Skip to main content

Wound Closure

/woond KLOH-zhur/
🌲 Arboriculture Basic

Also known as: callus formation, wound wood

Wound closure (formerly called wound healing) is the process by which callus tissue grows from the cambium around the edges of a wound, gradually covering the exposed wood. Trees do not heal wounds — they compartmentalize the damaged tissue (CODIT) and grow new wood over it. Proper pruning cuts that preserve the branch collar promote faster and more complete wound closure.

Etymology

From Old English wund (wound) + Old English clysian (to close)

Example

Five years after the proper pruning cut, wound closure was nearly complete with healthy callus tissue covering 80% of the exposed area.