Getting philosophical

[jdmidwest]

I am always amazed by the scraggly little cedars growing out of the side of the bluffs, existing on whatever drips down on them from above or craps on them for fertilize.  I have heard many of them are really old.

[BilletHead]

7 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

I am always amazed by the scraggly little cedars growing out of the side of the bluffs, existing on whatever drips down on them from above or craps on them for fertilize.  I have heard many of them are really old.

             They are and it amazes me too.  I think some are documented as Missouri's oldest trees.

    "Occurs on glades and bluffs; in open, rocky woods, pastures, and old fields; and along roadsides and fencerows. Some gnarled cedars on Ozark bluffs are over 1,000 years old."

[snagged in outlet 3]

I bought my lot then built my house.   I got to save all of the trees I wanted.   I lost a giant shag bark hickory shortly after I built the house.   But I have 3 big persimmon trees that barely look like they’ve grown in the 20 years I’ve been here.   One of them gets the biggest persimmons you’ve ever seen.   I’ve posted pictures of them on here before.  

[fishinwrench]

5 hours ago, BilletHead said:

          Stand corrected @fishinwrench. The more opened thick cell pithy stuff is the quick spring growth while the dense thin is the rest of the growing season. A light /dark seasonal growth each year. 

So then, theoretically, each dark line is supposed to indicate 1 year ?  

That's what I've always heard..... but it's definitely not the case with my black cherry tree.   

[BilletHead]

5 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

So then, theoretically, each dark line is supposed to indicate 1 year ?  

That's what I've always heard..... but it's definitely not the case with my black cherry tree.   

           yes

[Quillback]

10 hours ago, BilletHead said:

             They are and it amazes me too.  I think some are documented as Missouri's oldest trees.

    "Occurs on glades and bluffs; in open, rocky woods, pastures, and old fields; and along roadsides and fencerows. Some gnarled cedars on Ozark bluffs are over 1,000 years old."

Had no idea they lived that long.  Couple of big ones at the Indian Creek COE park, makes me wonder how old they are.  

[fishinwrench]

1000 years with no tornado's or raging forest fires......Now that's a prime piece of property there !    Somebody with immaculate heavenly pull must have blessed it.   

[jdmidwest]

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

1000 years with no tornado's or raging forest fires......Now that's a prime piece of property there !    Somebody with immaculate heavenly pull must have blessed it.   

Growing on the side of the bluff away from all other kindling protects them from fire.  Depending on which side of the bluff shelters them from strong winds.

The miracle is how in the world did the seed ever take and grow in the barren piece of rock they took root to.

 

[Terrierman]

7 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

Growing on the side of the bluff away from all other kindling protects them from fire.  Depending on which side of the bluff shelters them from strong winds.

The miracle is how in the world did the seed ever take and grow in the barren piece of rock they took root to.

 

Plus a lot of trees survive wild fires, especially here in the midwest with our deciduous forests.  The little stuff not so much, which is why controlled burns work.  And on glades, there's not a lot of growth to get what you could ever call a raging forest fire going.

[Dutch]

8 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

Growing on the side of the bluff away from all other kindling protects them from fire.  Depending on which side of the bluff shelters them from strong winds.

The miracle is how in the world did the seed ever take and grow in the barren piece of rock they took root to.

 

All it takes is a little bird to eat some cedar seeds and poop as it flies by.