[neilep (OP)]

Dear Fellow Tree Luffers,

Trees are my all time favourite big barky branch leaf orientated plant type thing:

Here's a piccy of some from the top down :

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

Notice how for the most part they are almost symmetrical ?

Does a tree know where it's branches are ?...I don't mean to anthropomorphise the tree...what I suppose I mean is....does the growing tree have an inbuilt formula to determine to spread branches out in a very specific way ?...or is it just a random scattering ?

.....I know I've posted this before but if you like tranquil forests then check this site out !

http://www.forests-forever.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

[Carol-A]

They do. to some extent. If you look at different twigs from different trees, you will see that, for example, the leaves will perhaps grow in pairs, along the same edge of the branch, or in pairs, alternating on the side of the branch, or in a spiral along the branch etc.(always the same way for the same species of tree) The secondary branches also follow a specific pattern of growth, that is genetically determined. As trees keep on growing, unlike us, this pattern of growth will give generally similar trees within a species, but as light, temperature, wind, rain etc etc will influence just when the next branch will occur, and the bigger the tree gets the less synchronized the growth will be no two trees will be exactly the same.

[neilep (OP)]

They do. to some extent. If you look at different twigs from different trees, you will see that, for example, the leaves will perhaps grow in pairs, along the same edge of the branch, or in pairs, alternating on the side of the branch, or in a spiral along the branch etc.(always the same way for the same species of tree) The secondary branches also follow a specific pattern of growth, that is genetically determined. As trees keep on growing, unlike us, this pattern of growth will give generally similar trees within a species, but as light, temperature, wind, rain etc etc will influence just when the next branch will occur, and the bigger the tree gets the less synchronized the growth will be no two trees will be exactly the same.

This is fascinating.

Thank ewe so much CAROL-A.

I wonder then if two trees grown is identical conditions may grow to be very much alike more so than if they where they would receive differing weathering.

I had no idea that trees just continue to grow and grow !....why's that then ?...does the same apply to other plants ?


......and thanks once again !!

[Carol-A]

Yes, plants do keep on growing, but many have a finite life span.... they die once they have produced seeds for example.
If you took two conkers, planted them in the same soil and put them in a greenhouse, they would look very similar to begin with, but they have different genomes, so they would not be quite the same as each other. In the same way that people all have a similar blueprint.... two arms, two legs, a head etc, but look different, then different species of trees have the same general blueprint, but the genes are not identical.