heartwood

[ hahrt-wood ]

noun

1. the hard central wood of the trunk of an exogenous tree; duramen.

heartwood

/ ˈhɑːtˌwʊd /

noun

1. the central core of dark hard wood in tree trunks, consisting of nonfunctioning xylem tissue that has become blocked with resins, tannins, and oils Compare sapwood

heartwood

/ härt′wd′ /

1. The older, nonliving central wood of a tree or woody plant, usually darker and harder than the younger sapwood. Unlike the sapwood, it no longer conducts water, and its main function is the support of the tree.

Word History and Origins

Origin of heartwood¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; heart + wood ¹

Example Sentences

Slowly by the seasons, one kernel at a time, you will feel your heartwood restored.

From Salon

Meaning that while the tree is alive, the fungus is actively decaying the roots and the heartwood in the lower portion of the trunk.

From Seattle Times

The death-pitted dormant tree looks ahead without a flicker in its heartwood.

From Scientific American

Though dozens of mills have closed over the decades, trucks still hurtle down Highway 20 carrying stacks of hulking redwoods, easy to distinguish by their crimson heartwood.

From Los Angeles Times

The central core, or heartwood, is the strongest wood in the tree even though it’s no longer alive.

From New York Times