JTred
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Twisted Trees - Can anyone explain this phenomenon?

This isn't really bonsai per se, but I figured this was the best place to ask. On my campus and in the surrounding area there are many trees with twisted bark. The trees are different species, different ages, and twist in different directions and to varying degrees. No one seems to be able to answer my question as to how these trees got this way. Does anyone have any idea how this could happen?

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/0316011745a.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/0316011745.jpg[/img]

In this picture ^^ you can see the tree from the first pic in the background. It twists in the opposite direction.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/0316011744.jpg[/img]

P.S. if any of the mods think this would go better in the landscaping forum, please move it. I just figured bonsai folks would know tree trivia best.

-Jack

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JustinBoi
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Since I'm not a scientist, I don't know.
I was going to suspect that maybe these areas have got hit by maybe hurricanes or tornados and the winds made it twist.
Or some trees grow towards the sun and since the sun is in different parts of the sky, the tree turned?
Not sure. Sorry :(

TomM
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Interesting question Jack. Hope we get some good follow-up whichever forum it lands in. Inquisitive minds want to know.

Whatever caused this phenomenon must have effected the trees early on - when they were young and more pliable, much like people perhaps. Therefore Justins theories (wind and "following the sun") should be considered.

Hmmm....

JTred
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JustinBoi wrote: I was going to suspect that maybe these areas have got hit by maybe hurricanes or tornados and the winds made it twist.
I guess I should add that these trees are in Northwestern PA, not exactly hurricane or tornado areas.

TomM
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Over the years we've had many mini-twisters here in central (upstate) NY, and the remnants of a couple hurricanes. Winter winds can really whip young trees around, even flattening them. PA would be no different.

Recently I was on the campus of Hamilton College in nearby Clinton. Some venerable old trees there had similar 'twists' and I hope to find some answers from the folks in the horticulture dept. soon.

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froggy
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I've seen tutorials on creating that twist on a fused bonsai by the way the seedlings are arranged before they fused...

In nature I would think it could be caused by one part of the tree not growing as fast as another - the part that grows faster fills the void and appears to twist.... Genetics will play a role too I am sure...

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rainbowgardener
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Here's some thoughts I found on it:

https://www2.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF7/783.html

But both the ideas suggested there, should lead to all the trees in an area twisting the same direction....

Here's some further discussion of the issue (sorry folks it's on a message board that seems to be about marijuana growing, but this discussion is all about our trees issue:

https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-527991.html

Near the bottom of that page is this, which seems to make some sense, but still may not be a definitive answer:

If anyone wants to pony up the $28 for access, you may find the answer here (https://jhered.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/23/2/49) (link is to a paper entitled "What Causes Twisted Trees?", from the Journal of Heredity. The paper was published in 1932.Searching for a free copy lead me to this, from 2004: https://www.springerlink.com/content/t6588m24684238v3/

Function of spiral grain in trees
Journal Trees - Structure and Function
...
Through spiral grain, conduits for sap lead from each root to all branches. This uniform distribution of sap is indicated by the paths of vessels and tracheids, and has been proven experimentally by means of dyed sap injected into the base of stems or taken up by roots. Trees receiving water only from roots at one side of the root collar nevertheless stay green and continue growing. Spiral grain in bark distributes food from each branch to other flanks of the stem and to most roots. Experimental interruptions of the sap...

Although spiral grain is largely under genetic control, trees appear to have a spiral grain especially where needed for distribution of water when root spheres are dry at one side. Compared with straight-grained trees, spiral-grained stems and branches bend and twist more when exposed to strong wind, in this way offering less wind resistance and being less likely to break. Through the bending and twisting, snow slides down from branches rather than breaking them, but the main function of spiral grain is the uniform distribution of supplies from each root to all branches, and from each branch to many roots.

Incidentally here's another great photo of the phenomenon:

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/106476

thanrose
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Rainbowg, you have some great links in there. I followed all of them. And then followed where they took me. The Drake students with the bristlecone pines either didn't put their results online or they didn't link it.

There's an interesting observation of the coriolis effect that explains clockwise v. counterclockwise. My mental analogy was to fishtailing while driving. You turn into it to counter it. So the coriolis effect in either hemisphere twists the tree tops but the tree counters it. Of course phototropism has some great rationale, but the environmental factors of city pavement and sheltering buildings also has some observable effect in roots on the best developed side providing sustenance around the trunk by spiraling the cambium, bark and underlying wood. The observation of spiraling lightning strikes was noted by one observer to follow grain lines in the already twisting wood.

So nothing conclusive across all species and all locales.

The stoners made some good points.

TomM
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Look Jack, You started a really cool thread here. Not bonsai related but very nice indeed. I'm really thankful for all the research offered.

JTred
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Thanks for all your responses everyone. I knew I could count on all of you. My friends all think I'm crazy because I keep mentioning it every time we pass one on campus. Now I can look like an educated crazy person. Does anyone else know of any unexplained tree patterns?

abunch.kcc@gmail.com
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I believe it signifies a possible energy vortex which spirals energy release. You can find out by taking a compass, pendelum, or dewing tool. These are places that a rumored to provide intensive healing and regeneration. Antibiotics have been proven to work significantly better in some energy vortexes. If you do happen to take a compass or anything like that out there could you let me know if there was a response? I would appreciate it :)

Hattiealicefranks
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The trees that are twisted have been struck by lightening. The bible even talks about this. I think in Job. So very cool.

imafan26
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Some tree trunks naturally have a twisted trunk. But considering that it was a number of different species, I am inclined to believe that it is more likely adaptation to the local climate. The trees are probably twisting in the wind. Depending on the direction of the wind and the way the prevailing winds hit the trees, the shape of the canopy and the load, they may appear to twist in different directions. If the wind is blocked from one side by a building, wall or other tree, the direction of the twist might look different since the direction stresses on the tree are coming from will be different. The trees would start twisting while they are still young and flexible. If an older tree suddenly gets hit by strong winds when say a building that was blocking the wind is removed, the older tree may crack rather than twist because it did not have the time to adapt.

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmed ... q-12-w.pdf

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rainbowgardener
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See the discussion above, including:

Through spiral grain, conduits for sap lead from each root to all branches. This uniform distribution of sap is indicated by the paths of vessels and tracheids, and has been proven experimentally by means of dyed sap injected into the base of stems or taken up by roots. Trees receiving water only from roots at one side of the root collar nevertheless stay green and continue growing. Spiral grain in bark distributes food from each branch to other flanks of the stem and to most roots. Experimental interruptions of the sap...

these are not usually trees that have been struck by lightening (not in any manner that leaves visible marks any way)

I can't speak to the energy vortexes since that is one of those vague things that can never be disproven -- like I have an invisible and immaterial dragon in my garage.



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