Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Identifying Unknown Plants

The Importance of Trees: Oxygen, Habitat, and Raw Materials

A student needed help with an essay question: "Consider the importance of trees." They wanted examples, discussion areas, and interpretation.

Expert Response

Trees are important for several reasons. Foremost, they are the primary source of oxygen we breathe (byproduct of photosynthesis). Animal species cannot survive without tree-produced oxygen. They also provide habitat for many animal species. Secondarily, they are a source of raw materials for industrial products like lumber and paper.

Identifying Unknown Plants: Diagnosing and Treating Browning Fraser Firs and Cedar Trees; Natural Cone Production on Thuja (Arborvitae) Trees; Lichens on Trees: Harmless Indicators of Stress, Not Killers; Magnolia Stress in Galveston: Semi-Evergreen Leaf Drop, High-P Fertilizer for Blooms; Robins in Garden: Netting Berries, Feeding Seed Elsewhere; Mystery Worms in 3rd Floor Chicago Condo: Need Identification First; Caterpillars on House: Wrong Expert Category; Identifying Cedar Trees with Orange Seed Pods; Tree Surgery in Ceredigion: Safety, Health, and Aesthetic Excellence; The Economic Importance of Trees: Beyond Ecology

Garden Articles

5 Mini Trees + Flowers for a Tropical Front Strip on a Tiny Budget

Mini Trees for Florida: Conifers, Palms & Flowering Shrubs

Best Poolside Trees for Central Alabama Climate

Assessing Survival of Transplanted Trees and Shrubs After One Year

Phototropic Lean in Green Giant Arborvitae: Staking Limitations

Date, Fig & Coconut Trees: All Palms?

Should You Remove Old Canes on Deciduous Dendrobiums?

Plants

Walnut Caterpillars Defoliating Pecans: Identification and Control

Oaks Falling with Internal Decay: Hazard Tree Assessment Needed

Cypress Trees Submerged in Pond: Likely Dead

Cottonless Cottonwood Sparse Foliage: First-Year Root Establishment

Mushrooms on Confined Urban Oaks: What Those Cold-Weather Fungi Mean

New African Violet Leaves Growing in Yellow: Nutrient Deficiency or Variety Trait?

Best Indoor Tree for Denver South-Facing Window: Ficus benjamina