what causes trees to split? Do they just decide at 5 feet to say fuck it Imma head out?
In: Biology
I don’t remember much of the technical lingo from my Aboriculture class (Ecology, Evolution, Natural Resources Degree), but the simple answer is that usually one tree stem is dominant and this becomes what you know as the trunk. What will sometimes happen is a second stem will compete for dominance and both will grow around the same rate. This causes the split that you see. Sometimes those split trunks will even fuse together and form one larger trunk, which is better for the tree.
Edit: still have my text and it confirms that whether or not a tree will actually split is due to genetics, but the reasoning above is accurate.
Edit2: I’m not suggesting 2 trunks are better than one. I was just making a point that it’s better for the tree if they fuse together, which is not likely. One trunk is always better.
Arboriculture 4th edition -Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs, and Vines by Richard Harris, James Clark, and Nelda Matheny.
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