The outer, living wood of a tree trunk that actively transports water and nutrients from roots to leaves. Sapwood is typically lighter in color and less durable than heartwood.
From Old English 'sæp' (sap, juice) and 'wudu' (wood), literally meaning 'sap wood.' This name reflects the wood's active role in conducting the tree's life-giving fluids.
Sapwood is the tree's highway system, with millions of tiny tubes called xylem vessels carrying water up from the roots! This 'living wood' can transport hundreds of gallons of water daily in large trees, but it's also more vulnerable to insects and decay than heartwood.
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