noun
- the hard, dense inner wood of a tree trunk, typically darker and more durable than the outer sapwood
Usage: uncountable; technical/forestry term
Examples
- The heartwood of oak trees is prized for furniture making because of its strength and resistance to decay.
- As a tree ages, the sapwood gradually transforms into heartwood.
- Heartwood is often darker in color than the surrounding sapwood.
- The carpenter selected boards with visible heartwood for the cabinet project.
- Teak heartwood is highly valued in shipbuilding due to its natural oils and durability.