DID YOU KNOW?

Trees never die of old age.

Unlike most other living organisms, trees don’t die when they get old. There are trees in California that are 5,000 years old!

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There are over 60,000 species!

Many of these species are at risk of becoming extinct. Scientists are at work identifying which species need immediate attention.

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When insects attack a tree, the tree fights back.

Trees can produce a chemical called phenolics, which keeps those pesky pests away. This helps them protect themselves.

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One tree is equal to two central air conditioners

Trees help to regulate air temperature.

45% of all tree species are members of just 10 families.

A few of the families are called Leguminosae (legumes), Myrtaceae (myrtle), and Malvaceae (mallows). Interesting, right?

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Trees can help direct us home safely.

The branches of a tree show us where we are, much like a compass. For example, branches that point horizontal to the ground are pointing south.

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Some of our trees have even been to the moon!

The Apollo 14 mission in 1971 took seeds to the moon to see if they would grow differently there. To everyone’s surprise, the trees grew the same way as they do on Earth.

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The leaves on a tree absorb sunlight.

This process is called photosynthesis and helps keep the tree nourished and healthy.