Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
What Are Tree Rings Called?
What Are Tree Rings Called?. When a tree has been chopped down, the cross-section through the trunk reveals a concentric pattern of rings. These rings are called tree rings, or annual rings, and provide scientists with a tool to help date past events.
When a tree has been chopped down, the cross-section through the trunk reveals a concentric pattern of rings. These rings are called tree rings, or annual rings, and provide scientists with a tool to help date past events.
Function
Inside the trunk, a thin layer of cells called the cambium divides to create new tissue both inside and outside its own circumference. The outer tissue becomes the phloem, while the inner tissue becomes the xylem. Most (though not all) trees in temperate regions add one ring each year.
Types
Tree rings are sometimes called annual rings, although both names are often used interchangeably. The study of tree rings and their use in dating past events is called dendrochronology.
Significance
Droughts, heavy rainfall and forest fires can leave distinctive marks on the rings of a growing tree. Rings that formed during a dry spell, for example, will generally be narrower than other rings. Scientists can use this technique and compare ring patterns from different trees to figure out when past droughts or fires may have occurred in some regions.
