Maple Burls

[Richard Jones]

I was walking around the "estate" yesterday with the CFO and found these two maples that were literally covered in burls. They were within 25 yards of each other.

Also found several big cherry trees that I didn't know about.....:eek:

For scale, the walking stick in the first pic is a bit over 48" long.

Rich

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[John Keeton]

Richard, now you have a decision to make - depending on your age, should you harvest them now, or wait for a number of years until the trees grow considerably and produce larger burls. Given my recent experience, take them now!!! You never know what lies ahead for you.

I am not sure there is any information on the cause of burls, but trees often seem to have more than one. While these trees are fairly good size in the trunk area, it is likely over the decades they will mature and be covered in burls.

[Jerry Rhoads]

Oooh I like big Cherry.
As for the Burl trees. You might want to take the left branch off of the tree on the right, looks like right branch is producing burls for later.

Jerry

[Baxter Smith]

Not too shabby. Have to agree with Jerry on removing that left branch. It might help those little burls on the right grow faster.;)

[Michael Menzli]

Have a saw ...will travel... :) only kidding... Im in VA as well are these Red Maples by chance? Ive encountered similar on my farm with a few Red Maples...wondered if its a fungous or bug reaking havoc.

[Thom Sturgill]

I don't know, but Wikipedia indicates that they can be caused by either insect or mold infestations (tree worts?) usually at the site of an injury. I do know that they are more common in some areas than in others. They are almost always covered in bark even when growing below ground. While I rarely see one when walking in the woods 'up home' (NC/VA Mountains) my grandfather was adept at finding Rhododendron burls and carved many bowls and platters from them.

[Jerry Marcantel]

I would call those "drools", as they are still attached to the trees according to your post. I know of a canyon near Benson, Arizona that has a bunch of walnut trees, and 9 out of ten of the trees have some kind of burl growing on them. One tree has over 45 burls..... There's another canyon about 25-30 miles away with walnut trees, and does not have a single burl........ Can't figure it out....... Thanks for posting the pictures......... Jerry (in Tucson)