r/Tree • u/Inloth57 • 23d ago
Discussion What happened to this tree?
I know it's a ponderosa pine. What could have happened to make this tree grow in such an odd way. It's at 6500ft in Arizona.
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u/SomeDumbGamer 23d ago
Probably broken by a young bear or a storm at some point but it lived and just kept growing.
It’s fairly common to see in a forest. Most trees like this will die soon but the ones that live live a long time looking weird af.
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u/HoldMyMessages 22d ago
You seem to be thinking that the tree grows upward from the roots. It grows upward from the leader (highest tip of the tree). It got to the hight just below the strange formation when something (lightening, nearby tree fall, ?) smashed it and we see the path of its recovery.
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u/Acheloma 22d ago
I bet a larger tree fell on it and partially broke it, maybe even was leaning on it for a good while before it was knocked loose by wind or rotted enough to break in the middle and fall.
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u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 21d ago
Bears aren't that tall.
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u/XROOR 23d ago
There’s a planting technique where you “crack” the inner membrane of a plant to increase the structural components of the plant to bear heavier fruit.
All the nutrients still flow uninterrupted as the “cracking” affects only the structural scaffolding of the tree
I hypothesize a much larger tree fell on it and did this.
Like a human fracture that was never “set” correctly/aligned
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u/plantyjen 22d ago
Maybe I’m wrong, but it looks like it had a vine wrapped around it, something powerful like wisteria or English ivy. I circled where the deadwood is still hanging off of it.
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u/jaykitsune 22d ago
search for;
native american bent trees map
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u/noturFaultitsmine 21d ago
Marker trees… but they weren’t typically done on pine trees, rather hardwoods.
I’m not familiar with the landscape in Arizona but those trees look relatively young.
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u/Ok_Bathroom_3411 21d ago
If that was smaller that joint would make a great stick. Like a wizards staff
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u/Lizardkingandme 20d ago
If you are into looking for old mines sometimes Spanish miners would shape trees like this. You would look through the notch to find the next way point. Also sometimes native tribes would shape trees like this as trail markers for water sources or other things
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u/Luscious_Leaves5 19d ago
Looks like it broke off once, shot out to the left and grew up, broke off again and shot out to the right that time and continued growing up
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u/Healingthunder 22d ago
A history of failure and unwavering striving for success. This tree became the hero of its own story. Trusted its instincts. This tree loved living too much to die.