Beech bark growths

Stígandr

There are a bunch of trees around bearing these horn-like growths on the bark. I'm pretty sure they're beech, but everything was frozen at the time when I pulled these off. Is this just ordinary beech bark disease? It doesn't look like any of the photos I've seen, and I can't find anything else like it. It looks like this mostly on the smaller trees, and on the bigger ones it's growing together like I expect BBD would.

Eric Frei

Can you get some pics of the tree with them on?

We got some gum trees that look like they grow tits! True, I'll keep the camera handy, we nick named them titty trees. And you got horny trees.

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Stígandr

Okay, I just now got quite a few photos. It was just my luck that it started raining while I was out there, so these are the best I could get in a hurry.

This is a larger tree with the horns growing together in lines. This one seems to be occupied. I didn't see him at the time.


Some of them have hardly anything. If I'm not mistaken, this is an American Beech, based on the leaves and otherwise smooth bark. Correct me if I'm wrong.


Here are a couple of them with some Virginia Creeper growing up one.


Another small one without much on it.


Others are completely covered.


Here's a closer shot.


The horns can be quite long crowded together.


As a bonus, here is a much larger one.


Its trunk is rather rough. This makes it not look like beech at all. It has none of these horns, though.

Eric Frei

That is weird alright. There doesn't seem to be tell tale signs of fungal infection or insect.... Maybe it's bacterial based infection of sorts.

Your first pics with some "horns" cut off also showed the inside as clean and not decayed etc. Almost like a specific style of mini burl.

Been doing some searching and you are right, looks nothing like nectaria canker or BBD.

The way those horns are growing reminds me of stalagmites with the ridges.

Have a look through all these images, I gave up due to slow internet connection.

Forestry Images - Search Results

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Sean Freeman

I suspect the answer to your interesting pictures will be found in the name of the species, I believe you have an Ulmus minor suberosa ~ Cork-barked elm.

Stígandr

Thanks! That must be it. So I guess they're healthy after all. I did notice that the bark was sort of cork-like. The horns snap off easily leaving a smooth spot on the bark, and they're very light and soft.

I guess the larger tree is a different species, then.

pawjordan

That is weird bark
I was thinking Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Paul

Eric Frei

Son of a beech!

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Bernard Keays

Paul,

I agree with you. From some of the photo's, the tree looks very similar to a tree we have... Celtis sinensis (Chinese Elm).

I have seen some of these weird growths before on Liquidambar's. However not quiet to the same extent. I thought it might have been an adaption to cold weather.

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Bernie

Bob Tooley

Almost looks like a moisture-related advantageous root growth, similar to the roots put out by certain climbing vines, etc.,... Of course you guys in the tropical regions have some pretty weird stuff going on with your trees...at least in the cold areas we can watch the odd stuff get frozen off through the winter.. then we just pray it doesn't come back the next year...the 'only' cold weather luxury we have..

Knotahippie

Looks like a hackberry to me too.

That bark is nearly unmistakable.

Eric Frei

Here's a pic

Attached Thumbnails

   

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