Word of the Week: Phloem

Phloem (FLOW-um)

In vascular plants, phloem is the living tissue that transports nutrients made by photosynthesis to the part of the plant that needs it. In trees, phloem is also called the inner bark. The phloem acts as a food-supply chain that flows from the leaves, where photosynthesis occurs, to the rest of the tree. The sucrose travels to branches, trunk and roots, supplying all living parts of the tree with food. The complex inner structures of a tree, like the phloem, are why pruning is important to do properly. If you prune incorrectly, phloem can be severed and food can no longer flow to the lower trunk and roots.

Check out the Arbor Day Foundation’s guide to tree pruning.