French oak burl

Description:

A burl is a sound, hard, woody excrescence or protuberance that forms on the bole or a branch of trees of nearly every species. It is more or less rounded or horizontally ridged, with no protruding limbs, twigs, stubs, or indicators thereof. It is a product of vastly multiplied cell division and growth at point of occurrence, the wood is characterized by wildly contorted grain which may be combined with bird's eye - the result of aborted adventitious buds. A true burl is a surface indication that the grain in the wood is contorted into a wavy, curly, or bird's-eye effect- both within the burl and in the immediately surrounding stem wood. Other similar apparently sound abnormalities such as incipient cankers and galls may contain variable quantities of bark rot, twig knots, and even boring-insect channels.

Habitat:

The dominant tree of many deciduous woodlands, Quercus robur occurs in coppiced and pollarded woodland, parks, gardens, high forest and ancient wood pastureland, and has often been planted in hedgerows. It is able to grow in a range of soil types, but prefers those that are fertile and heavy. Unlike some other trees within the same family, Quercus robur can also thrive in heavy clay soils.

Notes:

Spotted in Bruggenbos in rural area of Twello, Holland. (sources:see reference)