How Bark Protects Your Trees

The bark of a tree has a crucial purpose in the life of a tree. It’s the outer covering and shields it from the elements similar to the way skin does for animals and humans. Many folks are surprised to learn that when they take off the bark, they are doing harm to the tree and could kill the tree or disrupt its growth. Learn below how bark protects your trees.

The primary purpose of bark on a tree is to safeguard the inner layer of phloem. This layer is vital to the life of a tree since it’s the chief source of energy. The roots and leaves make the food that the tree needs and the phloem transport it to the rest of the tree scattering it as it is necessary for growth and life.

Even if you don’t completely take off a piece of bark, just scratching it can harm the phloem. If this damage is done some distance from the tree or even halfway from the tree, it will survive, but the damage will still affect its survival. Even tiny amounts of damage to the bark can bring death to some of the branches and leaves.

Tree Species and Bark
Every tree type has a different kind of bark, and each has unique characteristics. For example, the bark of the white birch is white and similar to paper. You can write on the bark. While it is an outer covering for the layer of phloem, the bark of the white birch has another purpose. With its light coloring, it can reflect the heat of the sun and stop it from harming the inner core of the tree.

The bark of the Eucalyptus tree also has a distinct purpose. The inner side of the bark is quite oily. If there is a fire, the oil on the bark burns and this shields the rest of the tree so that it doesn’t burn. This exceptional characteristic lets Eucalyptus tree forests refresh themselves since the primary structure of the tree isn’t damaged by the burning.

If you want to learn more about how bark protects your trees, ask a Buffalo tree service company.

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