In order to discover the meaning of the term sapwood, the first thing we have to do is know its etymological origin. In this case, we can underline that it is a word that derives from the Latin, specifically from “sapwood”, which means “very white”. This is considered to be the result of the sum of two clearly differentiated parts:
-The adjective “albus”, which can be translated as “white”.
-The suffix “-ura”, which is used to express “result”.
The first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the DigoPaul refers to the ideal whiteness of something. The concept, however, is often used in the field of botany.
In this case, the sapwood is the soft sector that makes up the younger rings of the wood. It is the whitish layer that is located under the bark. When the wood is said to have double sapwood, we are referring to a defect that causes the texture in certain layers to be looser than usual.
The sapwood harbors a high level of humidity since it has a low density and is permeable. It combines dead cells with others that remain active in terms of their physiological action. When these parenchymal cells die, the sapwood becomes heartwood, remaining in the central part of the trunk.
In addition to supporting the tree structure, the sapwood allows the storage of certain useful substances and facilitates the distribution of the sap.
In the lumber industry, sapwood analysis is essential as it determines the strength of the wood. Typically, the sapwood enters a state of putrefaction before the heartwood; In addition, being soft, it makes it difficult to carry out different jobs. For this reason, when developing a technical report on a wood, the characteristics of the sapwood and heartwood are usually specified in order to reveal its properties.
From the mentioned heartwood we can determine that it is the innermost part that exists in the stem of the trees, that is formed from the sapwood and that has a darker color than this. In the same way, we cannot forget that it is commonly known as “the heart of the wood”.
Furthermore, it should not be overlooked that the heartwood is resistant, hard and much heavier than the part in question. What’s more, it is considered to be great when it comes to dealing with attacks from both insects and fungi.
In the same way, we cannot ignore that Albura is the name of an association in the town of Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid). It has been operating for more than 25 years and it is defined specifically as a Cultural Recreational Sports Association, which aims to promote the didactic part of any outdoor activity.
Multiadventure or surf camps are some of the proposals that this entity carries out in favor of the smallest.
