what causes trees to split? Do they just decide at 5 feet to say fuck it Imma head out?
In: Biology
Hormones, the different part of the trees have different hormones that control growth.
When the top is growing, it produces hormones that aid the growth of the tip and at the same time tells the other nodes down the stem to keep in check. As the distance increases the hormonal control signal gets weaker and branches start coming out at branching points/nodes. They start producing their own growth hormones that slowly more and more overcome the restrictions of the main top.
Then depending on environmental ok me branch can take over as the top might have hit environmental limits. Or in some tree species everything can be regulating everything and you have a great balancing act. Think giant round oak tree in a field.
There are some great tests you can do, or read up on how bonsai artists use this knowledge when pruning their trees. They balance not just visually but also hormonally their trees.
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