In vascular plants, secondary growth or, perhaps more accurately, secondary thickening is the result of the activity of the vascular cambium. The latter is a meristem that divides off cells: the cells on the inside of the meristem (the adaxial side) will become secondary xylem, while the cells on the outside (the abaxial side) will become the secondary phloem. This growth increases the girth of the plant, rather than its length, hence the phrase "secondary thickening". As long as the vascular cambium continues to produce new cells, the plant will continue to grow more stout. If this is kept up over many years, this process produces wood.

Because this growth ruptures the epidermis of the stem, woody plants also may have a cork cambium that develops among the phloem. The cork cambium gives rise to thickened cork cells to protect the surface of the plant and reduce water loss. If this is kept up over many years, this process may produce a layer of cork. In the case of the cork oak it will yield harvestable cork.

Plant anatomy | Plant physiology | Tissues