Woody plants are plants that produce wood as their structural tissue, which gives them a hard stem. These plants include trees, shrubs, and woody vines (lianas), and are typically perennial, meaning they live for several years or more. Their stems and larger roots are reinforced with wood produced from secondary xylem. The wood allows the above-ground parts of woody plants to persist and grow year after year, making some woody plants the largest and tallest terrestrial plants. Key characteristics of woody plants:
- They have a durable, woody stem covered by bark.
- They undergo secondary growth, increasing the diameter of stems and roots annually by producing new layers of wood.
- Woody plants have vascular tissues like xylem and phloem for transporting water, nutrients, and photosynthates.
- Most woody plants have a dormant period annually, during which growth slows or stops (typically in winter for temperate climates and dry seasons for tropical regions).
- They include deciduous trees (which lose leaves seasonally), evergreen trees, shrubs, and vines.
In contrast to herbaceous plants, whose stems die back at the end of each growing season, the woody stem of woody plants survives through seasons and keeps growing in girth. Woody plants are major components of forests and landscapes and compete for sunlight by growing taller using their woody structure for support. They are crucial for ecosystems and provide resources such as timber, food, and habitat. In summary, woody plants are perennial plants with hard, lignified stems reinforced by wood, enabling long-term growth and structural support above ground. They include trees, shrubs, and woody vines.
