Mary Jo DiLonardo has worked in print, online, and broadcast journalism for 25 years and covers nature, health, science, and animals. Young trees sometimes have smooth bark that's unbroken by ridges.

The center of a tree or shrub stem (from roots to trunk, branches, and twigs) is woody, composed of xylem cells that conduct water from the roots to the upper parts of the tree. That woody section is ...

Don't stress if you have a tree that's not looking its best in the bark department. You can save a tree with damaged bark by first assessing the type of damage. Once you know the severity, you have a ...

So often we choose a tree because of its flowers, leaves, fall color or its fruit. Often, we forget about the bark. However, on many trees, the bark is the most interesting part of the tree. This can ...

Gregory Moore does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...