An interesting mature oak

Whilst exploring some old parkland last summer / autumn, I came across this oak tree. Much like some of the other mature oaks I have posted on this blog prior to now, it had a great deal of character and epitomises the ‘metabolic persistence’ of trees in general. A largely dead stem, which has developed a new structure by sending out sprouts that have, over time, developed into a rather pretty but small foliage crown. Only a few strips of sapwood probably are keeping this oak alive, now!

It’s almost as if an oak is growing directly behind a dead stem! But no, sprouting is simply emanating from the other side of the trunk, and is thus keeping the tree alive. In fact, it appears to have acceptable energy levels relative to its crown size (no evidence of dieback or thinning within the sprouting).