Trees are the big bully of the plant world. If a tree can grow someplace, it will.
What does a tree need to grow? WATER. LOTS and LOTS of water. Over a hundred gallons of water per day for big trees.
Why? To transport nutrients to the top of the tree through their vascular system. Evaporation of water at the top pulls the entire column of water and nutrients along by the force of attraction of water molecules. In order to get 1 drop of water to a leaf on the top of a tree, 99 drops of water have to be evaporated.
http://tchester.org/srp/plants/communities/29.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Last update: 6 November 2005.