Do live trees have a Body temperature? Now I’ve always known live trees contain contain a lot of water. But I never gave it much thought until today. Myself and a helper were clearing out a bunch of larger living cottonwoods today. As soon as one would drop water would be dripping/running out of the trunk and oozing up out of the stump. I took this picture of the one that caught my attention first. Picture was taken about 45 minutes after it fell. Outside temp was 25*F windchill was around 12*F . I seldom cut many live trees. Do they ever freeze solid. If it’d been around the zero mark for a week or two it still wouldn’t be like cutting a solid block of ice would it? Would water still run out? I’m just Curious
I believe many or all pine trees have chemicals in the sap that prevents them from totally freezing. I believe other trees do to some extent as well, but yes they can freeze solid.
Cant say for sure. Pretty neat occurrence. Ive cut live Sugar maple late Winter here and the sap flows like crazy. Usually the time they are tapped for the sap. Above freezing days, below at night. I cut an oak log from my epic honey hole back in June and water leaked out. Good size and i believe the sapwood had soaked up a lot of rain.
Not specifically familiar with Cottonwood but yah, I've seen trees moving water even in freezing temps. Looking at the forest at night through an infra-red/thermal camera is interesting. They pick up solar gain through the day and the wood is pretty good at storing it. They radiate heat all night even in freezing temps. Those heating & cooling cycles is what moves sap in the shoulder seasons. Do they ever freeze? Oh yah. Go camping in deep winter, right conditions during the day and sub zero temps at night and you may be woken in the middle of the night to what sounds like a gunshot. Gets cold enough and the trunk suddenly fractures under great pressure. Hell of a way to get woken up in the woods.
They have (Wintertime) sugars and proteins that act similarly to anti-freeze in a car. Some trees can come out of "hibernation " too early often triggered by early warm weather and end up with split damaged bark.
I've noticed when cutting our soft maple that once February rolls around then sap flows when the tree is cut. Usually in January that is not the case. For sure in the deep winter you can hear the woods popping and I always assumed it was from the sap freezing and expanding; perhaps a little added breeze might encourage that some too but I've always noticed it more on very still mornings.
Here in south Jersey we don't get brutal cold. A really cold night for us is right around zero and a really cold day is low 20's. When we do get snow, I have always noticed there is a gap between the bark of the tree and the snow and just assumed trees do give off heat and it has melted the snow that was right up against it.
They may retain some energy, but I don't believe trees have a metabolism or any way to generate much energy, at least not a discernable amount. Anytime something grows or uses energy there will be some energy, but in the case of trees and plants very little.
Have you witnessed what I described? And if so, can you offer another reason why it occurs. I have always been curious about that. I also notice it while skiing in the woods in Vermont which is obviously much colder than where I'm from.
I would guess the branches and whatnot prevents some of the snow from going right up to the trunk, and the fact the ground curves up at the base of the trunk. That's my guess anyway lol.
Nah, I don't think so. Immediately after the storm, the snow is right up against the bark. A few days later, not so much. Am I the only person to notice this? Am I crazy?
Ok you're not saying it melts right away, that makes sense the UV is being absorbed by the trunk. If the tree was putting of heat snow wouldn't stick to the side when the wind blows and the snow wouldn't build up on the branches.
If the sap were ever to freeze in a tree the tree would die. The sap might "freeze" like a slushy but not solid. The bark can crack in the winter, usually on the south side that warmed up in the sun earlier in the day. Usually called frost cracks and they can be kinda loud, especially in the quiet cold of Winter.
if you’ll notice the base of trees push up,,,or out the earth as they grow in circumference. Earth is heated. Yes dirt freezes but much depends on how cold it is. Southern Jersey not so cold. The dirt is higher around a tree allowing the earth to heat a little higher. Add solar gain and possibly lessor snow depth due to higher ground level. The dark color of a tree absorbs heat from the sun much easier than the surrounding white snow. This is why my basement in a properly constructed house seldom falls below 50 degrees with no heat source. Now if I were to move my basement 500 miles further north I’m sure the results would be different. I’ll also wager you don’t see so much snow melting around trees further north unless it’s spring.
jrider your not crazy, well at least about this, The trees here often have little bowls around the trunk. I always assumed the trees had to push some water into the roots on cold nights and then on the warm days the sap would run back up the tree. Assuming this caused some type of friction which warm the base of the tree. Having hand tapped countless maples, I just thought all trees did it.
I can buy into what you're saying to a certain degree. I will have to look closer though this winter because in my head, I'm picturing an even gap between the tree and the snow all the way around the tree. If it were caused by the sun as you suggest, I wouldn't expect to see the space be equal on the northern side of the tree.
just tossing out other possibilities. No scientist here. Now that you mention it I’ll be looking too. Gee thanks, LOL
Haha, new way to recognize a fellow hoarder aside from the firewood stacks in the yard. Often seen standing in the snow, staring intently at the base of trees with a puzzled look on their face. I remember years ago taking notice of this, snow receding from the trees phenomenon, keeping watch on it through the winter and eventually coming to a conclusion that I thought was a little profound. I even remember showing my then young son. I don't however, remember what that damm conclusion was. I'm pretty sure it was the solar gain from the dark bark. The sun is from the south this time of year but does still rise in the south east and set in the southwest, so does hit roughly 3/4 of the trees circumference at some point. If I remember, it was notably more significant in some areas than others as I live on the side of a mountain and the sun hits or doesn't certain areas significantly different. I guess I'll be out there staring at the ground again too.
Your right. It’s bad enough we already look at every tree with an eye towards direction of fall, felling cuts, amount of firewood contained within, access. Now we’ll be looking at the snow around the base too. People will think we’re trying to steal the squirrels nuts. I’m seriously thinking of upping my car insurance or moving to a college town to get my mind on other things. Another theory. A hybrid theory between my first and what Canadian Border mentioned. Not sure I buy the theory of water/sap creating enough friction to create any discernible heat in a tree. But I can see the fact that the tree is drawing water up that is above freezing level. I could see more friction in the wood from a tree swaying in the wind. At the base that should be negligible tho. Wet snow from the branches and trunk melting first and running down as water may effect the snow around the base,,,,,maybe Anything that exposes that bark to sun and gets the process started. Could the mere weight of a tree create stress heat? Will be interesting to compare stumps to live trees. See if there’s a difference. Hard to say if the stump is allowed to get colder because wood (the tree on top) is an insulator. I also think cocktail hour is coming earlier today.
