How do trees recycle nutrients through their leaves?

Trees reabsorb only about half of the nutrients in their leaves before they fall. The remaining nutrients are returned to the soil as the leaves decompose, completing a natural process called nutrient cycling.

How far do tree roots grow compared to the canopy?

Most tree roots grow within the top 18 inches of soil and can extend two to three times the width of the tree's canopy, forming a wide, shallow root system.

How do trees communicate with each other underground?

Trees use a network of mycorrhizal fungi, often called the 'wood-wide web,' to share nutrients, send warning signals about pests, and support neighboring trees.

What does it mean that trees 'compartmentalize' wounds?

Unlike humans, trees do not heal wounds by regenerating damaged tissue. Instead, they compartmentalize by sealing off the damaged area with a callus, creating a permanent barrier that isolates the injury.

Why is it important to care for young trees in urban environments?

Only a tiny fraction of seeds become mature trees, and urban trees face extra challenges like poor soil, pollution, and construction. Proper care improves their chances of surviving and thriving.

Video | Meet Archie: 5 Fun Tree Facts

Today we're gonna talk about trees! Trees, they're amazing! And they're everywhere too. There is an estimated 3 trillion trees on the face of the earth. They're in parks, they're in your yard, and sometimes they might even be in your own house…

But there's a lot of cool things about trees you might not have heard of. I'm Archie, I'm an arborist, and today we are going to talk about 5 awesome facts about trees that you may not have heard of.

During the fall, some trees will lose their leaves. These are called deciduous trees. But did you know that the tree will only reabsorb half of the nutrients in the leaves before they fall off? That means there's a lot of food left on the ground. These leaves will rot and decompose and then get reabsorbed by the tree. This process is called nutrient cycling. Which means you should leave your leaves for the tree.

A tree's form is shaped like a wine glass. Tree roots grow out more than they grow down. Most of the tree's roots exist in the first foot and a half of soil, and they can extend 2 to 3 times the length of the canopy. That means this tree's roots can go all the way out...to about right here!

Trees talk to each other. Just listen! Ok, well, they don't talk to each other. But they do communicate through their root systems with the help of a special time of fungi called mycorrhizal fungi. They share information, exchange resources, and help to defend against pests and other stresses they might encounter. We call this the wood-wide web, and it's happening under your feet every time you walk through the forest. Oh, look, a mushroom… Tell the trees I love them. They'll get it eventually.

Trees don't heal like we do; they compartmentalize. Anytime a tree receives a wound, it can callus over and become a permeant mark. So this means anytime a tree sustains damage, like this pine right here, it can become a permeant scar. This is all the more reason to protect the trees around us. And if you like hurting trees, we can't be friends.

Every mature tree that you see in the woods has fought against the odds. For every billion seeds a tree has dropped, only one will make it to old age. Think of it like a forest lottery, and this guy back here, he is a winner, like a billionaire winner. But this means that the trees in your yard need as much help as they can get. So they, too, can fight against the odds.

Trees are amazing and beautiful, just like you. But they're not commodities that we just place in the ground and forget about. They're fascinating, complex organisms with their own stories to tell. My passion is for trees, and I hope I have given you a glimpse into how amazing trees really are.