How can hollow trees live

Bacteria and fungi lose no time moving in and beginning the decaying process, which can result in a hollow tree. Because the sapwood, and therefore the transport system, is still intact, the tree lives, despite the loss of its inner heartwood. Naturally Curious is supported by donations. This entry was posted on December 31, by Mary Holland. They are usually not perfect specimen trees but malformed, poorly cared for old things that are the home to many other living creatures mainly because of their cavities.

I think they are lovely. And because most of the rigidity of a cylindrical shape is in the outer portion, hollow tubes remain quite strong: think bamboo. I completely agree, John.

And the shelter they provide wildlife could provide me with posts for the next year! Agree with all. Cavity trees are an extremely important habitat element and should be a priority consideration in any forest management plan. The short list for recent sightings of cavity use here includes raccoons, fishers, porcupines, gray squirrels, screech owls and flying squirrels. The compartmentalization of decay in trees CODIT; original work by Shigo is a marvelous adaptation for survival in the world of trees.

Just some nit-picking: Active sapwood, where the xylem cells have formed hollow tubes, is no longer alive; only the young cells forming inside the cambium are still living. Also, phloem forms on the outside of the cambium inner bark and is not part of the sapwood. Sap from the roots is pulled up through the xylem passively, while sugars from the leaves are pumped actively by the phloem. RE: Xylem and Phloem. Food flows through the phloem. Speaking of Xylem: I recently read of a bacterial infection Xyelella fastidiosa that threatens to decimate olive trees throughout groves in Calabria.

There is no treatment or cure for this infection as yet. The infected trees must be burned. I enjoyed your post about hollow trees. Reminded me of a presentation I gave a few years ago to our local tree commission, who asked me to talk about the ecological benefits of trees. Turns out that a dead tree is actually about 9 times more alive than a live tree on a living cell per volume basis.

You may enjoy the attached. If you felt like sending it to me at my email address mholland vermontel. Many thanks! You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. This is important because trees are large structures that can cause serious damage if they fail. In many cases, trees can be completely hollowed out and still be structurally sound. This is because trees develop decay-resistant zones that develop right after the wounding that opened the tree up to decay.

This process compartmentalizes the decay and restricts its movement into new developing wood. The strongest of these zones is in the new ring of wood that develops after wounding.

As the inner wood of the tree gradually decays and loses its integrity, the tree is developing new rings of wood that are protected by this decay resistant zone. Most trees will develop enough new wood to support the tree by the time the inner portion decays away. The new support system is more like the walls of a pipe than like a post, and can be quite strong. Experienced arborists can usually assess the risk of failure quite accurately, based on standards set by years of cumulative research.

Do insects and critters cause the cavities? Not typically. As new rings of sapwood grow on a tree, the innermost sapwood cells fill with resins and become heartwood.

Losing one's heartwood seems like a devastating prospect, but it actually brings new life to the forest. Tree cavities provide homes for scores of critters. Bluebirds, kestrels, wood ducks, raccoons, flying squirrels, gray squirrels, woodpeckers, owls, wrens, chickadees, bats, mice, porcupines, bears, invertebrates, playful kids, and many more of our neighbors find shelter in the cozy space of a hollow tree.

In order for a tree to become hollow, though, it must start the process while it is still alive. Trees that are not already hollow will not become hollow after they are dead. It is the contrast between living sapwood and dead heartwood that sets the stage for a great hidey-hole.

Cavity trees must get their start early in the life of the forest, and have plenty of time to develop. They are a rare and valuable resource. This hollow old apple tree, with its unique flavors and incredible longevity, is highly regarded among our family. We've grafted its twigs onto two little baby apple trees to try and perpetuate its legacy into the future.