We made this meme about making a bench seat between two trees…
But is it as simple as that?
What else is involved?
Here are more examples and comments from folks who know what’s happening.
Someone in this thread asked “how would this be accomplished?”
User misterbogs replied:
They injure the bark of both trees like peeling a part of it and bolt the pieces of the bench.
Before bolting, they ensure the pieces are clean because it can cause rot.
The tree will sarcody or callus, it’s like a reaction to wounds like what the human skin cells do, bark will react to the foreign object and cover the wound till it closes completely.
My prof did also a similar process in an oldtree with a huge rot in the center. He disinfected the core and he put rebar and concrete inside to prop it so it doesn’t fall. Took years before the bark closed up.
This is another example, but the comment thread on Reddit contains zero valuable info.
Again, this thread does not provide useful information, but it’s another nice example of two trees growing around a wooden plank.
This image was shared on Pinterest with the title, “Bench created by two trees together. Nature is mind blowing.”
Chris commented:
It’s only part nature. My uncle made these.
You make cuts in each of the trees and then a put a plank in between the trees making sure to wedge it into the cuts.
As the tree heals, it grows over the ends of the plank.
Which is where the text from the come from.
But, the best info on actually doing this is from the comment thread of our post.
Alby said:
You don’t have to make a cut in the tree. The simple addition of rings every year, makes the trunk wider and the board is slowly being assimilated. “Resistance is futile.” 😉
So basically, just wedge the board between two trees, without making a cut, and the tree do the rest over time.
Jason said:
Use a log that’s green with the cambium layer still on it so you can graph it in then maybe the transfer between trees might keep the bench alive.
Which is a great idea.
Bryan added:
Trees dont heal they seal.
If a tree is damaged it can not repair that damage (that would be healing), a tree chemically compartmentalises the damage and then seals that damage in as it grows (the damage never goes away but is hidden).
So cutting the tree is probably not the best way to do this.
Another alternative is to cheat…
If you know more about trees growing around planks of wood to form a bench, let us know in the comment section below!
