Betula with stone-like bark

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Per PF
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Betula with stone-like bark

Post by Per PF »

A birch (probably Pendula) growing near water with constant wind has developed this stone-like, rock solid bark! Such a contrast to their usual thin, flaky, white and paper-like bark.
Betula bark A.jpeg
Betula bark B.jpeg
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Re: Betula with stone-like bark

Post by Redsonic »

Wow, that doesn't look like Birch bark at all!
I wonder if the tree has some disease/mutation that stops the bark shedding?
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Re: Betula with stone-like bark

Post by Starfox »

Can you break a piece off?
Maybe it's Chaga but never seen that much covering a whole tree before.
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Re: Betula with stone-like bark

Post by MJL »

How strange! Nature is amazing!


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BirchMan
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Re: Betula with stone-like bark

Post by BirchMan »

Interesting. A new mutation perhaps.
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Re: Betula with stone-like bark

Post by Per PF »

I don't think it's Chaga, doesn't look like anything in the pictures. It looks very much like the base of old Betula Pendula but spread across the entire tree - I've never seen it before either. I couldn't even nick it without some tools mate...

I noticed other bark anomalies in the area - could it be a local climate effect? sand+hard wind perhaps
The pines closest to the water had an unusually smooth bark:
IMG_4142.jpeg
And the pines further inland had a SUPER thick bark with MASSIVE plates:
IMG_4143.jpeg
IMG_4144.jpeg
Compared to imho ordinary pine bark plates:
IMG_4146.jpeg
IMG_4147.jpeg
It's a crazy effect whatever the cause!
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