# Types of Burrs



## Graybeard (Mar 30, 2017)

Friends had a dead burr oak three that was covered with lumps and bumps. Of course they thought they were burls. When cut open they contain wood that is growing in layers with very little connecting them together.



 
The piece shown has a definite branch which is soft an punky, the wood around the outside is solid.

I'm wondering if there is a specific name for different types of wood anomalies so I can explain what exactly this is. So far I'm pretty clear on burls and burl caps. Right now I'm tempted to call them firewood.


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## woodtickgreg (Mar 30, 2017)

They are probably grow overs or heal overs. When a branch breaks of and the rest of the tree grows around it. Tree cutters, at least the good ones, will cut a branch off right at the collar of the branch so the tree can grow over it and heal itself. It makes a smaller wound on the tree and it repairs itself quicker. 
This is an example of the proper way to prune a branch.





This is how the heal over looks in the beginning.




This is multiple heal overs.




Hear is a fairly large heal over that is nearly complete.




Hears how they often occur in the forest or on a tree's own when a branch dies off, the tree grows around it to heal itself. 




So why do tree's do this? Because until it is healed over it is vulnerable to insect attack and other diseases entering at the dead branch.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 6


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 31, 2017)

@woodtickgreg , you did a good job explaining the process to David. I ask you to consider one change, the word 'heal'. Please consider changing that word to 'callus' Trees don't heal over, they callus over. Often it is referred to as CODIT, compartmentalizing of dead / decay in trees.

So @Graybeard , many call those, "grown over branch stubs", 'callused branch scars' among others. Stubs and nubs have been interchanged as well. I've carved out several branch stubs. The old wood often stains the first few years of callus wood. The callus wood often has some figure. They can be a win-win for small bowls with odd shapes.

Reactions: Like 1


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## David Van Asperen (Mar 31, 2017)

Well damm it , I learned something today and I am not sure I was planning to be involved in learning. Thanks for so,e great info and illustrated so an old dude like me can understand it all
@woodtickgreg nice job

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Mar 31, 2017)

@Mr. Peet You are correct sir. I got in the habit of describing it as healing from working for tree services. It was always explained to me about why you cut the branch where you do so that the tree would heal quicker. Never cut into the collar. It just stuck with me, that's going to be a hard habit to break, lol. Callus, callus, callus, callus, I'll try, lol, callus, callus................

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


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## Graybeard (Apr 1, 2017)

Just to add to the discussion, here is a picture of a slab:


 
Here is the underside:


 
Cut showing the inside (most of it's like this)


 
So this was caused by an old limb callused over? Lots of ants as you can see.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mr. Peet (Apr 1, 2017)

Graybeard said:


> Just to add to the discussion, here is a picture of a slab:
> 
> So this was caused by an old limb callused over? Lots of ants as you can see.



No uncles...It can sometimes cause a bit of quandary. Some trees callus over like curtains on a stage (kind of), but others may send water-sprouts, suckers and the like. When this happens, it often can mimic adventitious burl bud growth, as your piece could have been taken as. It also looked as if some gull action could have happened. Often, dissecting as you did reveals the answers you seek.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 1, 2017)

I wouldn't call that one a branch callus, Callused by something else maybe..........


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## Graybeard (Apr 2, 2017)

I think I found it: http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/oak-gall-on-trunk/


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 2, 2017)

By Joe I think you've got it! (said with a British accent)


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## phinds (Apr 2, 2017)

woodtickgreg said:


> @Mr. Peet You are correct sir. I got in the habit of describing it as healing from working for tree services. It was always explained to me about why you cut the branch where you do so that the tree would heal quicker. Never cut into the collar. It just stuck with me, that's going to be a hard habit to break, lol. Callus, callus, callus, callus, I'll try, lol, callus, callus................


I agree. I'm always happy when Mark teaches me something new, BUT ... calluses are something I have on my heel, not on my tree (not that I really believe in trees anyway) and I'll probably forget it.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## rocky1 (Apr 2, 2017)

Hmmmmm..... That would appear to be what's afflicting the Cherry Laurel (_<~~ link for you Latin speaking characters_), on the neighbor's property, except it's not on the trunk, it's in the upper branches.







If I could figure out how to get 40 ft. up there in the tree top, I'd harvest them and see what they looked like inside, but I'm a little beyond the climbing trees with a chainsaw stage, and don't have a bucket truck at my disposal!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Graybeard (Apr 4, 2017)

On another forum the thread stopped when a couple of guys said, it's a burl. That was that. Maybe I'm a little weird or it's just my inquisitive nature but I like to try to find things out. I appreciate that same willingness and curiosity from the members on board here. Thanks for contributing.

Reactions: Like 2


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