(full tree pic in 3rd photo)
Hi all, this is a beautiful Catalpa that grows in our front yard. St Paul. MN. We have had the house about 5 years and I was always distracted by the massive burl, which i love, but just noticed that there is a split at the base of the tree. And, it was filled by a previous owner with…concrete? Cement?
im wondering if this is an acceptable practice or some shoddy DIY nonsense. Is there a long term danger to the tree, and if so, is there a better way to fill the void, if at all? Thanks for any input,
by petran1420
8 Comments
People used to fill ground level cavities in trees with concrete. Careful with yer chainsaw!
Next level dumb.
Your beautiful dog’s reaction in the 2nd photo is correct…people who fill hollows with concrete should hide their faces in shame!
This is a classic boomer generation thing. We used to find concrete in trees all the time when I worked in the midwest. Absolutely does nothing for the tree
What is that monstrosity? Goes to show trees will find a way to live against all odds. Just may have to turn into Frankenstein to do so. Life force is an astonishing thing, even in humans.
I see signs of a large abdomen. Could be a liver disease 🤔. Does tree consume alot of alcohol? Perhaps and intervention might help your Catelpa. Some people fill void with spray foam then condo. But the best thing is probably nothing
Stunning tree. At this point trying to remove the concrete is likely to do more damage than leaving it alone.
There is one thing you should do now, though:
Print out your photos 2 and 3 here, write on the year, and put them in your house records binder or file, with a note to future owners that if the tree ever needs to be cut down, show the photos to the arborist and mention the lump of concrete inside.
I’m not super smart about tree and shit but I think that growth is called a burhl. I think people who make furniture will pay thousands of dollars for one that large. Saw a TV show where they drove around looking for them and offer people 10k for their tree in their front yard. Sometimes it would be beautiful and other it would be rot.