Evolutionary History of Plants

Trees have evolved over approximately 385 million years, developing from simple vascular plants into the structurally complex organisms that dominate terrestrial landscapes today. Understanding the evolutionary history of trees provides essential context for modern arboriculture — explaining why certain species respond to stress in particular ways, why wood density varies so dramatically, and how different tree families developed their distinctive growth habits. This collection covers the major milestones in plant evolution, the development of vascular tissue and wood, the rise of angiosperms, and what evolutionary biology means for practical tree care decisions.