Large Burl on Birch Tree

[Joonsy]

On my walk today I came across this sizeable burl on a birch. It completely encircles the entire trunk a full 360 degrees and has a diameter of approx 20'' with a circumference of approx 61''. What’s the biggest burl you members have come across (preferably here in in the uk). Photos below in the usual poor quality (the norm for me):-

 

[Monikieman]

I've seen stuff like that before. No pics and not very common. Wonder what you could make with it?

 

[Joonsy]

I've seen stuff like that before. No pics and not very common. Wonder what you could make with it?

thankyou Monikieman for that rare thing, ''a reply''.

 

[Fraxinus]

A family of Kuksa's right there.
I have never seen one that large round here but my coffee table is made from a large one that dwarfs the trunk.

3'7" x 3' x 2"

Rob.

 

[nic a char]

THAT is the biggest 1 I've seen! A beauty!

 

[vestlenning]

On my walk today I came across this sizeable burl on a birch.

Blimey! I have never seen one as big where I live, do you know what factors contribute to size?

 

[Retired Member southey]

are you near north camp?

 

[Macaroon]

There's one near me on a mature Cherry which is absolutely vast, the largest I've ever seen; the only reason it's still there is because of the inaccessibility of the place, it must be worth a large sum of money.

I'm not mobile at the moment but I will be come the Spring, I'll go up there and get a photo and post it here as soon as I'm walking again

 

[Retired Member southey]

Scratch that, my northcamp one is a little higher up.

 

[Retired Member southey]

 

[Harvestman]

Here's mine. On an ash tree that has a 2 foot diameter. This is huge. I've wanted it for years but it is on private land and is on the edge of a canal, so would fall in if anyone tried to remove it.

 

[Joonsy]

Thanks for all the terrific replies and photos guys

A family of Kuksa's right there.
I have never seen one that large round here but my coffee table is made from a large one that dwarfs the trunk.

yeah or a really big bowl, that's a fine table Fraxinus

THAT is the biggest 1 I've seen! A beauty!

me too, and not too many completety encircle the ''whole'' trunk of a tree

Blimey! I have never seen one as big where I live, do you know what factors contribute to size?

i'm afraid i don't know what determines the size of a burl, though i believe burls are caused by damage to the tree or a type of fungus/virus, burls also grow on the roots of trees below ground as well so many remain unseen

are you near north camp?

I don't know where ''north camp'' is that you refer to Southey, photo is taken in worcestershire, thanks for picture of specimen, a cracker but clearly a different one to mine

There's one near me on a mature Cherry which is absolutely vast, the largest I've ever seen; the only reason it's still there is because of the inaccessibility of the place, it must be worth a large sum of money.

I'm not mobile at the moment but I will be come the Spring, I'll go up there and get a photo and post it here as soon as I'm walking again

Look forward to seeing that Macaroon, best wishes for a speedy recovery, spring brings new life in many forms so i hope that includes a new lease of life for you too when recovered, ATB

Here's mine. On an ash tree that has a 2 foot diameter. This is huge. I've wanted it for years but it is on private land and is on the edge of a canal, so would fall in if anyone tried to remove it.

That's a cracker Harvestman keep an eye on it the canal & river trust sometimes clear overhanging foilage when working on the towpaths, here in the midlands i've lost a couple of really good pear trees overhanging the ''cut'' through clearance, last year went armed with basket and extra long stick for my annual pear forage and was dissapointed to see the pear trees had been removed when they re-did the towpath.

 

[grumit]

Have a silver burch here in guernsey like yours biggest I have ever seen was over two metres tall and over a meter wide on an elm made seventy five quid selling it to local wood carvers we used to have a chap come over from Scotland looking for elm burl for veneer manufacture

 

[Joonsy]

Have a silver burch here in guernsey like yours biggest I have ever seen was over two metres tall and over a meter wide on an elm made seventy five quid selling it to local wood carvers we used to have a chap come over from Scotland looking for elm burl for veneer manufacture

crikey grumit that's an absolute monster i bet those carvers were well happy to get that. I don't know anything about Guernsey, presume it must be well forested if folks travel there from scotland or do you just have an abundant elm population.

 

[bambodoggy]

We get quite a few round here as the area (Surrey, Hampshire , Berkshire boarders) is swamped with birch. I have had a couple that size off birches round here before and just given them to friends to carve or play with. Found a really large one on a pink flowering horse chestnut at the entrance to the national shooting centre in Bisley....that went to a good friend of mine who was very chuffed to get it.

Southy....if you mean North Camp, Hants....as in the north end of Aldershot then watch out I don't find your burl first! Lol (joking).

As it happend I was out today over at G8 training area near Deepcut and a small birch was on the ground with a 10" burl wrapped round a 3" trunk. As it was on the floor I picked it up and brought it home....it'll go to the same mate

I come across loads of small ones during my work but an hours walk in any of our local wooded areas and you'll find one or two....whether you can/should take them is another matter

 

[Hibrion]

There are definitely a few nice bowls and knife handles hiding in there.

There's one on an old oak in a local Demense that must be more than 6 foot square. That's definitely the biggest I've ever seen.

If that oak ever comes down I'll be asking about the fate of that burl!

 

[Retired Member southey]

We get quite a few round here as the area (Surrey, Hampshire , Berkshire boarders) is swamped with birch. I have had a couple that size off birches round here before and just given them to friends to carve or play with. Found a really large one on a pink flowering horse chestnut at the entrance to the national shooting centre in Bisley....that went to a good friend of mine who was very chuffed to get it.

Southy....if you mean North Camp, Hants....as in the north end of Aldershot then watch out I don't find your burl first! Lol (joking).

As it happend I was out today over at G8 training area near Deepcut and a small birch was on the ground with a 10" burl wrapped round a 3" trunk. As it was on the floor I picked it up and brought it home....it'll go to the same mate

I come across loads of small ones during my work but an hours walk in any of our local wooded areas and you'll find one or two....whether you can/should take them is another matter

Hahaha your welcome! We've moved away, on the path that follows the blackwater just down from North camp station.

 

[grumit]

crikey grumit that's an absolute monster i bet those carvers were well happy to get that. I don't know anything about Guernsey, presume it must be well forested if folks travel there from scotland or do you just have an abundant elm population.

Guernsey is actually very small twenty five square miles not much forest at all I used to work in tree surgery so got to fell trees all over the place for private clients and our local governing body

 

[Harvestman]

Does this count? Seen in the village of Ewyas Harold in Herefordshire today.

 

[Joonsy]

Does this count? Seen in the village of Ewyas Harold in Herefordshire today.

Wow that’s quite a specimen Harvestman, it looks like that is the result of pollarding, what’s the tree, is it ash? -- I saw a great old pollarded oak tree near the Kymin by Monmouth a couple of years ago which is unusual because it actually shows on the OS map (it’s about one kilometre east of the kymin on the left hand side of the A4136 by Broadstone farm) Thanks for posting