Anyone who has dedicated a few minutes of his time to observe the plant life around him will have immediately noticed the obvious differences between the large types of plants. There are herbaceous ones, which are commonly called “herbs” or “plants” and the bushes and trees, which differ very easily by their larger size and stems and branches, dark, hard and thicker compared to the green and flexible stems of herbaceous.
However, do you know in depth the Characteristics of woody plants And what differentiates them from the rest? If you want to learn a little more about woody crops, accompany us in this ecology article about What are woody plants, their characteristics and examples.
What are woody plants
Woody plants are those that develop a woody stemthat is, a perennial trunk, which allows them to reach heights much higher than those of the plants that do not have them. The Classification of woody plants Divides them into three great types:
Trees
The trees are the largest woody plants, usually more than 5 meters high, and that are characterized by developing a main trunk, from which branches will grow once a certain height reaches. It is important to keep in mind that trees do not give branches from the ground level; It is the easiest way to distinguish a small tree from a large bush. The branches of the trees are also their secondary stems, which give rise to intertwining the tree cup, in very different shapes.
We encourage you to read this other post about what trees are.
Shrubbery
The bushes are woody smaller than the trees, almost always between 1 and 5 meters high in their mature shapes. Its main difference with the trees, as we have already mentioned, is that their stems are divided from the same level of soil, not having a single main trunk.
Here you can learn more about what the bushes are.
Vines
Finally, there are the vines or climbers, plants that, although alone do not usually reach heights of more than 1 meter, usually look for tutors and surfaces where to rely to continue growing vertically, thus being able to reach great heights and masses. To find these tutors and look at them, they have various strategies and organs adapted.
Discover here 24 species of climbing or vines plants.
In addition to the three large types of woody plants, we have the Semilenous plantsthat are halfway between woody and herbaceous, with stems that have an intermediate consistency between these two.
Characteristics of woody plants
The characteristics of the various woody plants, but the most remarkable is the own woodthat other plants do not have. He woody trunk It is made up of wood, composed of lignin and cellulose. The trunk consists of several layers:
- The bark: It is the outermost layer and its function is protective, being composed of dead cells.
- THE LIBER: It is a very fine layer that transports the sap with the nutrients of photosynthesis.
- THE CAMBIUM: It is the layer of reproductive cells, responsible for the creation of new wood and the thickening of the trunk with each growth season, which is normally annual, although not always.
- THE DURAMEN: It is located in the center of the trunk and in the mature trees and bushes is composed of dead and very resistant tissue, whose function is to support and structure the plant.
Examples of woody plants
Woody plants are very present in our day to day, even if we live in urban or with little nature environments. These are some Examples of woody plants:
- One of the woody plants with flowers more emblematic and known is The Rosal. This bush or climbing, according to the variety, is characterized by its large and striking flowers, the roses, which in many cases are also markedly fragrant. His stems tend to be thorny.
- Among the Fruit woody plants We find all the great fruit trees of habitual consumption worldwide. Manzanos, pearles, all citrus and any other fruit of those characteristics. The Fruit trees They are a very important part of the human diet in much of the world.
- We also have woody fruity woody, such as The vineswith the fruits of which wine is made, one of the fermented drinks with greater antiquity and success in the world.
- Nor can we forget the great Coniferous.
- Other examples are the bushes of aromatic plants smaller size, such as lavender, rosemary or thyme.
- In turn, there are more peculiar cases such as some of some Bambús and palm treessince they develop woody stems even if they are considered herbaceous.
Differences between woody plants and herbaceous plants
The main one Difference between woody and herbaceous It is the most visible: the presence of a lignified, hard and inflexible stem or trunk. In addition, woody plants, as we have said, are always perennial, finding us as much with woody living a single year, but still form a lignified stem or trunk. Herbaceous plants, on the other hand, can let their aerial part die during the most hostile stations, to regret again.
Now that you know What are the woody plants And several aspects about them, we encourage you to continue learning with these other articles about what plants and plants are.
If you want to read more articles similar to Woody plants: what are, characteristics and exampleswe recommend that you enter our biology category.
