 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 Wind Doesn't Break a Tree that Bends

   November 10, 2021

    Menashe_tree_Picture1

    Menashe_tree_Picture2

   Photographer:  Menashe Davidson

   Summary Author:  Menashe Davidson

   Wind is an important factor that should be considered when selecting
   the right tree for a planting site. When branches are continually bent
   in one direction by  prevailing winds, they become  "wind
   trained" or “flagged” and hold their position permanently.
   Wind-resistant plants and shrubs have flexible stems that allow them to
   bend and sway without breaking. Because a tree’s instinct is to grow
   upward, a small degree of leaning is corrected over time without any
   harm to its strength. But certain tree species in locations with a
   constant buffeting from the wind, from a specific direction, will
   result in trunks that lean to one side.

   The  trunk is the sturdy portion of the tree, it’s wooden axis, that
   connects the leafy crown with the root system, keeping the entire
   system upright. Although a tree’s  heartwood is strong enough to
   support enormous weight and remain flexible enough to bend without
   breaking, bending can be affected by the density of the wood, its age
   and factors including  soil creep and even human interference.

   The above photos, taken in September 2021, demonstrate the shape of
   trunk growth of two different species planted in Rishon LeZion Park,
   Israel. The trees shown at top with the relatively straight vertical
   growth are  Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River red gum), and the bent
   ones in the bottom photo are  Tamaris aphylla (Nile Tamarisk).
     * Rishon LeZion Park, Israel Coordinates: 31.973001, 34.792501

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Plant Links

     *  Discover Life
     *  Tree Encyclopedia
     *  What are Phytoplankton?
     *  Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
     *  USDA Plants Database
     *  University of Texas Native Plant Database
     *  Plants in Motion
     *  What Tree is It?

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   Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the  Universities
   Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu
 
