As you know, I wanted to get something intriguing for this week’s puzzler from the NW Flower and Garden Show. Alas, there was nothing that jumped out at me, so I’m digging into my photo archives.
Here is a recent photo from a parking lot tree. About four feet up the trunk, I found this interesting growth. No, I don’t know what the tree species is because (a) it wasn’t in leaf and (b) I’m a taxonomy klutz. But I can assure you that the odd bark morphology has nothing to do with genetic identity.
I can also assure you that there is no foreign material under the bark that’s causing this phenomenon. The question: what DID cause it?
The answer – and a revealing photo – on Monday!
Guy wire left on the tree for quite a bit longer than a year? Wait ’til a high wind takes down the tree right above that girdling point.
That would be my guess too. Wire from staking the tree at planting was left on too long or wrapped too tight. It is repeated or prolonged physical damage of some sort. If the obvious answer is not the reason, maybe it is where a sign or banner is regularly tied and blows in the wind causing the damage.
Yes I agree. I learned something else though. I have always thought it was a guide wire. Thanks for the education in a number of ways.
My guess would be girdling wire or sleeve. It got left on too long, then removed, but the damage will be there for a long, long time. Four feet up is actually kind of high for guy wire. The sign or banner being tied to it seems logical to me.
A cable securing a bike rake?
bad bondage!