View Full Version : Birch tree diseased, or just old?
I took these photos last weekend of a tree near Coylumbridge (Aviemore).
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j216/Blutack/Misc-Forum/Rothiemurchus_Birch/IMG_2119.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j216/Blutack/Misc-Forum/Rothiemurchus_Birch/IMG_2118.jpg
What do you think folks - is it a disease that's caused the bark to become pitted like this, or is it just really old?
JonathanD
20-02-2010, 23:53
Looks old to me. Probably become like that due to exposure to the elements. Difficult to tell without seeing the land that comes with it.
robin wood
20-02-2010, 23:59
Perfectly normal for the bark to break up like that as they age. Not all do.
JonathanD
21-02-2010, 00:04
I love the nobbly bits on those old trees, I had a brilliant 4ft oil painting of a tree like that, unfortunately it was left on the front wall of an ex girlfriend :(
bushcraftbob
21-02-2010, 00:05
Wow i think that looks really pretty never seen one that gnarly before!
I love the nobbly bits on those old trees, I had a brilliant 4ft oil painting of a tree like that, unfortunately it was left on the front wall of an ex girlfriend :(
Is she still bricked up
JonathanD
21-02-2010, 00:34
Is she still bricked up
Oh if only :lmao:
Chinkapin
21-02-2010, 04:30
Sounds like you left in a hurry! lol
Thanks Guys, We thought maybe it had seen Ray comming, and REALLY didn't want to end up as a canoe! :-)
silvergirl
21-02-2010, 10:22
Thanks Guys, We thought maybe it had seen Ray comming, and REALLY didn't want to end up as a canoe! :-)
Thats why we can't make birch bark canoes in this country, cause the big ones usually end up cracking, and even the younger ones have flaws in them which makes them unsuitable. Sadly :o
JonathanD
21-02-2010, 15:27
Bet that tree would be a nightmare to tap.
Whittler Kev
21-02-2010, 15:55
Is she still bricked up
:rofl:Priceless :rofl:
treelore
21-02-2010, 17:45
i would say that it may be more than just old age, any fungi or deer about ? and what is the canopy like?
fantastic pics
Plenty of deer about I should think, but I didn't see any fungi (snow still lying). Hard to tell how healthy the growth was as no leaves at the moment, but the tree was definitely still living.
Matthew.Passmore
21-02-2010, 18:16
Just an old boy. keep an eye out for the Birch Polypore which only grows on dead and dying Birch trees
treelore
21-02-2010, 19:26
just check with a mate, yep it`s just a old tree..... fantastic tree and some great pic`s, thank you for sharing them with us..
Just an old specimen the bark goes like that with age, took a 40ft one down once and the bark was like that till about 12ft up.
Melonfish
22-02-2010, 12:38
yup thats normal on silver birch, there's stuff round here 30-40 years old and they all show some signs of this. pretty common tbh.