Learning About Trees and Sun Exposure

Even if your knowledge of trees and their health is pretty limited, chances are you know about the two primary things they need to survive: Water and sunlight. Like most kinds of plant life and vegetation, trees have these basic needs that must be met.

At Reliable Tree Care, we supplement our high-quality tree trimming and disease control services with numerous areas of expertise given to our clients, including on trees and sun. Different tree types vary pretty widely in terms of the sun or shade they require, and we can help you navigate all the important ins and outs here. Let’s go over some basics to know in this area.
learning trees sun exposure

Trees and Sunlight

As you may remember from your high school science class, trees interact with sunlight using a process called photosynthesis. This is a process where the tree synthesizes food from carbon dioxide and water, producing important nutrients.

This isn’t just a matter of providing as much sun as possible for every tree, however. There’s absolutely such thing as trees having too much food, and many tree types can receive too much sun if you aren’t careful about planting. The amount of sun a tree gets will affect everything from foliage and flowering to its fruiting characteristics, meaning it’s important to plan out your planting areas well in advance (more on this below).

Full Sun, Partial Sun and Full Shade

When planting new trees, it’s important to note the three primary sunlight stages: Full sun, partial sun and full shade.

  • Full sun: Not necessarily all day – at least six hours of sun in a given day will constitute full sun. Many full sun trees get cool light in the morning, then become shaded in the afternoon to protect roots from the heaviest heat. These trees will require good mulch that keeps the moisture inside roots despite heat.
  • Partial sun or shade: Partial sun means the tree will thrive in three to six hours of sun, while partial shade means a spot that will get more shade than sun during the day period. A good area for partial shade is generally the east side of a building where it will be blocked from the sun until later in the day.
  • Full shade: Full shade refers to a tree that receives virtually no sun exposure.

Planting Smart

There are several other important factors that will play a role as well, but the sun should be near the top of your list when you consider placement for new trees. Know about the type of tree you’re looking to plant and what sort of sun exposure it thrives in, plus spend time planning for how nearby trees or other plants may impact things here. Map out your plan in a detailed format, something our pros are happy to help with.

For more on trees and sun exposure, or to learn about any of our tree services, speak to the staff at Reliable Tree Care today.