One tough tree

[bb07]

The Jack Pine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Pine is one of the toughest trees I know of. I've seen them blown over and held up off the ground by their branches only to keep on growing.
Quite often they snap off part way up, get hit by lightning, partly burn in a forest fire etc etc etc, only to keep on growing.
Often they are totally rotten in the centre with just a bit of sapwood keeping the tree alive.
They grow and thrive in pure sand that would kill many other trees.
To me, it's an amazing tree, a survivor.

Here's one that's still living even though ants had taken up residence in a past summer, in turn attracting a bear which has done some damage

Despite this, it's still alive

In my area, they are the most commonly used tree for firewood.

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

you should see the hard wood tree here in aus, i seen chain saws break when tryin to chop them there fxckin super hard XD guess that way there australlian hard wood



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Skipp

 

[nuggets]

I made a mantle piece once out off a piece off -australian -`jarra` hardwood -railway sleeper it was !! - harder than concrete to carve !!!

 

[bb07]

you should see the hard wood tree here in aus, i seen chain saws break when tryin to chop them there fxckin super hard XD guess that way there australlian hard wood



Skipp

I have heard of your hardwoods before. Very hard, yes! The hardest tree we have here is birch.
When I said the jack pine is tough, I was referring to it's hardiness to survive after injuries. The wood itself is very soft.

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

I made a mantle piece once out off a piece off -australian -`jarra` hardwood -railway sleeper it was !! - harder than concrete to carve !!!

yeah railway sleeper are hard, but it ausise hard wood, one of the best wood to burn i say ^^ when hardwood burns smell yummy ^^

 

[Callum]

I think Jack Pine is one of the boreal trees that relies on fire to germinate the seeds. If I remember it's part of the life cycle of the species and the idea is that the new tree starts to grow when the competition has been wiped out by the fire and it therefore gets a head start.

Callum