Mother Nature's MISTAKES

[Random Usr]

It is recomended that bonsaists look closely at trees in nature to gain inspiration and an understanding of how nature works. Good advice. But sometimes I wonder if Mother Nature is out of her mind.

We used to walk passed this tree each and every day on the way to my boy's school untill we discovered that my 8-year-old is allergic to Birch pollen. It is UGLY, and every day I tried to understand how this happened. But none of the ideas I've had are realistic. Can you figure this one out? Or have you photos of trees as ugly as this one?

 

[sorce]

Wild.

I have one of those in a park by me.
Ugly too, I'll get a pic in a week or so.

Bring em out!

Sorce

 

[aml1014]

I have one at work with a branch like that but not as bad

 

[JudyB]

This is what happens when the tree looses it's leader. The next branch down, then starts to climb up to the sun, and becomes the new leader. The other reason you would see branches like this in a forest is from other trees falling down on a branch and bending it in odd directions when young. You may not see the fallen tree anymore, but it shaped the tree by laying on it for long enough to set the branch in a bent position.

 

[Adair M]

Native Americans used to mark the paths by making trees grow like this.

 

[Random Usr]

This is what happens when the tree looses it's leader. The next branch down, then starts to climb up to the sun, and becomes the new leader. The other reason you would see branches like this in a forest is from other trees falling down on a branch and bending it in odd directions when young. You may not see the fallen tree anymore, but it shaped the tree by laying on it for long enough to set the branch in a bent position.

That doesn't explain (1) why there is no visable leader "chop" (2) why the short horizontal is thicker than both the trunk (below it) and the branch to the left of it (3) how the horizontal managed to be buttressed against the lower trunk, and (4) how the new leader ended up 120 degrees to the right.

BTW: Your theory on the fallen second tree sounds good but this tree is in the garden of a block of flats. In all probability, it would have been deemed too dangerous to lie aginst the other tree (for even a short time) considering this area is highly inhabited on all sides.

 

[just.wing.it]

Looks like the main leader almost broke, but survived and healed.

 

[JudyB]

That doesn't explain (1) why there is no visable leader "chop" (2) why the short horizontal is thicker than both the trunk (below it) and the branch to the left of it (3) how the horizontal managed to be buttressed against the lower trunk, and (4) how the new leader ended up 120 degrees to the right.

BTW: Your theory on the fallen second tree sounds good but this tree is in the garden of a block of flats. In all probability, it would have been deemed too dangerous to lie aginst the other tree (for even a short time) considering this area is highly inhabited on all sides.

Fine, I was just conversing about possible scenarios. All of your points are very difficult to see in your photo.

I also stated that the fallen branch theory was for trees in a forest. I realize that this probably didn't happen to this particular tree where is is planted.

 

[GGB]

Everyday I drive past an eastern white pine and right near the top there's a witches broom. It's a perfect sphereical pom pom where the apex of the tree should be

 

[coh]

It is difficult to see what's really going on from the photos. Maybe the tree was responding to an insect attack or some disease process that caused that section to grow horizontally for a while, then it recovered and began growing upward. I have a young Korean hornbeam in my growing bed that did something similar, for a year or two all it did was grow horizontal branches...then it finally started growing a normal, upward leader. I have no idea why! But the main trunk now has a similar angular segment.

 

[BethF]

Old magnolias tend to do that. I always figured the older branches put out waterspouts to get additional sun.

 

[JoeR]

I wouldn't exactly call it a 'mistake'.

 

[Random Usr]

Looks like the main leader almost broke, but survived and healed.

I was thinking along the same lines but I still can't see how it would work.

 

[Random Usr]

It is difficult to see what's really going on from the photos. Maybe the tree was responding to an insect attack or some disease process that caused that section to grow horizontally for a while, then it recovered and began growing upward. I have a young Korean hornbeam in my growing bed that did something similar, for a year or two all it did was grow horizontal branches...then it finally started growing a normal, upward leader. I have no idea why! But the main trunk now has a similar angular segment.

An interesting theory. It would also explain the uneven growth in thickness. Hmmmmm ..........

 

[Random Usr]

Native Americans used to mark the paths by making trees grow like this.

Smart people!

 

[Random Usr]

....... All of your points are very difficult to see in your photo. .....

Take a look at the second photo. From that one you can see it very well.