Interesting pattern(s)

[kelLOGg]

What cause these little peaks in SYP rings. Example is in a pine cookie. I get lots of the little bumps.

[rusticretreater]

There could be a number of reasons for such a pattern. It is plain to see that it is a long term pattern from the time the tree was young until it was felled.  The trunk may have been scarred from another tree falling against it.  A tree or branch might have been pressing on it.  The bark recovers and grows over it but the depression remained in the body of the tree.

You would think that the growth of the tree would fill in the dip but the opposite occurs.  If the vertical fibers in the tree were damaged, the tree has difficulty repairing the area. If a tree is leaning against it, it has trouble pushing against it to maintain uniform growth. As the tree grows and expands in diameter, the crevice gets wider as the tree never catches up in filling the void, simply adding another layer of growth on top of what is already there.

Looking at the beginning of the pattern, you see a tree ring that has a depression.  From that point on you can see how the void grows.

How many cookies have this pattern?  

[kelLOGg]

The cookies came from the top of a very large (30+" at the base cut) tree that was leaning badly toward my well. Didn't want to risk losing water so I had it felled. The top was 10" and less in diameter and had lots of limbs so I dedicated it to cookies because i had plenty of clear logs for lumber. There were nearby trees with branches that could have leaned against it as you say. I didn't count the number of cookies - the pattern wasn't obvious until I sanded them and there is still 40 - 50 left to sand. I have given many of them to neighbors and friends.
Thanks for the info on it - I wouldn't have guessed an injury caused it.

[LeeB]

Maybe a vine growing on it?

[Ljohnsaw]

In my cabin thread I posted about the same thing. I had debarked some monster ponderosa pine and it had grooves/fissures that ran from a few inches to more than a foot randomly spaced around the log and full length (35'). When I cut beams, the ends would have a few of those divot stacks. When I cut a scarf joint, it was really wild!

[kelLOGg]

Here's another interesting pattern from the same tree.

Did it compete with squirrels in eating acorns? ;D



 

[Don P]

That's what I was wondering, those are near limbs, it looks like this last one was a steeply angled one that was about half dead. Look at that "rams horn" kind of cuticle curl rolling repair over the outer dead part of the limb., then closure and knit over, becoming smooth again. I think when you see the compression wood disappear the branch broke.

Looking at it more, the tree is leaning right, see the compression wood on the right (underside of lean) and off center heart to the left. Even the compression wood in the curl of the repair supporting the dying limb is forward on that side. The weight is right on this.