Hiking brings you unexpectant sights, this one an Oak tree is located at the very top of a high bluff on the Galiano Island, the first of a few Gulf islands you pass by ferry from Tawassen Harbour to Vancouver Island. This Oak had toppled down to the ground and the exposed roots had rotted away (see pic 1) probably due to root rot occuring when the tree was still upright. However one strand of root is still intact (hidden by the soil in pic 1) and it has supported the whole tree which is very much alive (see pic 2) except for the dead leader from the base of the trunk(see pic 3). I believe the will of a plant to survive under the most severe conditions often surpasses our human will to survive. This is clearly shown by the Oak adapting to the low water intake due to the reduced area of root-hair surface. Although the growth henceforth is retarded, nevertheless the tree survived against odds. I would like to acknowledge that all the photographs were taken by Mr. Frank Winters, a hiker from another group of hikers.
Has a circling root as though potbound, a curious thing for a tree in nature. Might actually have been planted there, people plant trees all over. Otherwise, apparently deformed by a natural circumstance. Too bad as well for that poor man with a black square for a head.
Rima, Hiding? Like you mean from showing my true colors. I prefer to remain incognito in any public forum and I am modest and different by nature. How you look is unimportant but what you are counts.
Ron, Do you mean south from something like Vancouver or is the reference the equator? Sometimes ignorance is bliss, so I see no ills in being a square, square-headed I am not too sure.
If you prefer to remain incognito in a public forum, why not extend the 'privilege' to the ladies you were hiking with? Frankly, nobody here really cares what each other looks like and, even if you hadn't square headed yourself, how would we have known it was you and not someone else in your hiking party? When you strive to remain anonymous, it often tells people more about yourself than you would care to reveal. And...to remain on topic. It's not too suprising that this tree is still alive. As long as there are still some active roots, the foliage will persist in balance with the ability to uptake water from the roots. Did any of the branches in contact with the ground layer themselves (grow their own roots)? Simon
Simon Intersting point you brought up about the branches layering themselves. However there is no evidence that this had taken place. As for the ladies they weren't in our group and making them into square heads isn't too complementary. Don't you think so?
I had wondered what could have toppled this oak tree: windload or root rot? Now I am quite certain it is due to root rot. If the wind had toppled the tree then the roots would be snarling up into the sky and would not have rotted away with such speed. Also the ring of low bark indicates that healing had taken place to block the rot. The dead smaller branch is probably another separate plant rather than a sucker and it is this specie that spreaded the rot first. Anyone has other ideas?
