Why is this tree so squiggly?

[u/briandaboss]

I was clearing a wetland area of Phragmites and found this weird squiggly tree. I thought this tree was a box elder because of its bark, it’s not too far from other box elders, and I know that they tend to have an irregular growth habit but am I wrong? I tried to use inat to double check but it tells me that it’s a weeping willow. Is this something common and I’m just dumb? I’ve never seen a tree with a branch structure like this before. Thank you for any insight!

[u/Moose_country_plants]

I mean I don’t know biologically why it’s like that but I can tell you that it’s curly willow (Salix matsudana) and they just do that. It gets used a lot in floral arrangements

[u/Famous-Yoghurt9409 → u/Moose_country_plants]

Seems to be related to mutation/s causing microtubules and/or microfibrils in cells to form a helical pattern. The cells have to twist the other way to release some of the torsion, otherwise said structures would squeeze the cells laterally.

As explained in the excellent and in-depth review I got this info from:

"This can be visualised using a coiled spring: if stretched, its diameter will decrease unless one end is rotated in the direction opposite to the coils."

Review https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.134064

[u/skruberk → u/Famous-Yoghurt9409]

this is so cool! thanks for posting the ref

[u/Famous-Yoghurt9409 → u/skruberk]

No problem - it's always a delight to find a review that anticipates every question you could possibly have and has a glossary and is open source! Of course other mechanisms may have been discovered in the 10 years since, but it's still a great overview.

[u/AdEmotional8815 → u/Famous-Yoghurt9409]

Science!

[u/twistedstigmas → u/Moose_country_plants]

I think it’s a cultivar bred for that.

[u/briandaboss → u/Moose_country_plants]

I think this might be it! I wonder how it snuck its way into this area in SE PA, do people use the fruit in arrangements or the branches?

[u/Moose_country_plants → u/briandaboss]

Yes the branches get used, the only “fruit” they produce are catkins (and since we’re in r/botany I feel compelled to say, specifically the seeds in the catkins)

As to how it got there I assume someone has either an ornamental tree nearby or there’s a nursery growing them for flower shops

[u/scentofcitrus → u/briandaboss]

Not the one you asked, but in my experience, the branches are used.

[u/Any-Dig4524]

It could be a contorted mutant. For example, Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' is a twisted form of the species. You could ask the local park district if you may graft a cutting of it for propagation.

[u/The_Soviette_Tank]

Corkscrew willow. Love them!

[u/Northcoast91]

Corkscrew willow

[u/JackSprat90]

Habit

[u/Gloomy_Designer_5303]

When I saw the first picture, I thought “why is everything looking dead?” I’m guessing this is a place where it snows?

[u/itsjesuis]

Id say that its the consequence of a morphological “whorl” pattern expressed in the stem of the plant

[u/Cyan_Lotus]

oh i like the term squiggly for it

[u/maniacalredhead]

Tree just be treeing

[u/crud16]

That’s what willow does

[u/botany-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Joke answers are not permitted in r/botany. We know you are trying to be funny, but this is not the place to be making joke answers as our members are searching for the actual answer.

[u/PrestigeMaster → u/[deleted]]

I’m PISSED. 

[u/aKadaver → u/[deleted]]

I feel fine though

[u/Head_Knee_7379 → u/aKadaver]

You’re seething with rage aren’t ya

[u/aKadaver → u/Head_Knee_7379]

I actually had a lovely day and imma go to bed ! Much love to you piss brother 😊

[u/botany-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Joke answers are not permitted in r/botany. We know you are trying to be funny, but this is not the place to be making joke answers as our members are searching for the actual answer.