OK, it's a slow day around here. We've got a zero degree wind chill whippin' outside, so it's been a perfect day to peruse my photo archives, deleting the junk and looking for some inspiration for something to post about.
I came across these photos Jeff took about a month ago and it's still bugging me, what is going on here? We like trees, we like to look at trees, we like to read about trees, but we've never come across something like this before. It looks like some sort of mutation, I've seen a similar thing happen to Roses, where it sends out grotesque steroid-induced-looking spots of overcrowded growths, but never on a pine tree. It looks like someone grafted a Mugo Pine shrub to the side of a Virginia Pine tree.
Any of you tree experts out there know what's going on here? I've Googled it but can't come up with any answers. Sorry the photos aren't great, I think they were taken with Jeff's iPhone. It does look like a great place to build a nest...
You should have posted this on Halloween. I believe that is an example of "witches broom".
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch%27s_broom
Whoa! I think you're right, the description on that link describes it perfectly. You know everything! You're my hero :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome, ain't she? Ellen, you had a head start! I did find this link: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/pljuly99.htm which we may all find useful at another time!
ReplyDeleteOh, and this was interesting, too. If a little scary. http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/14/2/128.full.pdf
ReplyDeleteR.K., could not access the two links?? But the giant hedge in the tree is scary too since it is really big and right over the trail I run almost daily...."And in local news,a skinny old man was smote to his death by a giant witches broom".
ReplyDeleteBecky - if Jeff doesn't get smote to death by the witches broom, perhaps he can find us a picture of a Gall and we can use that first link. I'm sure he's got galls all around that place!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Julie says I've got a lot of gall!
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, although I haven't commented I am a semi regular visitor to blog and thoroughly enjoy your photos and blog. I share with Jay frequently. Thought he might know about the mass in tree. He has seen before but did not what it was. Joanie
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that before!
ReplyDelete