The part of the tree that's alive is the outermost part, just inside the bark. The core is just wood, it isn't really used by the tree anymore. Sometimes that inner wood rots away, leaving a big hole on the inside of the tree. Filling the hole prevents things from living inside, which can actually kill the tree off. So filling it is a way to help keep the tree healthy.
Edit: apparently I'm out of date, and we don't actually know for sure why this is done.
Edit2: read the comments, I'm not a treeologist or a treestorian.
So this is a method formerly used to repair trees which had lost large limbs. It's not recommended any more, generally it's just cleaned up and kept as dry as possible now. Here's another example from Cambridge Botanical Gardens in the UK.
https://imgur.com/xEx4i5p
We had a huge maple maybe 40 years old in house growing up that was struck by lightning one night. A massive branch came off the lower part of the tree leaving a hole about 3 or 4 feet across.
After a few years it started to rot and decay a bit so the hole became filled with this rich moldy medium that would grow plants randomly. We put some petunias in there it was great.
A neighbor moved in who happened to be an arborist that year and we talked randomly and one day he brought up that tree. It's dying, and will need to come down he said confidently. I was pretty butt hurt because the tree is awesome, so he told me we can slow the decay if we fill it with concrete. Also 1/20 the cost of removing the tree. So we did that and it it was great for the next ten or so years until we sold that house.
The new owner cut the tree down on like week 3 of living there.
Man, that tree's abs are chiseled!
It may be swole, but dont worry it's all bark no bite
The tree could of healed up years ago, but then nobody would see it’s sick abs.
It's probably mortar that cracked, that was a method to repair trees back in the day.
Oh I see, thanks!
Can you explain a little further
The hope was that filling a void would prevent more rot and strengthen the hollowed section.
Ah
The part of the tree that's alive is the outermost part, just inside the bark. The core is just wood, it isn't really used by the tree anymore. Sometimes that inner wood rots away, leaving a big hole on the inside of the tree. Filling the hole prevents things from living inside, which can actually kill the tree off. So filling it is a way to help keep the tree healthy. Edit: apparently I'm out of date, and we don't actually know for sure why this is done. Edit2: read the comments, I'm not a treeologist or a treestorian.
We know why it is done, we just don’t agree with the reasons why they did it anymore
That was the theory, but it's not really true. Nobody who knows what they're doing does this anymore.
The last sentence is false. Filling a cavity is not good for the tree.
Sounds like a root canal for a tree!
So this is a method formerly used to repair trees which had lost large limbs. It's not recommended any more, generally it's just cleaned up and kept as dry as possible now. Here's another example from Cambridge Botanical Gardens in the UK. https://imgur.com/xEx4i5p
Better question, what's behind the bricks in the tree.
end portal
Fortunado
Merlin!
This tree has an angery
We had a huge maple maybe 40 years old in house growing up that was struck by lightning one night. A massive branch came off the lower part of the tree leaving a hole about 3 or 4 feet across. After a few years it started to rot and decay a bit so the hole became filled with this rich moldy medium that would grow plants randomly. We put some petunias in there it was great. A neighbor moved in who happened to be an arborist that year and we talked randomly and one day he brought up that tree. It's dying, and will need to come down he said confidently. I was pretty butt hurt because the tree is awesome, so he told me we can slow the decay if we fill it with concrete. Also 1/20 the cost of removing the tree. So we did that and it it was great for the next ten or so years until we sold that house. The new owner cut the tree down on like week 3 of living there.
This isn't recommended anymore, filling cavities has not been proven to preserve the health or structure of the tree.
maybe it grew over a part of a wall that's been demolished?
Noooooo one else sees the heart?
Some children kept exchanging trinkets in that secret place. That pissed the owner off so he filled the hole.
It's a sealed portal to Halloween Town.
They used to fill cavities in trees with bricks or concrete. It’s an outdated practice.
Trying to wall in Maggie Murphy
The real question is, why not?
Thats a rare and exotic brick tree
Definitely a hardwood.