Monday, November 21, 2005

Rhododendron trunk detail

In this picture we see the three “primary” trunks associated with the subject-rhododendron. Along side the three primary trunks is the newest member – the young fledgling you see just to the left which stands only a few feet tall.

If I were to remove some of the duff from around the base of the trunks, I suspect I would see that these trunks in fact connect directly to other nearby rhododendrons on either side of the trail.

However, I had no intention of disturbing my green friend… so it remains a theory.


Remember you can click on images to enlarge for more detail!






2 comments:

  1. Plus you would need a lot of time for that type of experiment/observation too right?

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  2. Indeed! Our project was rather short-term... but it would be interesting to learn more about how the plants interconnect.

    I was most intrigued by learning about mycorrhiza... it's a type of fungus that lives in a symbiotic relationship with tree roots.

    Essentially, using one of two main methods, the mycorrhiza fungus grows with the tiny feeding roots of trees, and thereby extends the root system – connecting it with the root systems of other local trees! This allows many trees to share a common source of incoming food and water – pretty amazing!

    I don't know whether there are any mycorrhiza which interact with rhododendrons, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were!

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