Tree Biology

Trees are the longest living organisms on earth.
Trees and other plants make their food through a process
      called photosynthesis.
The inside of a tree is made of phloem, cambium, and xylem.
The xylem of a tree carries water from the roots to the leaves.

Trees and the Environment

Trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and       producing oxygen.
The amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per            year equals the amount consumed by 18 people annually.       One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.
One acre of trees removes up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide        each year.
Shade trees can make buildings up to 20 degrees cooler in        the summer.
Trees lower air temperature by evaporating water in their        leaves.
Tree roots stabilize soil and prevent erosion.
Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain       water, as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.
The cottonwood tree seed is the seed that stays in flight the       longest. The tiny seed is surrounded by ultra-light, white       fluff hairs that can carry it on the air for several days.

Record-setting Trees

One of the tallest soft wood trees is the General Sherman, a giant       redwood sequoia of California. General Sherman is about 275 ft or 84       m high with a girth of 25 ft or 8 m.
The 236 ft or 72 m high Ada Tree of Australia has a 50 ft or 15.4 m       girth and a root system that takes up more than an acre.
The world's tallest tree is a coast redwood in California, measuring       more than 360 ft or 110 m.
The world's oldest trees are 4,600 year old Bristlecone pines in the USA.