Differentiate between heart wood and sap wood.
 Home > Diferentiate between hard wood and sap wood Question Diferentiate between hard wood and sap wood Solution Dear student, wood is the secondary xylem of seed-plants. As the tree ages, certain permanent changes take place in the wood. The inner parts of the wood become darker. The xylem in this central part is called heartwood (it is not hardwood) or ‘duramen’. The peripheral part of the wood is light coloured and it is called sapwood or ‘alburnum’. The sap conduction occurs through the sapwood. The dark colour of heartwood is due to the accumulation many aromatic substances, pigments and tannins. These changes make the wood more strong and durable and resistant to decay by insect or fungal attacks. The inner heartwood provides the mechanical support.
