Toronado3800
ArboristSite Member
So as I do not hijack a different thread please allow me to continue here and I will continue to do so more politely.
In my point of view once the cambium of a tree has been removed by damage or pruning the inner heartwood is as defenseless to rot as a 2 x 4. Big live trees I have cut appear to rot from an exterior wound or fork with included bark which allowed moisture into the tree and then rotted the tree from the inside out, not the outside in as the cambium can fight rot or out grow it.
I don't have any Eucalyptus of course which seem to take nutrients from their heartwood rotting so rot is a negative thing.
So far I have found this vague statement on Wikipedia "Some uncertainty still exists as to whether heartwood is truly dead, as it can still chemically react to decay organisms, but only once." and it does reference P65 of a Shin book from 1986. Maybe I will Amazon me a used copy eventually. So what does heartwood do to fight rot a 2 x 4 does not though?
The photo attached is of a pruning cut made too close to the top of the branch collar which also got infected bad enough I had to cut away a section of rot. It has been open a couple years now. Notice I have not sealed it but I have used a bit of insecticide in there as I believe the tree will have it encapsulated the hole two more years before water does any terrible damage but I can not stand watching the string of ants go in and out.
View attachment 310647
Do I understand right that the encapsulating wound wood is genetically dispositioned not to transfer chemicals or rot from the exposed layer I have termed dead wood? Even in regular circumstances trees capture the odd chainlink fence, cabling bolt, curb or bicycle and put up with grafting wax so I question how much chemical transfer there would be if the crack was sealed up at the end of a dry week.
Thanks for putting up with me rocking the boat.
In my point of view once the cambium of a tree has been removed by damage or pruning the inner heartwood is as defenseless to rot as a 2 x 4. Big live trees I have cut appear to rot from an exterior wound or fork with included bark which allowed moisture into the tree and then rotted the tree from the inside out, not the outside in as the cambium can fight rot or out grow it.
I don't have any Eucalyptus of course which seem to take nutrients from their heartwood rotting so rot is a negative thing.
So far I have found this vague statement on Wikipedia "Some uncertainty still exists as to whether heartwood is truly dead, as it can still chemically react to decay organisms, but only once." and it does reference P65 of a Shin book from 1986. Maybe I will Amazon me a used copy eventually. So what does heartwood do to fight rot a 2 x 4 does not though?
The photo attached is of a pruning cut made too close to the top of the branch collar which also got infected bad enough I had to cut away a section of rot. It has been open a couple years now. Notice I have not sealed it but I have used a bit of insecticide in there as I believe the tree will have it encapsulated the hole two more years before water does any terrible damage but I can not stand watching the string of ants go in and out.
View attachment 310647
Do I understand right that the encapsulating wound wood is genetically dispositioned not to transfer chemicals or rot from the exposed layer I have termed dead wood? Even in regular circumstances trees capture the odd chainlink fence, cabling bolt, curb or bicycle and put up with grafting wax so I question how much chemical transfer there would be if the crack was sealed up at the end of a dry week.
Thanks for putting up with me rocking the boat.