Dendrology

Dendrology is the study of woody plants; typically trees but there are other things such as shrubs and vines that bear similarities to trees so they are studied as well. Dendrology is a science that studies, identifies, and even names plants that have woody structural systems. These woody systems hold a lot of information about the tree, about the evolution of the tree, and how we can best care for and protect each species of tree. Dendrology may not seem like the most interesting science at first glance, but it is grossly complicated and interesting.

Trees are easy to identify in general terms because they are set apart in the way that they have one woody trunk leading to a whole system of woody branches and support systems, but if it hadn’t been for people who study dendrology we might not know how to distinguish one woody plant from another. With over 100,000 different species of trees, dendrology is a huge area of study and it’s a massive undertaking to try to learn more about each species than what meets the eye, and also attempt to find and identify new species of trees all the time.

Dendrology deserves to have a lot of interest because trees are so vital to our existence. The average person may not realize how truly spectacular the trees in their backyards are, they add a lot to our environment, and if trees were gone tomorrow our world would change in an instant. Through dendrology we can learn more about the trees that impact our lives in such big ways, and even learn new ways of protecting our existing trees and making the lands more hospitable for new trees and new tree species.

Dendrology is a science that studies every part of every single tree. This information allows scientists to understand the root structure, why the leaves are the shape that they are, why the tree may bloom when it does, and even where the tree originated from and what other species it may be linked to.

To a dendrologist, a tree is not simply a simple part of nature; a tree is a very complex structure that deserves extensive examination to understand it, and all trees a little bit better. This is not a job that would be fun for everyone, but the people in the dendrology field are typically very dedicated to their work, and often travel all over the world to see new species of trees and help figure out what makes them work. It’s painstaking work, but it’s worth the effort.

Dendrology is basically a science all about trees and other plants that have woody structures. It seems appropriate to have such a complicated science for a plant system that took a long time and a lot of effort to evolve into the structures that they are today. Trees have a long history, about three hundred and seventy million years in the making, so there is a lot to learn, and piece by piece the science of dendrology has put together an evolutionary pattern, one that we will likely see continue with new species come and older species die off. The tree is quite fascinating, so too is the science of dendrology if you look beyond it’s complicated name and the simple appearance of a tree.

Without dendrology we might take trees for granted, and not recognize what truly remarkable structures they are. Through these sciences we’ll continue to learn more so we can care for our trees and other woody plants to the best of our ability.