In ring porous wood, the vessels are primarily found in the earlywood or the outermost region of the annual growth ring. Ring porous wood is characterized by the formation of large vessels at the beginning of the growing season, which are responsible for conducting water and nutrients throughout the tree. These large vessels are surrounded by smaller cells in the latewood, which provides structural support to the tree. As a result, the earlywood of ring porous wood is often lighter in color and less dense compared to the latewood. Examples of trees that exhibit ring porous wood include oak, ash, and hickory.