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Bleeding Tree

goblin47

goblin47

Gone But Not Forgotten
(ACCOUNT RETIRED)
Joined
Dec 10, 2005
Messages
11
Hi, a story about a tree so hope it's in the right forum.

I'm a tree surgeon/feller and a few years ago now I was called to look at a tree in a local cemetery. The cemetery supervisor said the tree had developed some lumps and could I go check if it was diseased or whatever. When I arrived at the tree, it was a silver birch, it did appear to have lots of raised areas or lumps on it. After a visual inspection I took my pocket knife and pierced one of these lumps and yes blood seeped out. The tree bark was also not as white as it should have been but was a dirty brownish colour. I can only think that the roots had taken up blood/fluid and were transporting it round the tree. Was a bit weird and the tree eventually deteriorated so we took it out.
 
Right forum or not (and I've always understood the categories to be fairly elastic and porous, so I shouldn't worry too much over that) that's a curious tale right enough, thanks for sharing it. You say you work as a tree surgeon - is it safe to assume that this was the only time you've ever encountered a silver birch displaying these symptoms? Can you remember much about the other trees - if any - in that part of the cemetery - did you take a look at them, as well? Were there other silver birches that had not been similarly afflicted (or, indeed, other trees that had been)? What led you to the conclusion that it was actually blood and not some other red fluid seeping out?
 
goblin47 said:
Hi, a story about a tree so hope it's in the right forum.

I'm a tree surgeon/feller and a few years ago now I was called to look at a tree in a local cemetery. The cemetery supervisor said the tree had developed some lumps and could I go check if it was diseased or whatever. When I arrived at the tree, it was a silver birch, it did appear to have lots of raised areas or lumps on it. After a visual inspection I took my pocket knife and pierced one of these lumps and yes blood seeped out. The tree bark was also not as white as it should have been but was a dirty brownish colour. I can only think that the roots had taken up blood/fluid and were transporting it round the tree. Was a bit weird and the tree eventually deteriorated so we took it out.
Click to expand...

I've chopped up my fair share of fire wood in New Zealand and one of the trees bleeds red sap and that's Blue Gum. The first time I saw it I thought I cut myself and not felt it as it looked so much like blood.
 
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Hi. Yes this is the first and only time i've ever seen this type of thing. The tree was the only 1 affected as far as I can remember and blood was the first thing that came to mind, it definitely wasn't sap, it was too thin and liquid
 
goblin47 said:
Hi. Yes this is the first and only time i've ever seen this type of thing. The tree was the only 1 affected as far as I can remember and blood was the first thing that came to mind, it definitely wasn't sap, it was too thin and liquid
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_6052735-L.jpg


This is what it can look like and it can be more liquid and less "gummy". I just can't see a tree absorbing blood from a nearby buried corpse. People are embalmed before they are buried.

There are several Eucalyptus trees that bleed this colour of gum, (kino) according to the net.

I wondering though if it had over time absorbed iron perhaps mineral phosphate in some form?
 
Wah-hey! :D

It's weird looking stuff isn't it? You can understand when the descriptions say that the birch bleeds sap.

Good find goblin47!
 
Frideswide said:
I found this... which may be like what you saw goblin47?

It looks rather thin and watery as you describe, not as I would expect tree sap or resin to be.

Any use?
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Hey! I was about to solve this case and I would have done if it wasn't for you, you meddling Scottish Wench!
 
ooOOOooooOOOO! Wench! :mad:


( like that :oops:)
 
Isn't there a thread about gorillas drinking the sap/liquid from a tree that has the same effect as alcohol? EDIT: Daily Mail artificial.

I love your avatar Goblin47, the colouring is just perfect.
 
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GeorgeP said:
Isn't there a thread about gorillas drinking the sap/liquid from a tree that has the same effect as alcohol?

I love your avatar Goblin47, the colouring is just perfect.
Click to expand...

Animals will find a way to get alcohol: the recent case of a drunk badger.
 
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