Growth characteristics
The soil, location, weather, climate, wind,
animals and last but not least man's influence can affect the growth of a tree. These influences
can be seen very distinctly in the veneer, which shows very clearly the life of a tree.
The following are growth characteristics: |
|
| Abnormal slope of grain |
Forking, excrescence, healing-overs, conical. |
| Birdseye |
Caused by genetic, climate or growth conditions.
Very decorative in Maple. |
| Burl |
A nest of pipps can form burl or cluster
above ground on the trunk e.g. Ash, Elm, Popplar or in the root area like Walnut, Madrone etc. |
| Crooked |
Crooked growth is a result of the location,
climate influence and genetic heritage. |
| Crotch |
Sound branchforks cut into veneers. Very
valuable in Mahogany and Walnut. |
| Eccentric growth |
Inclined location. |
| Figure/Mottle |
Visible streaks running across the grain. |
| Glasswurm |
Injured cambium by insects (beetle) especially
in American Ash. |
| Heartwood |
The core of the tree may obtain a different
color through its life span. E.g. a Beech or an Ash will get a brown heart. Most often it reduces the value of a tree. |
| Knot |
Overgrown branch. We distinguish between
size as small, medium and large. Also condition as sound, ingrown, defective, rotten. |
| Mineral/Chalk |
Minerals in the soil cause dark spots and
chalk pockets. |
| Pipps |
Little Twigs that result in mini knots
called pipps e.g. in Europ. Sycamore. |
| Resin Pockets |
Occur mostly in softwood and some
tropical hardwoods (cedrello). |
| Shake |
Internal tensions result in shakes
caused by climate conditions, wind, frost, drought, location and bad tree felling practices. |
| Tension |
On the weatherside or a slope the tree has
different growth zones and growth speed. Especially in Beech and Sycamore. |
| Twist |
The fibres grow in spiral forms around the
core mostly caused by external influences such as wind. |
Defects
Added to the natural weather hazards, man
also causes damage to the trees by carving hearts and attaching wires, etc. to the trees.
Animals, insects, and mushrooms cause damage to standing or cut trees. |
|
|
