Branch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, people, or places, see Branch (disambiguation).
A branch is a part of a woody plant such as a tree, shrub, or vine. It is any woody structural member that is usually connected to but not part of the central trunk or boughs. A branch supports the terminal twigs, which in turn support the leaves.
Branches may be oriented in any direction from horizontally to vertically, but usually have bark similar to the upper trunk (whereas twigs often have markedly different bark).
Large or main branches are sometimes call limbs, while very small branches are called "branchlets".