Swelling on Oak

[Nimby]

Just wondering if I should be concerned about the re-action growth? or swelling on this Oak. I have seen it at a lower level on the bole but this is approx 8m up with a large amount weight above it. The swelling is all the way round it.

 

[treeseer]

Bears closer examination yes, but it looks to be extra strong at that point. No concern unless some aggravating factor, like a hollow sound under the mallet, or cracking, or oozing, is evident.

 

How well is the wound on the right closing?

[Nimby]

Thanks treeseer, the wound appeared to be callousing evenly but it was difficult to see with all the stress growth and the awkward viewing angle.

 

Any idea (anyone) what causes this growth?

[jomoco]

Looks like an old girdling wound to my eye.

 

I suspect a deeply buried cable's in there.

 

When I run across that type of wound, I take a chisel and orientate it vertically, then pound it in deep enough to sever whatever's girdling the trunk. I do this three times in 120 degree increments around the wound.

 

Something is buried in that trunk and girdling it in my opinion.

 

jomoco

[Dan Curtis]

I may be way off the mark, but could it have been a previously (now gone) crossing limb? It looks to me like the mouth type shape where the stem has attempted to occlude and get hold of the crosser, then in it's absence filled the void?

[Nimby]

Interesting. I suspected that this was having a strangling type effect as I have seen it before on old oak but much lower on the bole which suggests that is might of been fencing or wire etc. The issue with this is that it is approx 8m up!

 

You may well be right Dan but the swelling is all the way around.

[peatff]

It looks like the original trunk ended and a branch took over the job with some damage at an early stage.

[jomoco]

One way to determine whether there's a buried steel cable in that trunk is renting or borrowing a metal detector Nimby.

 

jomoco

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

a fibre buckle due to brown rot in the heart wood and thinning of the cavity wall.

[Gary Prentice]

Looks like an old girdling wound to my eye.

 

I suspect a deeply buried cable's in there.

 

When I run across that type of wound, I take a chisel and orientate it vertically, then pound it in deep enough to sever whatever's girdling the trunk. I do this three times in 120 degree increments around the wound.

 

Something is buried in that trunk and girdling it in my opinion.

 

jomoco

 

a fibre buckle due to brown rot in the heart wood and thinning of the cavity wall.

 

So after banging the chisel, in an assessment may be made as to the thickness of the residual wall?