annual rings
Trunk growth circles
Annual rings are the concentric circles visible in cross-sections of tree trunks, each ring representing one year of growth.
The rings form because trees grow faster in spring (producing lighter wood) than in late summer (producing darker, denser wood).
Counting rings reveals a tree's age; ring width indicates growing conditions that year.
Also called growth rings or tree rings.
Plant growth tissue
- xylemPlant water conduit
- phloemPlant sugar-transport tissue
- heartwoodTree's central wood
- sapwoodTree's water-conducting layer
earlywood · latewood · summerwood · cellulose · lignin · vascular tissue · bark · pith
Wood's linear texture
- cross-sectionView through interior
- end grainWood cut perpendicular to fibers
- lumberSawn wood for building
- timberWood for construction
hardwood · softwood · veneer · woodturning · sawmill · carpentry · furniture making
Quercus genus member
- pineCone-bearing evergreen
- sequoiaEnormous evergreen tree species
- bristlecone pineExtremely long-lived mountain conifer
- redwoodTowering California conifer
maple · ash · Douglas fir · spruce · cedar · deciduous · coniferous · old-growth
Age analysis via growth bands
- radiocarbonDecaying carbon isotope
- core sampleCylindrical subsurface extraction
- chronologyTemporal ordering of events
- paleoclimatologyStudy of prehistoric climates
Time crops can mature
- dormancySuspended biological activity
- growth rateSpeed of increase
- droughtProlonged water scarcity
- rainfallWater falling from clouds
cambium
Plant growth tissue
sapwood · earlywood · latewood · summerwood · cellulose · lignin · vascular tissue · bark · pith
grain pattern
Wood's linear texture
- cross-sectionView through interior
- end grainWood cut perpendicular to fibers
- lumberSawn wood for building
timber · hardwood · softwood · veneer · woodturning · sawmill · carpentry · furniture making
oak
Quercus genus member
- pineCone-bearing evergreen
- sequoiaEnormous evergreen tree species
- bristlecone pineExtremely long-lived mountain conifer
redwood · maple · ash · Douglas fir · spruce · cedar · deciduous · coniferous · old-growth · ancient trees
tree-ring dating
Age analysis via growth bands
- radiocarbonDecaying carbon isotope
- core sampleCylindrical subsurface extraction
- chronologyTemporal ordering of events
growing season
Time crops can mature
- dormancySuspended biological activity
- growth rateSpeed of increase
- droughtProlonged water scarcity
- growthgrowth, grow, growing, growth rate, increase
- tree life cycleseed, seedling, sapling, mature tree, germination
- tree trunksbole, bark, heartwood, sapwood, cambium
- wood componentscellulose, lignin, xylem, cambium, heartwood
- wood traitsgrain pattern, hardness, durability, strength, moisture content
- concentric ringsconcentric circles, bullseye, target, dartboard, archery target
annual, rings, perennial, annually, biannual, annuity, centennial, biennial, semiannual