Big chunks fallen off an Oak and a Beech

[Stereo]

I have a couple trees on my land which have recently lost a big part of themselves. The first is a pretty old beech which is a wonderful old tree. The limb which came off was one I used to sit on as a child. It's split away from the body of the tree leaving a large wound.

 

The second is a youngish Oak (maybe 20cm dia). It's like it was hit by lightning but I think it's just a weakness in the tree. A whole 'side' of the tree fell off, again leaving a large wound.

 

I've noticed at Dartington that they paint such wounds with some sort of black gunk. Are these trees doomed? The oak could be logged without too much discussion as it's not a landmark. The beech is something else. It's one of 'those' trees which you feel you have no right to be messing with. A piece of history. Maybe I should take some pics next time I take the dogs out and post them up somehow.

[David Goss]

The oak is the classic compression fork/co dominant stem. the beech is just being a beech! probably some decay at the union, look out for the stunning pholiotta aurivella which if your lucky will fruit in clumps from the wound. the golden sclay cap is a stunning fungi.

 

I had a feeling you were going to pee on my parade:lol:

You must have better eyesight than me if you can see whats going on with the oak, maybe i am just tired after a grueling shift and see things a bit fuzzy:001_rolleyes:

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I had a feeling you were going to pee on my parade:lol:

You must have better eyesight than me if you can see whats going on with the oak, maybe i am just tired after a grueling shift and see things a bit fuzzy:001_rolleyes:

 

[Stereo]

Thanks, the oak looks like someone has taken a giant hatchet to it from about 6ft up and hacked it down. It seems OK but is very one sided now and all the weight is on the side of the lean. Will it survive with that much bark missing? The timber left looks sound.

 

The problem I have with the beech is that the wound is deep, there is signs of rot and there is an awful lot of tree above it. Plus the wound is natural water trap so I fear water is just going to lie in there and rot it further.

 

In the limb which fell off there was plenty of what I think they call spalting? Does this mean the whole tree is likely affected? We took down a big old ash right next to it this summer due to what looked like a fungal infection causing all the branches to drop one by one. No other trees around look to be affected but I wonder if this is some kind of disease?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The oak may well collapse as it grows some more, reduced it could be retained as a veteran perhaps.

 

if water fills the cavity in the beech it may be its savior as the water will collect debris and go anaerobic halting rot not encouraging it. It will need reduction work if it is near targets and its retention in the very long term is desired which i feel it is?

 

the ash you speak of probably had hispidus which causes a natural pruning in most cases hence the limbs dropping off, it isnt always or even nearly often detrimental as the tree often retrenches and grows like a pollard does, increasing the life of the tree rather than its demise.

[Stereo]

Thanks. The ash was rotten inside the trunk when we felled it so I think it was a gonner. I will get the beech looked at. The oak is not a big problem where it is.