Educate me about this tree deformity

I have a mature hickory tree which has a deformity that runs the entire length of the tree. It begins at the trunk, what appears to be an invagination of the bark about 3 feet up the trunk:

Then it progresses upward:

All the way up:

Even the branches have this folded-in deformity:

Did this start as an injury, or a growth defect? Is the tree expected to have a shorter lifespan? I believe it is probably 30-40 years old as it is. I am culling some trees in my yard having in mind a permaculture project but other than some twig borers the tree has shown no sign of disease and I don't know whether to put it on my "cull" list or not. But also I have seen similar trees in the past and just wanted to know more about this.

Strange! It could perhaps be a lightning burn, but that's unlikely if it is on several branches as well as the trunk.

Whatever it is, I'd suspect the tree will be more prone to decay entry, so it might be safest to remove it.

Resin

I see many stubbed off branches/cuts in your images. Were you responsible for those? What caused the need for that much pruning?

All the "invagination" seems to be on the same side of the tree and illustrated branches. As Resin mentions, a lightning strike could very well have caused the injury to the trunk, but is unlikely to have caused that exact same injury to side branches.

HOWEVER...

Burning a brushpile next to an existing tree could cause this kind of damage.

Also, if an older/taller tree had fallen and scraped the side of this tree in the past, it could conceivably create this type of situation.

I don't know of any insect or disease that would cause this. I believe that this is some sort of environmental/physical damage. I also agree with Resin that this tree trying to close that much wound area (along with all the stub cuts and malformed subsequent branches) has very little standing (or potentially falling) value.

If you choose to make the permanent basal cut, you might explore the value of the wood to a carver. All that wound wood probably has very interesting grain patterns to an artist.

Good point about the wood value. I would have thought the opposite.

The limbs pruned themselves--The peripheral branches get weak and so it has a very strange silhouette in the wintertime. I have been looking at this tree for 10 years, but now that the leaves are off and the strangely pruned branches are stark against the landscape it moved me to photograph it now and post the images.

I have lived here for 10 years and have seen no stumps on that side of the tree to suggest an injury in the recent past from a nearby tree. It has looked about the same during this time--it's smaller than other hickories near it leading me to believe that its growth is stunted (though it may be younger).

If I do fell the tree I will photograph some cross cuts. It will be awhile before the tree men come again but I'll have to make a decision before then.

Here is its outline with its unusual self-pruned branches.

And here is a closer view of the trunk where the rift occurs--it doesn't really suggest anything specific as far as an injury:

This has been an interesting topic to contemplate, and I appreciate everyone's input!

This message was edited Dec 29, 2009 7:26 AM

It's creepy looking so I would keep that. LOL. I think it's interesting so if it doesn't pose a danger to anything or anyone I would just leave it, if it breaks apart so be it. The way that tree is I can't imagine it coming down all at once, probably some big split somewhere then it would be time to take it all down.

My cents.

I have a question...

If the deformity of this tree is genetic, could it pass on the weak wood and twisted limbs?

I'll bet it isn't genetic but rather environmental. But since it extends from near the base to the top, if it was an injury it was decades ago--the tree would have had to grow up with this extensive a rift.

As I look at it more and more, the tree has winter interest and unless it shows sign of disease I will probably spare it the next round of tree culling. But I am going to try to cut one of the large affected branches so I can see what the wood inside looks like on cross section.

If you remove a chunk, take some of it to your Cooperative Extension Service office for examination and pathology analysis. They'd like to see your pics as well to make an appropriate diagnosis.

An injury like that, in a woodland where growth is somewhat suppressed anyway, absolutely could be more than a decade old. The tree sure wouldn't be growing very fast after that extensive wounding.

Wild guess here: (very wild...) "Maybe" the tree started out having one leader and then developed a secondary one where the invagination split is, and the two just grew parallel to one another ??? (Thus giving it the double trunk effect. ???)

We bought a cut Christmas tree once that had the same type of trunk(s) on it. You could actually pry them apart and they were two separate leaders abot a foot up from the base where it had been cut for harvest.

It looks like there are two trees grown together. Is that right or am I seeing things? Again.

G'Day
I thought that at first but since the limbs have the same deformity it can't be two trees grown together.
Brian

Is the new growth normal (except for the tendency to self prune)? I think that would argue for a one time injury over a genetic defect. If the new growth were abnormal, that might support either something genetic or ongoing disease or injury. Not that I know anything about tree diseases - I'm just trying to be logical. Peg

Stake is right...I forgot about the same deformity in the branches.

StPaulPeg;

I guess "new growth" is what occurs at the ends of branches and the top leader. As picture 3 shows it extends all the way to the top. All of the main branches that arose off of the affected trunk seem to be involved, but some of the tertiary (?) branches (the ones that grow from original branches) don't have it as can be seen in the second and third photos. It has to be occurring in "new growth" --otherwise so many branches wouldn't be involved and the defect would not extend so high up.

this tree looks awesome

This message was edited Aug 6, 2010 6:05 AM

Look! Here it is again...This time in an American Persimmon down the street:

Beginning on the trunk...

Progressing upward:

Out to the branches...

Self-Pruned:

It has to be something environmental...Two species, same neighborhood!

That's a beautiful, courageous(SP?) tree! I wouldn't cut it. Let it live, since it has worked so hard to survive!

Wow, that's interesting. Must be environmental. Is it the same side for both trees? Peg

maybe it's the kind of tree it is, but that injury (or whatever it is) looks different to me.

G'Day
There is a disease of Grape vines and some stonefruit (Eutypa lata) that when a cross section cut is made a dead wedge of wood can be easily seen up one side of the plant. I wonder if the same or a like disease is attacking these plants. Can you check with your Dept. of Ag. for information?
If the link below won't work just Google Eutypa Dieback.
http://www.google.com.au/search?
Brian
hl=en&source=hp&q=eutypa+dieback&meta=&rlz=1R2ADRA_enAU346&aq=0&oq=euty

Oddly enough, Peg it is on the south side of both trees. Just coincidence?

I read about the Eutypa dieback, but it would be hard to imagine that this damage is fungal.

It is indeed an interesting mystery--I never realized it would generate so much interest . I am going to scout around for other affected trees.

If it's on the south side of both trees, it is most likely bark splitting. The south side of the trees warm up fastest in the winter sun and some trees the bark literally bursts apart due to the sap expanding inside. Doesn't happen often and on all trees. Most likely a combination of tree condition, weather, etc. to cause it to happen on some trees and not others nearby. Weird.