As detailed previously, the passing of the sweetgum resulted in damage to surrounding trees. A Carolina basswood (Tilia caroliniana) was in the path of destruction: the broken crown of the sweetgum rested in the basswood's upper branches until the arborists removed it. After the clean-up operation, it first appeared that the fallen sweetgum had completely stripped the limbs from the northside of the basswood. Upon further inspection, the basswood turned out to be just fine. It suffered only minor and cosmetic damage. What was revealed, however, was the lopsided growth pattern of this tree--its branches are all growing on the same side, facing south towards the Fitness Center.
This tree was one of two collected by Dr. Ed Leuck from the
Walter B. Jacobs park in spring 1994. It was planted in the ground two years later and has grown... well, quite mysteriously. No information could be found online regarding this curious growth pattern. Information about this species is not much available, although it has recently been described as an
'underutilized' native.
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| Here we can see clearly that the tree has grown with all its branches on one side. Will this change now that the bare-side has more light? |
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| On the northside of the tree, all branches are pointing away from us, toward the south, presumably stretching out for more southern rays of sunshine. |
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| Despite its lopsidedness, the tree has a straight trunk. The bark is smooth and gray. |
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| At the base of the trunk we can see the development of mature basswood bark. |
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| The mature bark is deeply fissured and extremely handsome. |
