Unknow Growth

[Beryl]

Is a growth of some sort on the trunk of this tree. It didn’t feel like mushroom type fungi , it felt quite like wood really. And looked like an enormous head with closed eyes. Does any body know what it is please?

[Garden Carpet]

Hi Beryl, it looks like a gall of some type. What tree was it on. My understanding is that galls are caused by insects of various types (depending on the tree). They make intersting wood for woodturners as they are quite heavily marked with swirling grain etc.

Not terribly informative but am sure there will be others to add to that or tell me I am wrong.
There is every possibility that I am wrong.
jaki

[Adam Cheeseman]

Hi Beryl,

I'm assuming from the photo that the tree is a holly as per the foliage present, yes?

On that basis, I would say that it is a mass of scar tissue caused by some sort of trauma in the tree's past. According to Stubbs, the only galls on Holly trees are yellowish red blotches found on the leaves.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers,

Adam

[nightshade]

Looks like scarring,or The Green Man (not our mate Will)

[Dan Salter]

Arent these called a burr or burl?

Its a scarring/natural freak occurance and its these woody growths that are so highly prized by wood turners, furniture makers and guitar builders as they porduce the curly, beautiful flamey type grain patterns? Like Burl Walnut....maple burl etc.

This is how i understand it anway as i did a guitar building course and also nearly got into wood turning once
Im not entirely sure what causes it? dideas? trauma? not sure.

Dan

[Beryl]

I think it was a Holly tree and it was the only one ( Growth like thing), that is why I thought it might be of interest even though I diddn't know what it was , it is rather huge and yes very sort of wood like with a pattern as you sugest. Thanks for the info. Really interesting as I have never seen any thing like it.

[Dan Salter]

Oh beryl it is without a doubt part of the tree...so its made of the same wood...just effected in a different way creating beautiful complex grain patters...its not a parasitic growth...its part of the tree.
I presume the wood turners and exquisite furniture builders go along with a bow saw and chop them off and the tree goes un harmed (ish)

you see them for sale all the time on ebay....not sure if thats a good thing? but that is a HUGE one !

im always open to be corrected though..knowing me its a wasps nest or some strange wood covered sloth?

[Beryl]

Oh , that's good if the tree is ok. It did look ok and quite healthy. The patern was rather good to I believe if I remember rightly it had the spiral type pattern. 'spect all the little nodules would drop of if it didn't have the spiral. Fascinating how all plants have that spiral pattern. to sort of hold them together.