Tree Care Appendix

To no one’s surprise, we spend a lot of time talking about trees here at Classic City Arborists. There are a lot of specialized terms and phrases we use, and it’s easy to forget that not everybody knows what we’re talking about. Whether you’re reading one of our articles, learning about our newest Tree of the Month, or just doing some research on how best to take care of your trees, we’ve compiled this appendix of basic tree care terminology that should help you along the way.

​Annual Plants: Plants that will only live through one growth (flowering) cycle

Bark: The outermost layer of a tree’s trunk and branches

Biennial Plants: Plants that will live through only two growth (flowering) cycles

Branch Thinning: Removing interior branches to reduce weight and enhance structural integrity

Brush Clearing: Cutting down underbrush, such as shrubs, vines, saplings, and more to clear the ground surrounding a stand of trees. 
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Learn more about the importance of brush clearing here!

Canopy Raising: Removing lower branches up to a certain height to create more ground clearance

Climate Zone: A geographic designation for identifying what plants can survive a certain climate 

Co-Dominant: A tree with two or more leaders rather than a single trunk

Crown (also called Canopy): the upper part of the tree, from the lowest branch to the highest point of the tree

Deadwooding: Removing any and all deadwood from the interior and exterior of a tree

Direct Sunlight: exposure to the sun without any obstructions

Full Shade: Less than 1 to 3 hours of indirect sunlight a day

Full Sun: at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day

Indirect Sunlight: exposure to the sun through an obstruction, such as other foliage, window blinds, etc

Invasive Species: Plants that have been introduced to a location they did not evolve in, usually by human interference

Leader: A tree branch from which many other branches grow, but not all

Maturity: The term for when a tree is considered ‘fully grown’ and growth slows considerably

Native Species: Plants that evolved where they are located, or “is from here”

Partial Shade: 3 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight a day

Partial Sun: 3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight a day

Perennial Plants: Plants that will live through two or more growth (flowering) cycles

Tree Pruning: Removing unnecessary branches, and sometimes even roots. Think dead, dying, diseased, or overcrowded limbs.

Tree Shaping: Selectively trimming foliage to create a desired shape out of the canopy

Tree Topping: Cutting all upper branches of a tree to reduce its overall height

Tree Trimming: Selectively and strategically cutting growth for a more attractive overall appearance and to promote healthy growth patterns

Trunk: The main branch of a tree, from which all branches grow

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Sources:
Tree Trimming vs Tree Pruning
Tree Service Terminology
Terms for Tree Care
Understanding the Terms
Common Gardening Terms