Any thoughts on what caused this?..

[Sam Preston]

I have seen this oak from the road, for a while now, and decided to have a closer inspection the other day.

It has the low form of a lapsed hedgerow, but the surrounding field provides no evidence that this was the case.

Anyone have any idea what could be happening here? F.hepatica? Grazing Damage?

I'm sure there are more than a few factors at play here, so would be interesting to hear some other thoughts on this

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The first image suggests a white rot with selective delignification.

 

Brackets not being present may indicate a annual form

[se7enthdevil]

just a thought but could it be the case that these are the remnants of an ancient tree that was so old it grew in to a ring of trees (as they do) and this is the only section of that ring left???

 

one side does look like it had a few internal roots that once arced in to the center

[Graham]

Take a look on google earth. I use it all the time for old hedgerows. You can often see traces of old hedgerow marks in the fields. Some may follow the lazy 'S' of old ridge and furrow. I know...sad ain't I

[Sam Preston]

Thanks for the replies guys! I was expecting to find at least one bracket on there, but nothing immediately obvious turned up.. may have to head back for a more thorough search this autumn..

I like the theory of a collapsed ancient tree, but this one just looks too young for that sort of process to have taken place?.. Perhaps it is two closely planted oaks that have coalesced into one?

[se7enthdevil]

Thanks for the replies guys! I was expecting to find at least one bracket on there, but nothing immediately obvious turned up.. may have to head back for a more thorough search this autumn..

I like the theory of a collapsed ancient tree, but this one just looks too young for that sort of process to have taken place?.. Perhaps it is two closely planted oaks that have coalesced into one?

 

the collapsed tree would not have to look that old as the tree's your seeing would only be new ones. the original may have been around for 2000 years but these newish springer uppers might have only started to grow 100 years ago, hence the fresh faced look.

 

two trees in to one sounds likely and i'm no expert on this but i did see something very similar in windsor great park and there was only a semicircle of trees the size you have in the picture left.

 

i suggested it because they trees you have in the photo look like they are slightly set in a curved fashion. is that just me or do they sit like that in real life???

[Graham]

Looks like an old pleacher to me. Regularly seen ash like this and occasional

oak.

[Sam Preston]

Here it is on google earth..

http://goo.gl/maps/RpRs7

 

Seems pretty plausible that it is remnants of an old field boundary..

[se7enthdevil]

seeing as there is a place called ploughmans coppice next door does any one think it could be one of them???

[Stubby]

Is it anywhere near the sea ? there are some oaks near me that are stunted due to I assume , the brackish water / salt air