Why trees don’t grow tall in the same way as people ….
by Angus, 1 May, 2017, 1 comments
When you look at a small person (also known as a baby) you know that they will grow bigger in every dimension. Trees don't grow like that. A tree's branch will stay at the same height however tall the tree grows: by contrast a child's arm rises to a higher level as he or she grows taller.
The reason for this is that trees only grow in areas called meristems where they form new cells. Cells are created by cell division (mitosis) within the meristems, and these cells then expand and specialise. These growth areas are found at the tops of the trees, and the tips of branches; these are "apical meristems". Growth also happens in the apical meristems at the ends / tips of the tree's roots. Read more...
