melded together trees...what's happening here?

[Yve_Clark]

I took this photo years ago and was really intrigued by these melded together trees (Wellingtonias I think?). I never got round to finding out what was going on between them and wonder if you knowledgeable people can explain it please?

 

thank you

 

[MattyF]

Its a merristem disorder I believe causes burring and that sort of growth or fasistation cant be how its spelt but college was a long time ago!!

[andrew t]

It might be a tumerous sphaeroblast caused by excessive hormonal concentrations like matty f said meristematic problem bob watsons book for info

[Yve_Clark]

Thank you Matty and Andrew. So, if these are like tumours in trees, are they damaging to the tree itself or can the tree(s) live quite healthily? Is this common and do they normally grow as big as this? Would one tree have started off with the disorder and as it has grown, have connected to the other tree?

 

thanks

Edited August 15, 2010 by Yve_Clark

[Graham]

Are the two stems emanating from a common root? Twin-leader seedling?

[Yve_Clark]

Sorry Graham, I honestly have no idea about that.