Glossary term
What is Wound wood?
Short answer
Wound wood is the ring of new tissue a tree grows around a wound to close it over time.
Wound wood, explained for tree service owners
Wound wood, also called a callus, is the thick, rounded edge of new tissue that forms around a cut, scar or injury. Over the years it grows inward from the sides and may close the wound completely. It does not replace the damaged wood below, but it seals the surface. For a tree service owner, healthy wound wood after a pruning cut is a sign the cut was made well. A cut made in the right place heals in an even ring. A flush cut or a stub heals poorly or not at all. Painting wounds is generally not needed, and it can trap moisture. Explain to customers that a tree heals by sealing, not by regrowing.
Related terms
- Branch bark ridge
Branch bark ridge is the raised line of bark on the top of the joint where a branch meets the trunk.
- Branch collar
Branch collar is the slightly swollen ring of tissue at the base of a branch where it joins the trunk or a larger limb.
- Central leader
A central leader is the single main upright stem that runs up the middle of a tree.
- Scaffold branch
A scaffold branch is one of the main permanent limbs that form the framework of a tree's crown.
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