
and
provides
stability

Leaves
The trees leaves
produce nutrients
to feed the tree

Roots
Provides anchorage
for the tree and
absorb water and
minerals from the
ground

How a tree grows

The growth of a tree is often
something we never pause to think
about.
For us, a tree is planted and grows
over time.
Below is a general account of a tree's
stages of growth.

How a tree grows

1.Seed is set

2.The roots grow down as

a shoot develops and
reaches towards the light
before tiny leaves sprout &
photosynthesis begins

3.The shoot and leaves

grow larger and stronger &
then it becomes a sapling
tree

4.After several years the sapling

tree grows into a mature tree

Roots

Within the root system are tiny root hairs, located just behind the hard, earth-probing root
tips that burrow, elongate and expand in search of moisture. The tiny roots reach out to
particles of earth absorbing moisture and become firmly tied into place.
Root hairs have a very short life so
the root system is always in expansion
mode, growing to provide sustained
maximum root hair production. To
take full advantage of finding
available moisture, tree roots run
shallow with the exception of the
anchoring tap root.
The majority of roots are found in
the top 18 inches of soil.

Trunk

The trunk is the spine of a tree and transports nutrients and

moisture to the leaf.
A tree's diameter growth takes place via cell divisions in the
cambium layer which is comprised of growth tissue cells and
found just under the bark.
Xylem and phloem cells are formed on both sides of the cambium
and add a new layer each year. These visible layers are called
annual rings.
Cells to the inside make up the xylem which conducts water and
nutrients. In xylem cells, the fibers provide strength in the
form of wood.
Cells to the outside make up the phloem, which transports
sugars, amino acids, vitamins, hormones, and stored food.

Tree Trunk

Tree Trunk

Anatomy of a Tree
Pith is the most centre core of a tree.
Anatomy of a tree trunk

Heartwood is the layer surrounding the

pith. It is the main spine of the tree
and supports it as it matures.

Bark
Phloem
Heartwood

Cambium
Layer

Sapwood is new wood which provides a

route for carrying water and minerals Xylem
up to the leaves of a tree.

Sapwood

Growth Ring

Growth Rings appear once annually,

indicating one year of growth. We can
tell the age of a tree by counting these
rings.

Pith

Anatomy of a Tree
The Cambium Layer is a thin layer of
tissue. It is the living part of a tree
trunk which produces new wood and
bark annually. It produces Phloem on
the outside and xylem on the inside.
The Phloem transports the food (which
is manufactured from the trees leaves)
down to the roots.
The Xylem carries water and other
nutrients up to the leaves
The Bark provides protection and from
animals. It insulates the tree and
deters insects.

Tree Crown
The tree crown consists of the mass of foliage and
branches growing outward from the trunk of the
tree.
The branches grow outward from the trunk and
this is where the leaves sprout from.
The leaves produce nutrient to feed the tree.

Photosynthesis

Do you know your Trees

Irelands oldest native tree

Ireland's oldest native tree is believed
to be the Silken Thomas Yew tree at
St Patrick's College in Maynooth, with
a girth of 14 metres and 700800
years old.

Irelands tallest native tree

Ireland's tallest native tree is a 40-metre-high ash
tree in the grounds of Marlfield House, Clonmel,
County Tipperary.

Oldest tree in Ireland in 2014

This 200-year-old giant Grey
Poplar that almost made it
into the 2014 European Tree
of the Year competition.

It had stood for 200 years in

the gardens of Birr Castle

Biggest Tree in the world

The General Sherman tree (giant sequoia) is found in Sequoia
National Park, California.
Believed to be the world's largest tree by volume at
52,500 cubic feet
It is 83.8 m (274.9 feet) tall
It has a girth at breast height of 24,10m (79 feet)
Near the ground this is 31,3m (102,6 feet)
The width of the crown is 33 m
The first branch starts only at 40 m or 130 feet!

Fact
Age: 2300-2700 years old
Weight of trunk: 1385 tonnes
Diameter of largest branch:
2.1metres (6.8 ft)

The General Sherman tree

(Giant Sequoia)
During a winter storm in 2006 the
tree lost a large branch. When it
fell, it smashed a part of the
enclosing fence and cratered the
walkway pavement surrounding
the sequoia tree.

Tree types
Trees are divided into two categories, commonly
known as Deciduous and Coniferous trees.
Deciduous trees are sometimes referred to as
broadleaf trees because of their larger and wider
leaves compared to those of coniferous trees.
Deciduous trees tend to drop their leaves during the
autumn season due the greater surface area for
photosynthesis and as such the leaf cannot certain
weather conditions.

Most of these deciduous trees are hardwood trees

and are predominantly grown for their high quality
of timber.

Tree types
Coniferous (Softwoods)
Coniferous trees are know to grow up rather
than out like a deciduous tree and are
generally shaped like a triangle. The leaves
are usually consist of long, pointed needles.

Deciduous (Hardwoods)
Deciduous trees are a more common source
for hardwoods. Note the shape of the
crown is more round than a coniferous
tree.

Coniferous Needles

Scots Pine
Spruce

Douglas Fir

Softwood Trees
Below is a list of some common Softwood trees
Cedar
Sitka Spruce
Pine
Douglas Fir
Yellow Pine
Redwood
Moorehall, Co. Mayo

Softwood trees
(Coniferous)

Harwood Trees
(Deciduous)
As mentioned on the previous slide, deciduous trees are the
primary source of hardwoods.
Here is a list some common deciduous (hardwood) trees.
Ash

Holly

Beech

Maple

Birch

Oak

Chestnut

Poplar

Cherry

Sycamore

Elm

Walnut

Irish Oak Tree

Two examples are our native Irish oaks are:
Quercus robur (Common oak) and Quercus
petraea (Sessile oak)
Both are slow growing, acorn producing trees
with a large eventual size and display the
distinctive oak leaf, tough and dark green
with wavy lobed edge.
To differentiate between them you must
look at their leaves & acorns.
The Common oaks acorns have stalks and its
leaves have little if any stalks attached

Common oak

Irish Oak Tree

Sessile oaks
The Sessile oaks do not have stalks
and its leaves do have a stem
attached

Sessile oaks

Emory Oak Tree

Common in the USA and Mexico. It grows in
dry hills at moderate altitudes.
Its leaves are 3-6cm long, dark green on top
and pale green below. Retains its leaves in
through the winter until new leaves grow in
the spring.
Its acorns grow to
black/brown in colour.

approx.

2cm

long,

Can grow to 17m tall.

Discovered in Texas in 1846 by William

Hemsley Emory

Ash Tree
Irelands most common
tree
Can re-sprout after
being cut down
Contains flat broad
leaves
Did you know?
1.5 acres of Ash trees
can produce about
3,800 hurley's

Birch
Two types of birch in Ireland, downy and silver.
Birch will grow in poor soils, but likes a sunny position.
Downy birch is tolerant of wet sites, but silver birch
needs good drainage.
Birch is typically associated with the Sperrins, growing in
peat at the edge of bogs, and on the light sand and gravel
soils.

Downy birch

It makes a good ornamental garden tree, as it does not

grow too large. Like alder, its seeds are popular with
small seed-eating birds.
Nowadays, it is commonly used in making plywood

www.treecouncil.ie

Silver birch

Holly Tree
The evergreen holly is a native species. It is commonly
found in woodlands. Holly can survive the harsh
conditions.
It is an attractive small tree very suitable for gardens
as a specimen tree or as a hedge, slow growing and very
dense.
Holly trees are either male or female only the female
can bear berries, so it is always worth planting
several holly trees together. Both sexes bear small
creamy flowers.
They drop their leaves and are green all year round.

Horse Chestnut Tree

Trees surrounded by water, Italy

How can we re-use our trees

Tree trunk transformed

into Seat and Garbage bin

Ashford Castle, Co. Mayo

Remains of a tree that has
been felled.
Note its size in comparison
to the doorway in the
background