# Unusual branch (Pinus sylvestris) **URL:** \ **Category:** Nature Talk\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [April 17, 2023, 6:19am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960 "2023-04-17T06:19:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pchelovek1205](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pchelovek1205/32/30209_2.png) [@pchelovek1205](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pchelovek1205)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 6:19am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/1 "2023-04-17T06:19:17Z")
I was quite amused when I saw this pine tree: ![_MG_5094](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/c/c/cc7d5e78e4b68f82be45ea3419075b94671ca026.jpeg) How did it happen? ---
**Author:** ![broacher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/broacher/32/52883_2.png) [@broacher](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/broacher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:44am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/2 "2023-04-17T10:44:34Z")
I’ve seen this a couple times myself. Because they seem to have switched from supporting growth to taking advantage of growth, I like to refer to them as… ‘Executive Branches’ ---
**Author:** ![m\_whitson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/m_whitson/32/25565_2.png) [@m\_whitson](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/m_whitson)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/3 "2023-04-18T02:57:41Z")
Very cool! It’s like the tree grafted itself. ---
**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:37am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/4 "2023-04-18T07:37:56Z")
Storm damage and the tree has grown over the wound? ---
**Author:** ![bonesigh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/bonesigh/32/48359_2.png) [@bonesigh](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/bonesigh)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/5 "2023-04-18T15:33:54Z")
Perhaps when the branch was young it was snapped back over the trunk but didn’t die. I know of several species that will continue to grow even if you snap the trunk. Supported between the trunk and another branch, it didn’t rip off, but continued to grow as if had grown in that direction from the beginning. Over time it was engulfed by the trunk and surrounding branches before eventually dying due to apical dominance and lack of light. That’s my theory. It looks just like a thread graft I have on one of my bonsai. ---
**Author:** ![tisli](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tisli/32/28477_2.png) [@tisli](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tisli)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/6 "2023-04-21T17:08:04Z")
Maybe the tree is practicing for its next incarnation as a parasite? ---
**Author:** ![aaravmishra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/aaravmishra/32/33901_2.png) [@aaravmishra](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/aaravmishra)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/7 "2023-04-21T18:45:44Z")
is there a planthopper city in that tree? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/unusual-branch-pinus-sylvestris/40960/8 "2023-06-20T18:46:35Z")
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