The importance of trees

The trees they are incredible plants. Each of them is an ecosystem in itself, an ecosystem that we have to try to take care of, in the same way that they take care of us.

Trees and plants are very important to all of us, because without the oxygen that their leaves expel, life on Earth would be very different. The importance of trees, then, is that without these wonderful plants the planet would be a desert. But let's see it in more detail.

They provide us with the much-needed oxygen

Trees, like all plants that have chlorophyll, carry out photosynthesis. This means that absorb carbon dioxide and expel oxygen, in order to convert inorganic matter into organic matter, that is, into food thanks to which they can grow and develop correctly.

If the leaves were dry and / or affected by pests, this process would of course be attempted, but the plant would have many difficulties. Also, it is not important only to treat them against pests, but It is also necessary to avoid that dust accumulates on the surface of its leaf parts, and that the water remains too long in them. In the event that we do not, they could not photosynthesize, and therefore they would not expel oxygen either.

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How trees photosynthesize

And ... how much air do we breathe per day? Quite. We breathe in and out between 5 and 6 liters of air per minute, which in 24 hours is between 7200 and 8600. Thanks to this process, we absorb oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Just the opposite of photosynthesis. You could say that plants and humans help each other to live.

However, 22 trees are needed to meet the demand of one person per day. Deforestation is harming us in the short and long term, putting our very survival at risk, and if we do nothing, the Earth will be left without its lungs.

Trees and plants as a method of combating the greenhouse effect

The accumulation of gases in the atmosphere is causing the climate on the planet to change faster than it has ever done before. The human being has played a leading role in this story, since since the Industrial Revolution it has been polluting more and more, destroying everything in its path.

Trees absorb almost 22kg of carbon dioxide each year. But there is one in particular that I would like to mention to you: the Pawlonia tomentosa. This incredible species native to China is known by the name of the »tree of Life». Its deciduous leaves and its decorative flowers make it an exceptional garden tree, as it can live in any type of soil. It has a very fast growth rate, and it is very easy to grow.

The Tree of Life resists fire, as its roots regenerate rapidly. And if this seems little to you, tell you that it emits large amounts of oxygen, and absorbs up to ten times more carbon dioxide than other trees.

Their life expectancy is between 200 and 250 years. So if you want to have an oxygen pump in your home, this is your tree. It's decorative, it's easy to care for, and it's sturdy. What more could you want? What resists frost? In that case, I have good news for you: la Pawlonia tomentosa supports up to -5ºC. It's great, don't you think?

Trees and plants feed us with their fruits

There are many tree species whose fruit is edible: apple trees, orange trees, walnut trees, strawberry trees, hazelnuts ... All of them are ideal to have in a garden, planted next to the orchard for example. There is nothing like growing your own food, and the one who has a fruit tree or several at home, you will be able to taste the authentic taste of nature.

However depending on the weather, you will have to choose one or the others, since not all need the same hours of cold to flower, nor do they support the same temperatures. With this in mind, you should choose the following trees depending on the climate you have:

• Fruit trees for climates with intense frosts: Hazel, blueberry, cherry, plum, sloe, currant, peach, apple, nectarine, walnut, pear.
• Fruit trees for temperate climates: apricot, carob, chestnut, fig, olive.
• Fruit trees for climates with very mild frosts: persimmon, feijoa, lemon, kumquat, mandarin, orange, medlar, grapefruit.
• Fruit trees for tropical climate: avocado, mango, durian, guava, papaya, pitanga, rambutan.

All of them have to be in an area where the sun hits them directly, with enough space so that they can develop without problems. Thus, it is important that, before deciding on a specific species, we know what its dimensions will be once it reaches adulthood. Thus, we will avoid that in the future we have to prune it more than necessary or change its site.

Prevent soil erosion

That's how it is. Trees prevent erosion by keeping the soil moist. They do so thanks to their roots, which go deep into it. In this way, the plant not only remains well anchored, reducing the risk that the wind can move it, but also, prevents the terrain from ending up lifeless.

In principle any tree that don't need fertile soils (or, what is the same, Mediterranean species or those that are very resistant to the wind) and that measure about 2m tall this will help you. Generally, you just have to avoid putting fruit trees, as they need a very fertile soil for their fruits to ripen properly.

Plant them in areas where erosion is a serious threat, such as slopes or open areas that have nothing to prevent the wind, and also around the entire perimeter of the area. But, if you want to avoid that your soil ends up eroding, I recommend that you plant shrubs and / or flowers around the trees. This way you will get to have a spectacular garden.

Erosion is a very serious problem, caused by the erosion of the soil from the wind and the rain. When there is no vegetation cover, the sun's rays impact directly on it, the wind takes with it the few nutrients that it has left, and when it rains heavily, we can have a totally flooded area. Thus, it is highly recommended that, if you live in an area that may be affected by this problem, don't hesitate to plant trees.

Other important uses of trees and plants

Trees have a close relationship with humanity. In addition to the uses that we have seen so far, there are others that I would like to mention to you, and they are:

Decrease noise pollution

If you've ever been to a park in the middle of the city, you've probably noticed how little urban noise you hear, right? For this reason, gardens located near roads or airports plant trees.

They protect us from the sun and cool us

There are many trees that give us a good shade in summer, in which we can have a picnic with the family or enjoy seeing the landscape. And all thanks to the water vapor that they release through their leaves.

From them we extract the wood

We need this material to make tables, chairs and all kinds of furniture and / or tools. But tree felling has to be done responsibly, and always planting a specimen in the place from which we have cut down.

Embellish the landscape

There are a good number of incredibly decorative species. Either because of the colors that its leaves acquire in spring and / or autumn, or because of the flowers that sprout from between its branches, or because of the elegant bearing that many of them have, the truth is that nothing would be the same without there were no trees. . We like them a lot, and that is something that shows.

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6 Ornamental trees for small gardens

They are home to many animals and insects

It's hard not to go into a forest and not see a squirrel crawling out of a tree trunk, or not see the birds resting before resuming their routine. These plants they are home to many living things, and without them they would have many difficulties to survive.

Curiosities of the trees

We have seen how important trees and plants are to us, but also to all other living things. It is our responsibility to take care of them and prevent them from becoming extinct, otherwise we would be putting our own life in danger.

I would not like to finish this special article without first telling you some of the curiosities about these wonderful vegetables. Do you want to know what they are? Here they are:

• The most plant in the world is a Secuoia. They named it Hyperion, and it is located in Redwood National Park, California. It measures neither more nor less than 115'54 meters Tall. There is nothing!
• The longest, is the Pinus longaeva. Remains of specimens that lived have been found 7 thousand years old, although the most normal thing is that they live 3 thousand years. Still, they live much longer than any other living thing.
• And a plant that existed before the dinosaurs, is the Ginkgo biloba. Appeared on Earth ago 270 million years
• Are you looking for a tree that provides shade in your large garden? So he ficus benghalensis is for you. It occupies an area of ​​12 thousand square meters. In India, where he is from, they celebrate parties in the shelter of his shadow.

Trees are incredible plants that, if respected, can be very useful to us.