Page 21 - Amazing Creations Volume Four

Amazing Creations 94

Richard Gunther

We should never think of trees as simply a pole of wood with
roots underneath and leaves on top.
All trees are amazingly complex, and marvellous examples of
intricate and wise design.

Below is a simple diagram of the way a tree is structured.
Starting at the centre, it has a rod of heartwood, a strong pole to
brace it against the wind.
Next comes the sapwood, which carries water up from the roots
to the leaves.
After that comes the cambium layer, very thin and delicate.
This layer produces all the new cells as the tree grows.
Further out is the phleom layer, which lies just under the bark.
This layer carries sugars down, from the leaves. �
Notice how the upwards flow and downward flow are �?
separated by the thin, and delicate growth layer.
Finally the bark, made of dead cells - ,,, �
_;;;/
but nothing is wasted, as this � . .p-'� � � /,,.
layer protects the tree from ?/ ✓ .//
external harm.
..11 111�!!�� ., /' / 1/
All this design speaks / /
to us of a Creator.

Heartwood ��--- 0tm�

:::: ---- --==� / I
----
� - �/�
�-
-�'
/
� ��-== �:' �
�/%
Sapwood

Bark