The Tree Line

mountains · nature boundary · climate · survival

Where trees stop. The tree line marks the edge of where trees can grow, usually found high on mountains or very far north near the Arctic. Beyond this line, it's too cold, windy, or harsh for trees to survive.

Too tough to live there. Trees can't handle the extreme conditions past the tree line. The weather is too severe, with fierce winds and cold temperatures that stop trees from growing and forming forests.

Different from timberline. The tree line is different from the timberline below it. The timberline is where trees stop forming thick, closed forests, while the tree line is where trees disappear entirely.

High elevation zones. On tall mountains, you'll find the tree line where the elevation becomes so high that trees can no longer survive, even though smaller plants and shrubs might still grow there.

Found worldwide. Tree lines exist on mountains everywhere on Earth, and also at high latitudes in the far north where it stays very cold year-round.