The Hidden Language of Trees

The Underground Network

Trees communicate using an underground system called the Wood Wide Web—a real-life network of roots and fungi.

• The Wood Wide Web is made possible by mycorrhizal fungi—tiny thread-like structures called hyphae that wrap around and enter tree roots.
• These fungi form a symbiotic relationship: the tree provides sugars made during photosynthesis, and the fungi help absorb phosphorus, nitrogen, and water from the soil.
• Some trees under attack by pests release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and also send electrical impulses through roots and fungi, triggering nearby trees to produce defensive chemicals.

The Role of “Mother Trees”

Older, central trees—nicknamed mother trees—help shape and support the entire forest ecosystem.

• Mother trees are deeply connected in the fungal network, often forming hub nodes—they can be connected to dozens of surrounding trees.
• They can detect healthy or stressed trees through these connections and allocate nutrients accordingly.
• Studies show that mother trees can send carbon, nitrogen, and defense signals, especially to their own offspring.
• These trees even reduce their own growth to help shaded seedlings or trees in need, suggesting a cooperative, not competitive, behavior in forest ecosystems.

Fun Facts

Here are some interesting facts about the hidden language of trees:

• A single teaspoon of forest soil can contain miles of fungal threads!
• Birch trees can share carbon with Douglas fir trees—even if they’re not the same species.
• Trees can recognize their offspring and send them more nutrients than unrelated trees.
• When giraffes eat acacia trees, the trees release chemicals to warn other acacias nearby—those trees then make their leaves taste bad!

Review

Let’s quickly recap what we learned about the hidden language of trees:

• What type of fungi connect tree roots together? Mycorrhizae
• What do trees send through the fungal network? Electrical Impulses
• What is the name of the largest, oldest tree in the network? Mother Tree
• What is the nickname for the underground forest communication systems? Wood Wide Web