A portion of secondary xylem (PO:0005848) that is a part of a growth ring (PO:0004514) formed during the early part of a growing season, has lower density than late wood (PO:0004516) of the same growth ring, and has as parts early wood tracheary elements (PO:0025461) with generally larger lumens than the late wood tracheary elements (PO:0025462) of the same growth ring.