Glossary term
What is Heartwood?
Short answer
Heartwood is the older, inner wood of a trunk that no longer carries water but gives the tree strength.
Heartwood, explained for tree service owners
Heartwood is the dense, often darker wood in the center of a trunk. It no longer moves water, but it adds strength and, in many species, resists rot better than the outer wood. A tree can have a hollow or decayed heartwood and still look green, because the living layers near the bark keep working. For a tree service owner, this is a key reason to look for signs inside the tree, such as fungus, cavities or soft sound when you tap the trunk. Heartwood from some species, such as oak or cedar, is also valued as firewood or lumber, so tell the homeowner what you plan to do with the wood.
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