Incipient Decay?

[Dorset Treeman]

I saw this on the on the stump of a windblown Norway Spruce straight after I had cut it.

 

I was guessing that this might be incipient decay but wasn't sure so thought I would ask for advice on here.

 

I would love to hear thoughts on what it is, which it is the shape that it is (something to do with compartmentalisation and the medullary rays?)

 

Thanks

 

Alan

[Dorset Treeman]

It doesnt really show it too well in the photo but it was a real pinky colour around what i think is the decay line

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

ripewood formation

[Dorset Treeman]

Hi Hamadryad - I've tried looking into ripewood formation via various genetic internet search engines but can't seem to find a simple explanation. Can you help by expanding on this please, kind sir?

 

Thanks

 

Alan

[treeseer]

Fascinating pattern--the pink shows fine. What makes you think it's related to fungal activity?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hi Hamadryad - I've tried looking into ripewood formation via various genetic internet search engines but can't seem to find a simple explanation. Can you help by expanding on this please, kind sir?

 

Thanks

 

Alan

 

Hi, its a pretty basic thing really, and cant imagine its not well covered on the internet already?

 

Basicaly as a tree matures and grows the central column (effectively a tree within a tree, as are all subsequent years growth) the wood ages becomes non functional to a degree and then tyloses form and in the case of Gymnosperms (as in this case) resins/terpenes are deposited into the cells for protection. This changes the colour of the wood which is kind of dead, its why we get heartwood rotters, highly hydrated cells (sapwood) is very limiting to fungal growth.

 

if thats unclear let me know

[treeseer]

Hi, its a pretty basic thing really, and cant imagine its not well covered on the internet already?

 

Basicaly as a tree matures and grows the central column (effectively a tree within a tree, as are all subsequent years growth) the wood ages becomes non functional to a degree and then tyloses form and in the case of Gymnosperms (as in this case) resins/terpenes are deposited into the cells for protection. This changes the colour of the wood which is kind of dead, its why we get heartwood rotters, highly hydrated cells (sapwood) is very limiting to fungal growth.

 

if thats unclear let me know

ookeedookee

if that explains the pinkish wood, what explains the lighter color star shape penetrating the pink; those erect insistent points plunging into the pink?

re fungal it might remind one of Phellinus spiculosis, stabbing its way into the yielding pink tissue, enveloping the firmness, the squirm, yes.

treesaresoerotic i just melt

Detective Dendro - The Case of the Spurious Spikes.pdf

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

ookeedookee

if that explains the pinkish wood, what explains the lighter color star shape penetrating the pink; those erect insistent points plunging into the pink?

re fungal it might remind one of Phellinus spiculosis, stabbing its way into the yielding pink tissue, enveloping the firmness, the squirm, yes.

treesaresoerotic i just melt

 

Guy, your barking up the wrong treeseer, think rays s think about flow, think about how ripewood formation occurs.

 

this is not fungal, and there is not an argument /debate to be had regarding this case on the fungal issue!

[treeseer]

Alan did the pinkish color fade very quickly?

We see the same phrnomenon here with Acer negundo

Wood turners get very excited until they see it fade to tan

 

To y i agree it does not look to be fungal in cause

Pax vobiscum

[daltontrees]

I'm going to breenge in to this debate a bit late. According to the RFS Norway Spruce "Timber is pale cream; often called ‘whitewood’ with no colour difference between heartwood and sapwood, and only a subtle difference between the pale spring wood and darker summer wood in each annual ring."

 

The discolouration in the pictures must have additional explanations. The wide variation in ring widths suggests a chequered history for this particular tree. possibly having suffered and recovered from significant crown damage and/or partial windthrow (with root crown damage) a few years back. Can the OP confirm whether the rest of the tree was normal, i.e. excurrent single leader no big past breakages?