Table 4 Summary of the main results of this work (graphical illustrations by P. Perré).

Fast rise in vessels. No imbibition in the rest of the structure.

Water meniscus blocked in vessel scars (1). Slow rise/spread through fibers (2) and rays (3). Some vessels supplied in water by rays (4). Vertical rise insured by fibers (5)

Fast rise in latewood (1). No rise or spread in earlywood

Fast rise in latewood (1). Slow rise and spread in earlywood, in connected tracheids (2) and rays (3). Earlywood tracheids participate in vertical rise (4)

Macroscopic measurements are well predicted by a simple Washburn model in vessels

Complex 3D pathways in a heterogeneous pore network. However, the 2D model proposed for spruce gives realistic trends

Washburn’s law applies in latewood

A 2-D Wahsburn model is consistent with the experimental results: initial rise in latewood is then propagation in earlywood