Big tree thread

[BigHornRam]

Do you notice how this tree spirals up and to the right?

If you look around, you will almost never find one that goes up and to the left. I don't know why. Maybe some species go one way, some another, but all of those that I see having really well defined spirals are up and to the right. I've looked and asked for an explanation, but never got a satisfactory one.

That's why lumber has a tendency to twist. I've heard it has to do with the sun why trees grow with a twist. Darn sun!

 

[BigHornRam]

Here's some theories for you to shift through Brent. Found it it interesting since Hans Kubler was my Wood Identification professor at UW Madison. Class was causally referred to as "Vood is Good" . Hans had a strong German accent.

Why Do Trees Form Spiral Grain?: The Gymnosperm Database

Review of the life and conifer work of George Engelmann.

www.conifers.org

 

[BigHornRam]

In my part of the world, the trees are not huge, but more importantly, they are being strangled to death. At one time they grew in the open and you can still see the signs of this in their form. But now, they are being strangled and smothered by younger, aggressive trash trees. The best ones are already gone or only their skeletons remain.

Now, they look 1000 times more interesting than the trees around them, but they are doomed.

Those old trees grew in open sunlight, back when the prairies frequently burned. No more prairie fire has allowed the other trees to come in thick and crowd out the older tree.

 

[BrentD]

BigHornRam,
I love the concluding statement from that link

"On balance, I still have a sense that the field is data-poor, and it's possible to generate lots of plausible hypotheses."

I have never seen the grain reverse in a tree and i wonder what that looks like. I've looked at countless Englemann spruce, one of the species he mentions, and not seen dual twisting. Greater than 95% of what I have actually counted have been right hand twist. Left hand has been very rare and very poorly defined when I have observed it. Exterior bark often shows the same patterns which may be a conflict with some of the hypotheses proposed.

In my two trips below the equator, I flat out forgot to check for spiraling, though I have heard that the Coriolis affect as a cause before.

It happens in hardwoods too, but maybe not so often.

Anyway, something to ponder while scanning the trees for squirrels or waiting on Hank.

Thanks for that link.

 

[gouch]

Here are some fairly big old trees

 

[BrentD]

Those old trees grew in open sunlight, back when the prairies frequently burned. No more prairie fire has allowed the other trees to come in thick and crowd out the older tree.

Yup. I know. there are interesting descriptions of the landscapes here in my part of the world. Pre-Euros, the landscape over towards the Mississippi was described as rolling hills crowned with trees and grass in between. Now, to the extent that there is anything other than corn or soybeans, we think of the hills as exactly the opposite. Bald or grassy at least on top, and bearded with trees below.

 

[Four22]

These are some giant trees for south west Ohio. There’s probably 12 of them up through this creek bottom all on public land.

I’d love to know why they’re still there and hadn’t been cut like the surrounding area.

 

[BrentD]

Some old trees just won't let go. They refuse to die. This one is just off a corner of my property. That bank faces west so it was fully exposed to the 100+ mph derecho winds we had back on August 10.

But it just keeps on hangin' on. Tough bastard for sure.

 

[publichunter1]

An old MS swamp cypress.

 

[TheGrayRider]

150+ year old cottonwoods. South Dakota.

 

[Lv2hnt]

'Tho Arizona isn't known for big trees, I've be fortunate to be next to a handful of special ones.

This old alligator juniper probably became the most famous when the late Granite Mountain Hot Shot crew took the accompanying photo. They will NEVER be forgotten by us Arizonans ...

 

[Lv2hnt]

Arizona still has a few old-growth yellow Ponderosa pines that somehow escaped the buck saw. We were lion hunting up in 13A on the Arizona Strip when I took this pic (1 of 2 near each other - the other had an identifying plaque). That's Doc B. in the pic ...

 

[Lv2hnt]

Then this alligator juniper on the Mogollon Rim is without question the TALLEST I've come across personally ...

 

[shrapnel]

World record Cottonwood...

 

[Dsnow9]

How did I miss this thread! This is my jam!

 

[shrapnel]

 

[hank4elk]

Reminds me of watching a 6'DBH Red Fir get hit by lightning @ Huntington Lake and a log blows out sideways and it cuts a cabin in half .
No one hurt,in an occupied cabin. Rebuilt from foundation up,in the middle. I believe it survived the recent fires too.
There were some huge trees in the Kaiser Wilderness.

 

[MITCHMO]

this beaver was motivated to take on this old river bottom tree in South Dakota.

 

[Irrelevant]

From my bear hunt this weekend.
This Doug fell across the trail in 2019, they finally had a trail crew come through and cut it out. This isn't anywhere near the base, in fact, I couldn't see the base from the trail. Counted the rings, 560 yrs old, give or take 50 or so.


This was was pretty damn impressive, but then again many Western Red Cedar get this big at the base.

 

[Akcabin]

We have a large birch near our cabin that is covered in burls. 2 guys can't reach around it. I'd love to see the wood grain in this tree.