When you look at the four seasons we go through in a year, it comes to our attention that the trees and bushes only have leaves for five to six months out of the year. We grow them for their beautiful leaves, their dense shade for those hot days, their stunning blooms during the spring months, and their brilliant fall colors when autumn arrives. The rest of the time, they lie dormant, leafless and stark.
It is during these six to seven months that we realize these plant materials have a character all their own during dormancy. It is the time of year when we notice different unique characteristics that may not have been as prominent during the growing years. One of these great characteristics happens to be in the form of bark.
ADVERTISEMENT We don’t think about it very often, but the bark is very important to trees and shrubs. Not only does it have a function, but its growth character is very different from one species to another, which becomes the predominant feature we notice during dormancy. Bark is tender and smooth when the tree or bush is young and vigorously in its growth stages.
It protects the living tissue that creates growth. With time, this outer layer of cells becomes dead and thicker and thicker. This barrier between the outside world and the living tissues inside prevents decay from forming, insects from entering, and disease from causing harm.
This is a thick, waterproof barrier that can act as an insulator during cold and hot weather and keeps the main trunk.
