Tree Lurve

On By Mick CanningIn environment, trees, Weald

About two miles away from our house I came across these two oak trees. The smaller one looks as though it is embracing the larger one.

I wanted to know their stories. Had the smaller one grown from an acorn produced by the larger one? Or from a different tree? Most oaks in Britain grow from acorns that have been gathered and buried by squirrels or jays, and they’d probably not bury them right at the foot of the tree, or would they? Could it be a secondary growth thrown up from a root of the larger tree? And the smaller one has developed in an unusual way – long and straggly as though it aspires to be ivy, or some such climbing plant. Very difficult to assess its age for that reason, although I would guess the larger one to be between a hundred and a hundred and fifty years old. Both are still alive, although it was difficult to spot leaves on the smaller one, as they are mostly high up.

My immediate instinct, or at least idle musing, was to begin to impose various anthropocentric motives to the situation: The larger tree was supporting the smaller for some reason – perhaps it was weak, or diseased. The smaller one was supplying the larger with nutrition of some sort. They were living in a symbiotic relationship and sharing resources…all nonsense, of course. They had grown that way purely by chance.

Surely?

16 thoughts on “Tree Lurve”

  2. Nature is amazing. It looks almost like one of the big roots that the big tree sends
    out around. Instead of feeding a new tree the riot has grown upwards and drawing
    food and love from the mother tree.🌻.

    Miriam

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  3. Hi Mick. I lurve this post as much as you lurve this tree (I think). Did you know that trees actually do relate to each other? They communicate with each other through a network of fungi underneath the ground (or sometimes on the surface). It’s a symbiotic relationship between each tree and the fungi. Neither one can survive without the other. It’s fascinating to learn about. If you want to know more, read ‘The Mother Tree: Uncovering the Wisdom and Intelligence in the Forest’ by Suzanne Simard. It’s a brilliant read about this part of nature and how it’s entwined with her own life. I’m really passionate about trees and am doing a course called ‘British Trees’ so right up my street! I’ve also ‘adopted’ a tree, down by the river at the bottom of my road. It’s an old and large Black Poplar and there aren’t many of those in my area. They used to be used to make furniture (as are many trees). Not that’s right either (in my opinion) as there are many more sustainable materials to build furniture out of. Sorry, I’m waffling on, but you’ve got me on a topic I’m passionate about. [There’s also a good shorter book called ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’ by Peter Wohlleben who’s a great writer. It’s a Sunday Times bestseller – apparently]. Enjoy! Ellie x

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    1. Hi Ellie. I have The Hidden Life of Trees at the top of my ‘To Be Read’ book pile right now. I’ve always loved trees, and over the last year I’ve read quite a lot of great books on them. Oak and Ash and Thorn by Peter Fiennes, Wildwood by Roger Deakin, The Wisdom of Trees by Max Adams, and The Secret Life of Trees by Colin Tudge stand out especially, although I’ve read many others on other aspects of nature and the environment.
      The course sounds interesting – I always thought I knew quite a bit about British trees, but realised in the last five years or so how little I actually know. If I had time, I should probably do one especially as I’m writing a series of connected short stories at the moment featuring trees in a rather mythical, folkloric way.
      As for the connectedness of trees, I first read all about the Wood Wide Web some while ago with astonishment, but have read quite a lot about it since and it’s remarkable. Trees are really amazing creatures.
      A couple of years ago I put this post up which you might not have seen, mentioning the Wood Wide Web (as well as other connected issues!): https://mickcanning.co/2019/11/02/the-wood-wide-web-and-a-bill-of-rights/

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