Dendrite (metal)
![A silver crystal, electrolytically refined with visible dendritic structures](/Images/godic/202501/08/Silver_crystal1840.jpg")
![Ice dendrite formation on a snowflake](/Images/godic/202501/08/Dendrite1840.jpg")
A dendrite in metallurgy is a characteristic tree-like structure of crystals growing as molten metal freezes, the shape produced by faster growth along energetically favourable crystallographic directions. This dendritic growth has large consequences in regard to material properties.