Theories / explanation

[devon TWiG]

Came across this Douglas fir stump recently ( approx 15" dia ) and have never seen so much callus growth on what is effectively a dead tree ..... my thoughts are to do with roots naturally grafted to an adjacent tree only a few feet away ....anyone able to explain this unusual ( to me ) situation ?... many thanks ...

[Kveldssanger]

I'd anticipate it would be due to root grafting, solely because I don't know what else could have caused this. Awesome photo.

[inthewoods]

Are you able to monitor it? Interesting!

[Peasgood]

I have seen very similar on a tree that eventually failed due to a rope having been tied around it. I would suggest wire would do the same.

[Daniël Bos]

From the marks it looks sawn though? And it's dead flat.

 

Might it have had a small branch below the cut, prolonging it's struggle for life a bit?

 

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[Daniël Bos]

.....

[Daniël Bos]

Sorry, fat thumbs.

[Mick Dempsey]

I know it looks like a callus, but could it be a ring of sap that has solidified?

[Paul Melarange]

I'd anticipate it would be due to root grafting, solely because I don't know what else could have caused this. Awesome photo.

 

I think Chris is absolutely right. I have seen this on numerous occasions when walking through areas of felled plantation. The stumps on the edge (near standing trees) exhibit wound wood which I'm sure results from a combination of stored energy in the cut stump and the sharing of resources through root grafts.

 

It is worth noting that what we can see in the photo above is 'wound wood' rather than 'callous'. It would have started as callous but has become wound wood.

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Yes it is due to root grafts with neighbouring tree(s) that have been left standing. I have seen stumps that have fully calloused over.