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cam·bi·um | \ ˈkam-bē-əm 
\
\ plural cambiums or cambia\ ˈkam-bē-ə \
\Definition of cambium
: a thin formative layer between the xylem and phloem of most vascular plants that gives rise to new cells and is responsible for secondary growth
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Other Words from cambium
cambial \ ˈkam-bē-əl \ adjective
\ adjectiveExamples of cambium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web This can result in a lot of damage to the cambium layer on young trees.
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Earl Nickel, SFChronicle.com, "How to keep pesky visitors out of the garden," 20 Sep. 2019 Every night, the wood and bark of the cambium—the cellular tissue between a tree’s bark and wood—enlarged until the sun came up.
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M. R. O’connor, The New Yorker, "A Day in the Life of a Tree," 27 Aug. 2019 While scientists are working on a long-term solution, woodpeckers are busy rooting out the insect’s grubs, which bury themselves beneath the trees’ bark, feeding on cambium.
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Molly Marquand, Good Housekeeping, "How To Attract Woodpeckers To Your Yard (And Why You'd Want To)," 13 June 2017 Anderson said the key is to read labels, wear appropriate clothing — including long pants and shirts, shoes and socks and chemical-resistant gloves — and apply just a little herbicide on the cambium, which is the outer layer of the stump.
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Sheryl Devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Battling buckthorn: Regional tree initiative enlists help from homeowners to eradicate invasive plant," 22 Feb. 2018 Eventually the cambium layer will be severed and no more phloem (layer that carries sugars from the leaves down to the roots) will be produced, so the plant will die.
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Neil Sperry, star-telegram, "Even gardening has its odds and ends. Here, random snippets of knowledge," 2 Feb. 2018 If there is a cambium layer, the tree is still alive.
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Debbie Arrington, sacbee.com, "White ooze may mean doom for lemon tree," 28 Apr. 2017
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cambium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cambium
cambium
nouncam·bi·um | \ ˈkam-bē-əm \
\ plural cambiums or cambia\ -bē-ə \
Kids Definition of cambium
: soft tissue in woody plants from which new wood and bark grow
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Time Traveler for cambium
The first known use of cambium was in 1671
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