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Dr. Ronald P. Rogers CHIROPRACTOR Support for your body's natural healing capabilities 270-384-5554 Click here for details 
  
Columbia Gas Dept. GAS LEAK or GAS SMELL Contact Numbers 24 hrs/ 365 days 270-384-2006 or 9-1-1 Call before you dig 
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Kentucky Color - Sycamore Below Ground A fascinating local hardwood, the Sycamore, illustrates possibility that there is as much wood in a tree underground as above, as a specimen on Crocus Creek shows. Among special attributes listed below is the the sycamore's ability to stump sprout. Click on headline for complete essay plus photo(s) By Billy Joe Fudge, Retired State Forester Kentucky Division of Forestry It is often said that there is as much wood underground as there is above ground but I just don't know if that is true. However, from the looks of the Sycamore tree (in the accompanying photo), stump and root system, it could be entirely possible. Sycamore grows to the largest diameter of any hardwood in North America. Many are on record with diameters of over 10 feet and our forefathers, including George Washington, spoke of trees measuring over 13 feet in diameter. Sycamore can also grow to more than 140 feet in height. Sycamore is also known as American plane tree, Buttonwood and buttonball tree. It is a moderately valuable timber tree and is a desirable yard tree because of its big crown and its ability to exfoliate its older, rough brown bark to reveal a most beautiful, smooth, pure, snow white inner bark. Often the smooth inner bark will be a mottled chocolate brown, pale green and white. Another trait of Sycamore is its ability to stump sprout. I believe I counted nine stems coming from this one stump. About all the stems sprouted at the same level which would have been near the original ground level when the tree germinated many decades ago. Erosion from Crocus Creek has eroded the creek bank to reveal much of the below ground trunk (stump) and root system. Something to remember about trees is the bark is different below ground than above ground, as one might expect. However, when the roots are exposed and the tree remains healthy some hardwood species, and Sycamore is one, will replace the below ground root bark with above ground bark. Billy Joe Fudge This story was posted on 2012-02-14 05:46:33
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More articles from topic Kentucky Color by Billy Joe Fudge:
Kentucky Color - One of a Kind? Kentucky Color: Immersed in the World of Hemlock Cove Kentucky Color: Survivalist Red Cedar Kentucky Color - Beaver lodge Kentucky Color - Big Teeth Kentucky Color - Looking for Elroy Kentucky Color: Artist loggers Kentucky Color - Great Wooded South Prosciutto Kentucky Color - Merry Christmas Kentucky Color - Adair County's Largest Sinkhole Swallet View even more articles in topic Kentucky Color by Billy Joe Fudge |
 
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