At some point, you’ve no doubt seen trees with weird bumps and growths. These could be smooth or lumpy, matching the color of the tree’s bark or contrasting sharply with it.
Do you know what these lumps are called and what causes them? Typically, these are either burls or galls, and what you should do about them depends on what they are.
Let’s take a look at burls and galls that commonly grow on trees so you can tell them apart forever.
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tree burls
Burls are rounded bumps that can be seen on many tree species. They are also known as “smudges” or “smudge knots”, depending on your location. They generally affect hardwoods and conifers, rather than softwoods.
Sometimes you will see them growing high on tree trunks, near the branches, but they are more often found near the roots.
These magnifying glasses can be formed due to different causes, but the unifying characteristic is always some type of stress. Sometimes it’s a group of unformed buds that grow into a deformity, which ends up being covered by several layers of wood.
Other times, a minor infection or insect problem can create a small mass, which is then covered by the wood, much like the way an oyster will cover a grain of sand inside its shell until it is covered. until it becomes a pearl.
A surefire way to tell the difference between burls and galls is that burls are always covered in bark. It may swirl in different directions like a fingerprint, but the coverage will be full.
Note that burls do not damage the trees they grow on. Although they may look like dangerous malignant tumors, these round growths are usually benign. They can only cause damage if they interfere with the vascular structure of the tree, thereby shortening the lifespan of the plant.
That said, some burr nodes can be hospitable habitats for insects and animals, which can cause infection over time.
Uses for Burls
If you are a carpenter, carver, or craftsman who works with wood, magnifying glasses can be absolute treasures. Since the wood inside the burls grows in intricate, swirling patterns, these knots can be turned or carved into extraordinarily beautiful bowls and kuksas.
They can also be made into sculptures or even turned into furniture if they are large enough.
If you’re on the west coast, you might get lucky and find redwood burls. These can be several feet in diameter so you can turn them into tables, chairs and more!
Just be sure to only harvest burls from trees that have already fallen, either due to age or intentional felling.
Poaching of burls is a common practice in many forests and always damages or kills the tree in the process. Sure, you can create absolutely gorgeous pieces out of these swirling pieces of wood, but they’re never worth damaging a life.
tree galls
Unlike burls, which are nicely rounded, galls have a tumor-like appearance. This is not surprising, because that is precisely what they are.
If there is an infection or inflammation caused by insects, fungi, bacteria, or another disease, the cambium tissues wrap around it. They divide and grow randomly, creating lumpy, misshapen growths.
This manic, rapid cell division can veer in all directions, so you may see vertical or horizontal streaks. While burls have smooth, rounded surfaces, galls are rough and can have severe knots and surface bumps.
Additionally, the galls may be discolored, whereas the burls are always the same color as the surrounding bark.
While some conifers can develop both burls and galls, the latter are much more common on hardwood species. These include (but are not limited to) oak, maple, walnut, walnut, and mahogany. Interestingly, they are more common with fruit trees in the Rosaceae family, which includes apples, crabapples, cherries, plums, peaches, pears and apricots.
There is no way to avoid bile growths, but you can try to prevent them.
They are often caused by the introduction of bacteria when grafting branches onto a rootstock. If you maintain sanitary conditions during this process and ensure the transplant is at least two feet above ground level, you will reduce the chance of infection and subsequent gall formation.
If you see a gall forming early or suspect a tree wound may be becoming infected, you may be able to ward it off with Gallex. It is an active and beneficial bacterial compound that can thwart developed biliary infection before it becomes “cancerous” in your tree.
Honorable Mention: Chaga
Chaga is neither a burl nor a gall, but rather a fungus that grows exclusively on birch (Betula) species. Some people confuse cankers with chaga, so identifying it correctly is crucial.
If you are looking for this beneficial mushroom, know that it will always be orange inside, covered in black or dark brown, and it will only are found on birches. In contrast, gall growths are often black or gray inside and can be found on the various leafy trees we mentioned earlier.
Needless to say, brewing tea from gall bladder infections won’t give you the same health benefits as chaga! If in doubt, don’t touch it.
Are tree burls or galls dangerous to touch or work on?
Although tree galls are called plant “cancers”, they cannot be transmitted to humans, mammals, birds, etc. The infection can spread to other plants via the aforementioned transplant, but you are unlikely to carve out a piece of infected plant. gall from one tree to branch into another, right?
So far, the only less than pleasant effect we’ve felt from the smudges or galls was the bug infestations on them.
My partner loves working with wood and was thrilled to come across a burr in a fallen oak tree we found in the woods. Once we brought it home and he opened it with a chisel, a torrent of tiny red ants came out, biting furiously at all living things in their path.
It was an itchy lesson to learn! If you’re going to break a burr or gall, do it outside so you can run away and throw yourself into a river if you need to.
Now that you know the difference between burls and galls (as well as chaga!), you can impress and fascinate everyone at your next dinner party. Bonus points if you create an eye-catching centerpiece with these elements so you can point out their differences.
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